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Obituary

​Carolyn “Sue” (Lueck) Bradford​

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Carolyn Sue Bradford, known as “Sue,” formerly of Midland, Michigan, passed away peacefully on June 3, 2025, in Melbourne, Florida. She was 85. Born on August 19, 1939, in Grayling, Michigan, she spent most of her childhood on the family farm in Kewadin, Michigan. She graduated from Elk Rapids High School and then moved with a lifelong friend to Midland, Michigan, where she lived until 2021. There she worked as an assistant to Architect Alden B. Dow. She went on to marry Richard Gerald Finn (deceased) in 1959. In 1962, she married Douglas C. Ross (deceased), and they welcomed their daughter Carolyn L. (Pebbles) Robb. In May 1978, she married Tom Miles Bradford (deceased) and together they blended families to include Tom’s children, Steve M. Bradford of California, James M. Bradford of North Carolina, LouAn M. Gray of Colorado, Tom Matthew Bradford of Michigan, and Susanne M. Bradford of South Carolina. Sue later dedicated many years of service to the Secretary of State’s office in Midland and retired to enjoy time with friends and family.

Sue and Tom spent 42 years together enjoying their shared love of travel, golf, camping, visiting family and friends, doing arts and crafts, and hanging out on their back porch.  After Tom’s passing, she moved to Melbourne, Florida. Sue will be fondly remembered for her delicious chocolate chip cookies and desserts, her warm heart and resilience and her witty sense of humor. She showed love and encouragement to everyone. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend, and neighbor who will be deeply missed by all who knew her.  

She is survived by her daughter, Carolyn L. “Pebbles” Robb (Dave), and her stepchildren, Steve M. Bradford, James M. Bradford (Linda), LouAn M. Gray (Aaron), Tom Matthew Bradford, and Dr. Susanne M. Bradford (Dave Martin); her sister, Janice Nordin (Ken); her sister-in-law, Ruthan Lueck (Corky); 14 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. She also leaves behind several nieces and nephews and many lifelong friends.

Sue was preceded in death by her husbands, Richard G. Finn, Douglas C. Ross, and Tom Miles Bradford; her parents, Royce “Dutch” and Mary Lueck; her brothers, Gayle Duane (Butch) Lueck and Royce Rolland (Corky) Lueck; and her sister, Diane Ophelia Elanor (Gus) Lueck.

A celebration of life will be held with family in August in Midland, Michigan.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions may be made in Sue’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association, the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, to your local hospice organization or by participating in the annual “Walk to End Alzheimer’s” to remember Sue and others who are affected by this disease. 


Dolores Margaret (DeLapp) Hibbard

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Dolores Margaret (DeLapp) Hibbard, age 85, passed away June 25, 2025 after a short illness. Dolores was born on December 30, 1939 in Flint, Michigan. She was the daughter of Wiliam Harold and Margaret (Takacs) DeLapp. After graduating Flint Central High School in 1957 she attended Flint Junior College (Mott Community College), eventually earning her bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Michigan- Flint. She went on to earn two master’s degrees in Early Childhood Education from Eastern Michigan University. Dolores taught in the Flint Community Schools for 32 years, as a kindergarten and prekindergarten teacher at
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Cook Elementary and later at Cody Elementary, and served as the first kindergarten teacher in Doyle-Ryder Elementary’s gifted program. She retired in 1999.

While still a student at Flint JC, Dolores married Wallace G. Hibbard. They celebrated their 65th anniversary in April of this year. The couple have one daughter, Dawn Hibbard. Dolores and Wally lived and worked in Flint throughout their careers. She was active in Girl Scouts and was a long-time student of pottery at the Flint Institute of Arts Museum School.

In the late 1970s Dolores founded The Learning Box, a company that produced a book of learning activities for pre-school children, and Grandma’s Button Box, a learning toy. The toy was launched at the American Toy Fair in 1980.

