Obituary
Robert “Bob” Bomer
Robert Edward Bomer, age 70, of Kewadin, Michigan, passed away on Thursday, April 9, 2026 following a brief battle with cancer, with family by his side.
Bob was born on June 21, 1955, in Traverse City, Michigan, and was a proud graduate of Traverse City Central High School, Class of 1972. He went on to build a life rooted in hard work, dedication, and connection with others. Bob spent 34 years at Max’s Service in downtown Traverse City, where he became more than just an employee—he found a second family. The people he worked alongside meant the world to him, and the friendships he built there lasted a lifetime. He retired from Max’s in 2020, leaving behind a legacy of loyalty and a strong work ethic. In addition to his time at Max’s, Bob spent many years delivering milk for Michigan Milk. He took great pride in his work and especially loved the relationships he built along his routes. On drives through the area, he would often point out the farms he had delivered to, sharing stories and memories that reflected just how much those experiences meant to him. Bob also worked with the Bendix seismic crew at United Geophysical, a job that took him to Texas. During his time there, his daughter was born, adding one of the greatest joys to his life. Bob was a man full of life, expressed through his positive demeanor and contagious smile. The outdoors was his sanctuary. He enjoyed any and every outdoor activity including downhill skiing, mountain biking, boating, snowmobiling, four wheeling, fishing, racquetball, softball, and sailing. He was often called the “whale on the rail of the Kokomo.” He also found joy camping and taking his dog, Marley, around in the golf cart. Above all, Bob loved his family. He was a devoted husband, a loving father and involved grandfather. He enjoyed watching his grandchildren grow up and thrive in their sporting and musical passions. Bob and Laurie shared a deep love for the simple joys of life, especially the time they spent exploring the beauty of Michigan together. They cherished camping trips around the state, where many of their favorite memories were made. Whether they were walking the shoreline, searching for rocks along the beaches, or heading out on four-wheelers through the countryside, those adventures brought them so much joy. Just as special were the quiet moments spent sitting on the porch of their beautiful home, watching the birds that Bob loved so much. He even gave many of them names, something that always brought a smile to those around him. For his daughter, Risha, a lot of times were spent just him and her. She was “his girl” and being an only child growing up, it gave them a special bond that was one of a kind. Bob will be missed by his wife of 26 years, Laurie Bomer; daughter, Risha (Kevan) Maguire; grandchildren, Landon, Molly; siblings, George (Rose) Bomer, David Jankowiak, LuAnn (Dan) Lautner, Chris (Doug) Baudoux; brothers-in-law, Jeff Nagy, Mike Garrod; sisters-in-law, Shari Redman, Susie Powell; mother-in-law, Kay Powell; and former wife, Shawn Bomer. He was preceded in death by his father, George Bomer; mother, Beatrice (Paul) Jankowiak; siblings, Sandy Bomer, Jim (Delise) Bomer, Paula (John) Leavey; father-in-law, Dick Powell; sister-in-law, Sandy Nagy; brother-in-law, Don Redman; and nephew, Justin Bomer. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 18, 2026 at Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home, 305 Sixth St. Traverse City. Family will welcome visitors an hour prior to the service from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. A light reception will follow. Memorial contributions may be given in Bob’s honor to the Cherryland Humane Society. To leave a message for the family, please visit www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com. Audrey Louise Hamminga
Audrey Louise Hamminga, 90, of Kewadin, Michigan, passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at her home surrounded by loved ones. She was born on November 19, 1935, in Mendon, Michigan, the daughter of Leon and Gladys Hoover.
Audrey married the love of her life, Garrett Hamminga, on April 17, 1952, in Mendon. They went on to have five sons and moved to the Elk Rapids area in 1969 to raise them up north. After Garrett retired, they enjoyed traveling all over the United States with their fifth wheel in tow. Audrey loved tending to her flower gardens around her house, and she always made sure to remove every weed that showed up. She kept her house just as clean as her gardens and ran the vacuum any chance she could. She also enjoyed reading and playing Bunko or other card games with friends. Audrey is survived by three sons, Timothy Hamminga of California, Ricky Hamminga of Karlin, Randy (Beth) Hamminga of Kewadin; 11 grandchildren; many great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Garrett Hamminga; two sons, Steven Hamminga and Garrett Hamminga Jr.; two brothers, Robert Hoover and Walter Hoover; and two sisters, Edna Shimp and Barbara Moyer. Audrey’s family will celebrate her life privately. Arrangements are in the care of the Central Lake Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes. Please sign her online guestbook at www.mortensenfuneralhomes.com Paul Junior Teno
It is with great sadness that the family of Paul Junior Teno, of Alden, Michigan, announces his passing on Thursday, March 19, 2026.
