Obituaries

Joseph Franklin Gates

Joe. He entered, lived, and exited life surprising those he knew.

 He was way too premature to easily survive his August 15, 1933 birth in Charleston, West Virginia. Ever immersed in numbers and jokes, he’d have loved to quip he cheated death for 31,215 days — then hung on briefly in hospice, apparently stable, before dying peacefully in five minutes the morning of January 31, 2019.

Joe lived the first quarter of his life in the Mountaineer State. He graduated West Virginia University in 1955 with a BA in business administration. Joe came from a family of World War I and II veterans, and he enlisted in the US Army in February 1956. He was honorably discharged as an SP-3 into the Reserves following service in Germany with the legendary First Artillery during the height of the Cold War.

Joe met his first love Gertrud Scheible during his overseas deployment. They married in Weingarten, West Germany on July 22, 1957, and settled in Plymouth, Michigan. She embedded in him a permanent love of everything German — particularly her cooking, bakery pretzels, and Christmas stollen. He threw himself into his single career with Ford Motor Company. He was at once dedicated, meticulous, detailed, an administrator of purchasing from the supply chain, who arrived at work before anyone else.

Elaine J. Hafner

of Chelsea, MI, age 85, died Thursday, January 31, 2019 at her home. She was born February 11, 1933 in Detroit, Michigan, the daughter of Russell & Clara (Colvia) Ferry.  Elaine lived in Chelsea most of her life. She was a member of Faith Lutheran Church since 2008.  Elaine worked at the Chelsea Hardware store, and Dayspring Gifts.

On July 22, 1950, she married Charles “Bud” Hafner  in Brighton, MI and he preceded her in death on Aug. 2, 1996. Survivors include four sons, Lloyd of Munith, William (Janet) of Belleville, Lee of Alabama, Anthony (Deedee) of Munith; one daughter, Carol (Tom) Houle of Chelsea; a brother, Ronald Ferry of Grass Lake; as well as many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by a son, Lary; a daughter-in-law, Janet Hafner; and a grandson, Christopher.

George Kenneth Ackerman

of Jackson, Michigan, age 91, died Friday, February 1, 2019 at Faith Haven Senior Care Center, Jackson. He was born March 24, 1927 in Jackson, Michigan, the son of George Henry & Florence May (Lowe) Ackerman.

Edwin L. “Ed” Hartmann

of Napoleon, MI, age 62, died Thursday, January 31, 2019 at his home. He was born October 3, 1956 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the son of Elmer Rupert & Elsie Edna (Jones) Hartmann. Ed graduated from Chelsea High School in 1974. He worked for Palmer Ford and owned Hartmann's Auto Service in Gregory and Jackson. "Throughout his life he enjoyed a number of hobbies. He was a member of the Jackson, Manchester, and Munith Gun clubs. Additionally he participated in the Grand American Trap Shooting Championships. It was his love of trap shooting that led him to coaching young trap shooters in the scholastic clay target program. He was an avid sprint car driver in his younger years. He took delight in being outdoors, especially hunting and fishing. Many of his cherished times were spent at his log cabin in Merritt, MI. It would be remiss if his child-like excitement for antique tractors wasn't mentioned. He regularly attended and participated in parades and shows.