In Memory of: Robert F. Lindfors
Robert F. Lindfors was born in Hancock, Michigan on January 2, 1945. He graduated valedictorian of the class of 1963 from the Greenland Township High School. It took Lindfors only 3 1/2 years to graduate from Valpariso University with honors. For four years, he served as Director of Social Services at Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn, Michigan. But Lindfors had a wider dream, he completed plans to enter the University of Pennsylvania Medical School. He was just 26 when he died Labor Day weekend 1971 in a car accident.
In making the donation to the Scholarship Foundation in her son’s memory, Lillian Lindfors said, “My own parents always stressed the importance of education, I’m sure Bob would be pleased at this decision.”
In Memory of: Eliza Kidd
Eliza Kidd, the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. James Kidd (operators of a former hotel in Mass City), was a most active student at the Greenland High School. The high school yearbooks show her as a pretty and serious young woman. Her classmates, however, knew her as a “giggler” and a “joiner”.
In 1917, Eliza played guard on the Greenland Girls’ Basketball team which won every game they played. In addition to her athletic prowess, Eliza loved music. She was a member of the Greenland High School Chorus and Orchestra, (playing violin).
Eliza Kidd entered the field of education, teaching in the Detroit area for many years, but never forgetting her roots in Upper Michigan. She is remembered by her pupils as an inspiring elementary teacher who shared her love of learning and “joining” with her students. She relished the opportunities life offered her, and left a little of herself with anyone she met.
Eliza directed a portion of her estate to the Ontonagon Area Scholarship Foundation, to provide scholarship opportunities for our graduates.
Stone Container Corporation
The Miners State Bank
In Memory of: Gust & Margaret Erickson
Gus and Margaret Erickson were lifelong residents of Rockland, Michigan. Friends, neighbors, and vacationers spent memorable times with them when they were the owners of Erickson’s Grocery Store and Gas Station. Gus also worked for the Ontonagon County Road Commission and was a foreman for the Fox Valley Construction Company. Margaret served her community as the Rockland Township Clerk for 20 years and served the children of the Ontonagon Area School community as a dedicated bus driver for 22 years. They raised four children, Carole, Dick, Kathy, and Laurette.
Gus and Margaret always supported the educational programs in the local school community and encouraged their own children to reach for their dreams. Their donation to the Ontonagon Area Scholarship Foundation continues to show the Erickson’s unwavering support for the children in our school communities to reach their future educational goals.
Ontonagon / White Pine Rotary Club
Horizon Home Care
Polly Karttunen, President of Horizon Home Care, established this named trust with acknowledgement to a generous gift from her Grandmother, Myrtle Heinski Wendin, that helped make this named trust possible.
Horizon Home Care is a home health care business serving the Ontonagon community. In addition to its regular staff, the business offers student mentoring and job shadowing opportunities to students in high school.
They proudly add their name to the supporters of the Ontonagon Area Scholarship Foundation and are pleased to be able to provide assistance to our local youth as they pursue additional educational goals.
In Memory of: Charles Willman Family
In Memory of: Corporal Nicholas Cherava
In Memory of: John O. Harry
In Memory of: Robert D. Carlson
In Memory of: Robert Davison Family
In Memory of: Father David T. Harris
Reverend Father David T. Harris was born in 1920 in Winona, Michigan, and passed away at the age of 88 in 2009 in Ontonagon, Michigan. He began his career as an assistant pastor at St. Sebastian Church in Bessemer and became Pastor of St. Louis Catholic Church in Harvey from 1954 to 1971. In 1971 he became Pastor at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Ontonagon. He served there until his retirement on June 24, 1995. Following his retirement, Father Harris lived at the St. Mary's Rectory in Rockland until health issues required that he move back to Ontonagon. On June 24, 2007 he was able to celebrate his 60th year as a priest.
Fr. Harris was an avid, local sports fan. He could be seen at most high school sporting events, cheering on the local teams. He was also in attendance at many school fund raisers, chipping in a hand whenever asked. He always had kind and encouraging words for all he encountered, and was truly the spirit of the community in his many years ministering to the western end of the Upper Peninsula.
M & M Area Community Foundation
The M&M Area Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization created by and for the people of Marinette and Menominee Counties. They are a full-service philanthropic organization leading the way to positive change in their area. As a permanent community endowment, built by contributions from hundreds of individuals, businesses, and organizations, the funds held at the Community Foundation support a wide variety of programs and activities. On August 29, 1994, the “Menominee Area Community Foundation” was formally incorporated as a Michigan Domestic Non-Profit Corporation. To better serve Menominee county as well as Marinette county, on January 24, 1996, the Foundation officially changed its name to M&M Area Community Foundation.
The OASF partnered with the M&M Area Community Foundation for several years while growing the OASF endowment to better meet the needs of the Ontonagon Area School District graduates. As a result of this partnership, the M&M Area Community Foundation established this named trust to assist the OASF in meeting its long term goal of, “The OASF Promise: Scholarships for All!”