Paul was born on October 6, 1938 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania to Paul Teno Sr. and Anna Turcheck. Paul was the second eldest sibling of seven children. Growing up in rural Pennsylvania Paul was often known for stirring up mischief in his small town. He often chuckled reminiscing about the stories to his children and grandchildren, where they too laughed and couldn’t believe their Dad/Grandpa was capable of creating such chaos. In the early 1950s the Teno family moved to Inkster, Michigan where Paul later met the love of his life, Barbara Buchacz. In the early 1960s and first years of their relationship Paul served two years in the U.S. Army overseas working as a combat engineer. He then came home and married Barbara in 1964. Barbara and Paul would follow the Teno family in having a large family and welcomed five children of their own – their eldest Lisa, twins Paul and Paulette, Annette, and youngest Jason. During the next 37 years Paul proudly worked at Ford Motor Company in Ypsilanti, while Barbara kept things in order and was chief manager of the children and household back home. In his spare time Paul could be found tinkering in the garage on anything that needed fixing. When Paul was nearing retirement he and Barbara decided they would like to live the rest of their years in the slower paced northern Michigan and ended up landing in Alden, Michigan in the late 90’s after retiring from Ford Motor Company. Paul and Barbara purchased their dream home on 11 acres of rolling hills and trees just a short distance to the beautiful and coveted Torch Lake. It was here they hosted many holidays with all of their family and enjoyed having a house full of loved ones. Paul would sit in his favorite spot by the front door ready to greet anyone who walked in. He was always surrounded by his posse of “guard” dogs where they knew was the best place to be to get a treat – or 10! While Paul’s true love was Barbara, as you couldn’t go far from one without seeing the other, his second pride and joy was his John Deere tractor. He loved cruising his property and doing odd jobs around the yard just to be on it, tending to his chickens and driveway many hours of the week. He also enjoyed testing out his handyman skills on their home and slowly worked on projects inside the house, which led to his love of woodworking. He would make all sorts of goodies for his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and friends. All in all, Paul lived out his years doing what he loved best, enjoying his time doing the things he loved. Paul Jr. will be deeply missed by his wife Barbara; his five children, Lisa McManman, Paul Teno, Paulette Teno, Annette (Brad) Tremba, Jason (Courtney) Teno; his grandchildren, David (Chelsey) McManman, Amanda (Nick) Tompkins, Emily McManman, Tristan Teno, Lauren (Tyson) Kappen, Joseph Teno, Dylan Tremba, Nina Tremba, Addison Teno; his great-grandchildren, Zander, Broden, and Dax Tompkins, Oliver Farley, Lexi McManman, Aiden and Samantha Teno, Layne and Wyatt Kappen; his siblings, Cecelia Teno Shaull, Catherine Norman, Rose Zajdel, Michael Teno, Madeline Williams and Nicholas Teno (deceased), as well as his nieces, nephews, and friends. The funeral service took place at Kalkaska Funeral Home. Burial has taken place at Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, Michigan. Arrangements have been entrusted to Kalkaska Funeral Home and Cremation Services. |
Diane Alayne Geddes
Diane Alayne Geddes (née Hughes) passed away peacefully, joining her husband in eternal life, in her home in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Friday, April 10, 2026, at the age of 83. She was born on October 26, 1942, in Ferndale, Michigan, where she grew up, formed cherished lifelong friendships, and met her high school sweetheart and beloved husband, Bill, of 44 years.
Diane and Bill made their home and raised their family in Plymouth, Michigan, before retiring to Elk Rapids, Michigan, where they were active in the community and were living their dream life. Diane was involved in her local library, church, garden and book clubs, sewing group, and various other volunteer and social groups. She also loved genealogy and conducted extensive family research. Above all, Diane was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, who enjoyed nothing more than spending time with her kids and grandkids. Diane is preceded in death by her husband, Bill; parents, Bernard and Ruth Hughes; and brother, William. She is survived by her son, John (Sheri), and grandchildren, Matthew (Karli) and Ashley (Liam); son, Steve (Marcela) and grandchildren, Patrick and Laila; and daughter, Christine (Tarek) Joseph, and grandchildren, Elias, Samir, and Alexander. Friends are invited to attend a visitation with the family beginning at 3:00 p.m. and a celebration of life service at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 17, at Muehlig Funeral Chapel in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Diane’s memory to the Elk Rapids District Library or the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Wanda Cecelia Smyt
Wanda Cecelia Smyt, age 98, passed to her eternal home while sleeping January 22, 2026. Wanda was born on June 20, 1927 in Detroit, Michigan, the daughter of Edward and Julia (Biel) Smyt. Wanda never married and had no children.
