Lee Harrison Ferguson II was born in Belleville, Michigan on March 11, 1955.
He passed away on Jan. 12, 2022, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota at the age of 66.
Lee graduated from Eastern Michigan University with an education degree and got his Masters at SDSU. He shared his passion for music through teaching and playing with various bands throughout the years like Camino One, Vigilante, and Bangtail. One of his greatest joys was playing gigs with his friends from the bands, all well attended by their family and fans.
He started his teaching career in Wall, South Dakota before going to Onida, South Dakota. He dedicated 11 years of his life to the Sully Buttes school and the wonderful community there where lifetime friendships were made. He and his family then moved to Colton, South Dakota. He dedicated another 17 years to teaching at Tri-Valley at the high school level where he enjoyed bonding with colleagues and helping to influence and encourage students and watching their journeys.
Visitation with family present will be from 4-7:00 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, at the Minnehaha Funeral Chapel, Colton. Funeral services will begin at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022, at Tri-Valley High School, rural Colton. Interment will be 2:00 p.m. MST, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, at Oakridge Cemetery, Deadwood, SD.
For the full obituary, please click here.
Delores Carol Houk of Chelsea, age 85, died Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022, at the Chelsea Retirement Community.
She was born Dec. 20, 1936, in Lima Twp, Michigan, the daughter of Rudolph John and Euna Alma (Fiegel) Zahn.
Delores was a Charter Member of Our Savior Lutheran Church, where she was in the Phoebe Guild, the Altar Guild, and taught Sunday School for 30 years.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, Jan. 20, 11:00 am at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Chelsea. Burial will follow at Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chelsea. The family will receive friends at Cole Funeral Chapel Wednesday 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. and at the church Thursday from 10-11 a.m.
For the full obituary, please click here.
Erma C. O’Connor of Jackson, formerly of Chelsea, age 91, died Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022, at Legacy Assisted Living.
She was born Dec. 14, 1930, in Sylvan Township, Michigan, the daughter of Herman C. and Clara E. (Wellhoff) Eisele.
Erma and Norm lived at North Lake for 46 years, where they loved entertaining. She served on the Board of Park Lawn Beach at North Lake for many years. She was a life member of Inverness Country Club, and she worked at the Dexter Township elections for many years.
In her later years, she lived at the Pines in Chelsea. Erma was a life-long member of St. Paul United Church of Christ, where she served as director of Christian Education for over 40 years. She volunteered at Faith in Action for 23 years,and was recognized as Co-Volunteer of the Year in 2004. In her younger years, she was a Para-pro in the Special Education program at Chelsea Public Schools.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, Jan. 22, 11:00 am at St. Paul United Church of Christ in Chelsea, with Rev. Dr. Barbara Edema officiating. The family will receive friends at Cole Funeral Chapel Friday, Jan. 21, from 5-7 p.m. Burial will be at Oak Grove Cemetery in Chelsea.
To read the full obituary, please click here.
Lura Belle “Lu” (Gallaher) Parker, 94, joined her beloved Jack shortly after midnight on Jan. 10, 2022 at home in Conneautville, Pennsylvania, surrounded by her children.
Born Nov. 17, 1927 in Cleveland, Ohio to Martha Mabel (Heffrin) and Albert Barton Gallaher, Lu grew up during the Great Depression and then World War II, and both made a profound impression on her.
She and John William “Jack” Parker were married on June 12, 1948 in Cleveland, a year after meeting on the campus of Western Reserve University, where they both attended classes and Lu was a Phi Beta Kappa scholar.
They moved to Ypsilanti, Michigan while Jack earned his master’s degree at the University of Michigan and Lu worked at Willow Run. They then moved to Colorado, where Jack worked for an oil company. Daughter Marsi was born in Durango, son Christopher in Cortez, son Kevin in Albuquerque, and daughter Laura in Farmington, New Mexico as they moved from place to place, Lu making a home everywhere they went.
Next they moved to Austin, Texas for Jack’s doctorate. Lu was a charter teacher with the War on Poverty project Head Start there. When the family moved to Michigan for Jack’s new career as a geology professor at Albion College, Lu took a job as a nurse’s aide at the local hospital, and took
classes at Albion to finish her long delayed degree.
There will be a Celebration of Life on Saturday, April 30 in Albion, MI., followed by burial in Harmonsburg, PA. on Mother’s Day.
For the full obituary, please click here.