The couple retired in 1999 and moved to Elk Rapids, Michigan, where Dolores joined the Elk Rapids Garden Club where she served as Environmental Chair (or Environmental Nag as she liked to say), volunteered at the Elk Rapids Chamber of Commerce and the Elk Rapids Library, and was active in the local Delta Kappa Gamma teacher’s sorority. She joined the Quilters Guild, took up Ikebana flower arranging, and covered the Village Council for the Elk Rapids News. Dolores exercised her interest in Native American culture through Road Scholar trips and volunteering for the Smithsonian Institution to help document Native American culture at a national event.

She and Wally traveled extensively in retirement, visiting many European countries and traveling all over the United States. More recently she spent time closer to home due to ill health, but she continued to enjoy visiting with friends and feeding the local chipmunks.

She will be remembered for her bright red VW bug with the handmade Environmental Nag window sticker, her unruly little dog Daisy, and her love of Elk Rapids and the friends she made here.

Dolores was preceded in death by her parents, lifelong friends Elizabeth and Fred Hans, and her beloved Daisy dog. She leaves to cherish her memory her husband Wally, daughter Dawn and husband Ray Rust, granddaughter Fiona Hibbard, sister Rosemarie Peters, nieces Renee Zeintek and Kerri Miller, great niece and nephews Olivia and Quincy Zeintek and Dax Miller, and dear friends Dick and Sandy Nordin, Barb Mullaly, and Linda and Phil Ziemke.

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Arlene Sylvia Jepson
September 25, 1931 – June 21, 2025

Arlene Sylvia Jepson went to be with Jesus on Saturday, June 21, 2025 at her home in Kewadin, Michigan. Arlene was in the company of her family as she peacefully passed in her sleep. She was born 93 years ago in Pontiac, Michigan to George and Lila Gray. 

Arlene will be missed by her husband, Arthur: daughters, Connae (Blaine) Denning and Sue (Michael) Gillett; brothers, Douglas (Margaret) Gray and George Gray, as well as seven grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. 

Arlene was actively involved in church, working with children in Awana clubs, the mission board, and as a greeter at the door. She loved being with her family, especially on holidays and often set an amazing table.

Arlene was very charitable to several organizations, and with that spirit, her husband Arthur has asked that rather than sending flowers, please donate instead to Thrive Medical Clinic of Traverse City, Michigan. 

Thrive: “We exist to provide women and men facing unplanned pregnancy with the solutions, practical resources & caring support that they need to thrive.”

Arlene’s going home celebration service will be July 3, 2025 at New Hope Community Church at 2:00 p.m. Viewing will precede the service starting at noon. Arlene will be laid to rest after the service in the South Milton Cemetery.

Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, Covell-Elk Rapids Chapel is in charge of arrangements. www.beaclnfh.com

​Arthur John Jepson Jr.
April 22, 1928 – June 30, 2025

​Arthur John Jepson Jr. went to heaven to be with Jesus and his wife Arlene Jepson on Monday, June 30, 2025. Arthur’s wife of 74 years, Arlene, preceded him in death by just nine days. Arthur passed quietly in the night at his home in Kewadin, Michigan.

Arthur will be missed by his daughters, Connae (Blaine) Denning and Sue (Michael) Gillett, as well as seven grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. 

Arthur was actively involved in church work. He was unofficially the general contractor in the building of the Elk Rapid Bible Church and did much of the finishing work. He also had a very loving and outgoing personality that worked perfectly as a greeter at the door at New Hope Community Church. 

Arthur loved to spend time in the Sawdust Shoppe, his workshop, making beautiful pieces of art scrolled or turned out of wood. He was also a very avid fisherman. He has had many fishing buddies that he dearly cherished through the years including his grandsons.

Arthur and Arlene were very charitable to several organizations and with that spirit, they have asked that rather than sending flowers, please donate instead to Thrive Medical Clinic of Traverse City, Michigan. 

Thrive: “We exist to provide women and men facing unplanned pregnancy with the solutions, practical resources & caring support that they need to thrive.”

Arthur’s and Arlene’s going home celebration service will be July 3, 2025 at New Hope Community Church at 2:00 p.m. Viewing will precede the service starting at noon. Arthur and Arlene will be laid to rest side by side after the service in the South Milton Cemetery. 

Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, Covell-Elk Rapids Chapel is in charge of arrangements. www.beaconfh.com


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