Obituaries

Richard Place

of Chelsea, formerly of Ann Arbor and Bloomfield Hills, age 86, passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 2, 2021 at his home in Chelsea, MI with his family at his side. He was born June 29, 1934 in Howard City, MI, the son of Floyd M. & Phoebe E. (Harmer) Place.

Richard grew up in Flint and graduated from Northern High School in 1952. After high school, he studied at Flint Junior College before transferring to MIT where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering. Following graduation he served as an officer in the US Navy. During this time he also received a Masters in Engineering Administration degree from George Washington University and married the love of his life Meryl D. Johnson in 1959.

Donna June Holiday

Of Dexter, MI, age 63, passed away to be with the Lord on Friday, January 1, 2021 at Arbor Hospice in Saline due to complications of kidney disease. She was born June 15, 1957 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the daughter of Coyne & Betty June (Tanner) Holiday.
Donna graduated from Dexter High School in 1975. She was Group Leader at Gelman Science for 30 years, where she made many life-long friends. Donna was a life-long member of Dexter Gospel Church, where she taught Sunday school and was an AWANA leader for almost 40 years.

Joe Griffin Eisley

Joe Griffin Eisley, age 92, died Wednesday, December 30, 2020, at Silver Maples of Chelsea Retirement Neighborhood. He was born on April 7, 1928, in Auglaize County, Ohio, the son of Harold Samuel and Velma Ruth (Griffin) Eisley.  After graduating from Spencerville (Ohio) High School in 1946, he joined the U.S. Army and was stationed in Daegu, South Korea.  In 1948, he entered Parks College, St. Louis University, going on to receive his Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees from the California Institute of Technology.  In 1956, he married Marilyn Fleck in Pasadena, California, and they moved to Ann Arbor where he began a 42-year career as a Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Michigan. In addition to his teaching duties, he spent 14 years as an Associate Dean in the College of Engineering.  During this time, he was involved in revising the engineering curriculum and in developing programs to encourage women and minorities to study engineering.  His proudest accomplishment at the university, however, was to see so many of his former students succeed in their engineering careers.

Dewarld D. "Bill" Hiner

Of Chelsea, MI, formerly of Ann Arbor & Farmington Hills

Age 96, died Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at Chelsea Retirement Community. He was born in 1924 in Wymore, Nebraska, the son of Arthur and Althea (Beldon) Hiner. Bill was a member of the Orchard United Methodist Church, Farmington Hills.

Bill has been married to Eleanor Ann Hanley for 61 years, and she survives. He is also survived by one son, James Hiner (Melissa) of Ann Arbor; and two grandchildren, Margaret Hunt and Robert Hiner. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Margaret “Peggy” Hiner of Atlanta, Georgia, and his brother, Clyde Jr. Hiner of Wymore, Nebraska.