Wanda had a love for music and was an accomplished pianist and also participated in many choirs, including Grand Traverse Chorale. She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Elk Rapids where she served as an organist and choir director for many years. She worked as a supervisor at Michigan Bell Telephone Co. (later AT&T) until her retirement. Wanda is survived by her niece, Cathleen (Charles) Thayer, and their two children and four grandchildren. Preceding her in death were her mother, father, two sisters Irene (Raymond D.) Bush-Neumann, and Estelle (Ted) Nalepka, as well as two nephews Kenneth M. Bush and Raymond E. Bush. A Mass will be celebrated at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Elk Rapids at 11a.m. Thursday, May 7, 2026. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Burial in Sacred Heart Cemetery will immediately follow the Mass. Afterwards family and friends are invited to a luncheon in the Social Hall. Memorial contributions may be sent to Cherryland Humane Society in Traverse City. John H. Windiate
John H. Windiate 79, passed away Saturday, March 28, 2026, at Meadow Brook Medical Care Facility in Bellaire. He was born August 26, 1946, in Battle Creek, Michigan, the son of Francis “Jack” and Phyllis (Vedder) Windiate.
John enjoyed sports of all kinds but especially watching all the Detroit area teams. He was also a die-hard U of M fan. John loved being on Torch Lake boating and enjoying all its natural beauty. He spent a lot of time outside landscaping and working on the family lake house. He could often be found listening to good music, especially Jazz. He enjoyed spending time with his family and extended family and will be missed by many. Surviving is his son Joseph (Ciehl) Windiate of Traverse City, Michigan and sister Kathy Windiate of Eastport, Michigan. He was preceded in death by his parents. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. To honor John’s love of animals, memorial contributions can be given to With A Little Help From My Friends, 3820 Ritt Rd, Bellaire, MI 49615. Arrangements are in the care of the Central Lake Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes. Robert “Bob” John Cameron
Robert “Bob” John Cameron (95) passed away peacefully on March 25, 2026 after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Robert was born on April 1, 1930 in Detroit, Michigan. Bob proudly served in the United States Navy. His love for family was a defining part of his life. He loved celebrating with his family at Elk Lake. He shared his love of water with the family, boating, waterskiing, swimming and his favorite, sailing.
Early in his marriage, Bob built a motorboat and later helped build a propeller plane. Over the years, he crewed on many sailboats. His favorite role was as helmsman on the 60-foot yacht Ace, racing on Lake Michigan. Bob is survived by his wife of 71 years, Maxine C. (Oligney) Cameron; his son, Craig R. Cameron, D.D.S. (Laura); daughter, Carole Muscat; son, Robert J. Cameron, Jr. (Linda). Five grandchildren, Michael Cameron (Kyle); Melissa Beachy (Nate); Jennifer Morgan (Robert); Kristi Cox (Brodie); and Jamie Lee Lareau (Jason). Nine great grandchildren, Graham, Cameron, Rowe, Reid, Brooks, Shaw, Stetson, Lelynn, and Mia. The family will celebrate Bob’s life later this summer. Memorials may be directed to either the First Presbyterian Church of Elk Rapids or the Michael J. Fox Foundation. John J. Lawrey
John J. Lawrey, 97, of Rapid City, Michigan, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, after a recent hospitalization.
John was born on June 16, 1928 in Cornwall, England, to James Henry and Annie (Hosking) Lawrey. He was a graduate of Painesdale High School in 1945 and Michigan Technological University in 1949, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. John began his engineering career in Detroit with Fisher Body on January 1949. His six and a half years at Fisher Body was interrupted with two years of service in the U.S. Army Chemical Corps. He served proudly and achieved the level of Sergeant Major. He then joined Ford Motor Company in June of 1955. During his 28-year career at Ford, he held various managerial and executive level positions and retired in 1983 as Executive Engineer of Body Design. John enjoyed traveling with his family and particularly to their second home in northern Michigan on Elk Lake where he resided with Barbara and shared winters in Homosassa, Florida, where he was a member of Sugarmill Country Club. In Michigan, he enjoyed golf at Elk Rapids Golf Club and served on many improvement teams and was elected President for several years. John was a devoted member of the Kewadin Community Church for more than 40 years and supported many fundraising dinner events and improvement efforts. John had a great love for his family. He was a role model for them based on his work ethic and family values. He was incredibly proud of his children and grandchildren for their accomplishments and determination to pursue their dreams. He felt he was very fortunate. John married the love of his life, Barbara E. Davenport, on June 16, 1951. He is survived by his children, Gary (Corliss) Lawrey, Gail (Marc) Cross and Beth (Henry) Fritz; his cherished grandchildren, Devon Lawrey, Raechel (Michael) Marks, Anthony (Morgan) Cross, John (Aimee) Cross, Dr. Austin (Randee) Cross, Kristin (Kyle) Banter and Jaclyn (Andrew) Weber; and great-grandchildren, William Marks, Tyler Banter and Leighton Cross. John was preceded in death by his parents, James Henry Lawrey and Annie (Hosking) Lawrey; and his wife, Barbara (Davenport) Lawrey. A service to celebrate John’s life will be held this summer and will be announced at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to the Kewadin Community Church, 7234 Cairn Hwy., P.O. Box 277, Kewadin, Michigan 49648. Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, Covell-Traverse City Chapel, is in charge of arrangements. www.beaconfh.com |