In Memory of: Martin & Aunie Kaurala
In Memory of: Francis & Ann Zimmer
Susan Reichardt Helsel
Thomas A. & Loretta A. Hartzell
Thomas and Loretta Hartzell moved to Ontonagon, Michigan in August, 1961. Tom had just graduated from the University of Wisconsin in Superior, and the newlyweds relocated for him to begin his first teaching position in mathematics and physics at the Ontonagon High School. Tom promised his bride that they would stay in Ontonagon for “just maybe” two years.
Tom earned his Masters Degree in Education in 1968 from Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan. He later left the classroom to become the Community Schools Director in 1979 and then the Ontonagon Area High School Principal in 1981. In this capacity, Tom advocated for differential diplomas and curriculum changes to better serve area students. He was also influential in obtaining the funding necessary to build the new track and football complex and weight room at the high school.
Tom and Lori’s family grew with the birth of their son, Eric, in 1966. Eric graduated from the Ontonagon Area High School in 1984 and subsequently served in the US Navy. Tom and Lori were involved in numerous community organizations, including the Siloa Lutheran Church, Ontonagon Coast Guard Auxiliary, Friends of the Porkies, Ontonagon County Historical Society, and the Ontonagon Golf Club. Tom also served on the Ontonagon Village Council.
The family were avid skiers and spent every moment they could on the slopes or trekking at the Porkies. In the summers, they could be found sailing on Lake Superior. Tom and Lori dreamed of “retiring on a boat,” and made that dream a reality after Tom’s retirement in 1991. They spent five years sailing the Caribbean and West Indies, venturing as far as South America on their beloved sail boat. As wonderful as this adventure was, they missed the four seasons, family and friends, skiing and hunting, and returned home to Ontonagon.
While Tom sadly passed away in 2008, Lori still resides in Ontonagon and is very glad the the promised two years turned into a lifetime in this beautiful community.
Class of 1964
In Memory of: Douglas L. Filppula
Hiawatha Communications Inc
Ontonagon County Telephone Company
Founded in 1877, the Ontonagon County Telephone Company (OCTC) is proud to be Michigan’s first telephone company. Linus Stannard installed the original telephone line between his home and general store in Rockland, Michigan. Other visionary businessmen from Greenland and Ontonagon wanted to be connected to the telephone line, and service was expanded in 1878. From this modest beginning, the OCTC has grown to provide telephone and high-speed broadband internet service via its affiliate, Jamadots, to the communities of Ontonagon, Rockland, Mass City, Greenland, White Pine, Ewen, and Bruce Crossing. The OCTC is owned by Hiawatha Communications, Inc. based in Munising, Michigan.
In Memory of: James “Chugger” Fyfe
Chugger was a 1957 graduate of the Ontonagon High School, and an avid supporter of local sports. He made his career working with the clients at Copper Country Mental Health for over thirty years. He was also responsible for the smooth operation of the Ontonagon Township Park and Campground for over four decades. For fun, he ran his own small business selling sports trophies and ribbons to area schools and organizations. Chugger volunteered as a member of the Jay-Cees, the Ontonagon Men’s Association, and Ontonagon Booster Club, among many others. He also donated time to the Ontonagon Area Schools; helping build the new football field and track at the high school in the 1980s, attending most school sporting events, and helping out whenever needed. Chugger was most passionate about routing for his beloved Green Bay Packers. Packer season was year-round, and trips to Lambeau Field were eagerly planned. He enjoyed watching football, playing golf, and whiling away the afternoon playing cards with friends. He was extremely outgoing, cheerful and enjoyed meeting new people, making many life-long friends with frequent visitors to the campground, staunch sports fans, or fellow travelers.
Maurice C. and Bernice R. Penegor
Maurice and Bernice Penegor made their home in Ontonagon and resided at 639 Alsace in Ontonagon from 1969 to 2017 upon their passing. They raised four children who all graduated from Ontonagon Area High School: Tom (1973), Tim (1976), Todd (1979), Terry (1980). Maurice graduated from Mass City High School and Bernice graduated from Ontonagon High School in 1954. Maurice worked for Lindberg and Sons as a heavy equipment operator in the early 1960s and then purchased and operated Penegor’s Standard Oil in downtown Ontonagon from 1966 to 1986. Maurice played basketball for Mass High School and enjoyed playing baseball. He coached Little League and American Legion baseball and was a volunteer fireman in Ontonagon. Bernice was a homemaker and helped with the family business. Over the years, their business employed many high school students, where many of them started their first job. They enjoyed dancing, playing cards and spending time with their family. They also viewed education as a priority and helped all their children make it into college. In memory of this they would like to continue in helping others with an opportunity to further their education.
Ron Howard and JoEllen Howard: In Honor of All Ontonagon County Veterans
This Silver Leaf Trust honors the approximately 850 living Ontonagon County veterans, Ontonagon County’s deceased veterans, as well as the hundreds that have fallen in service of the United States of America from this community. Ontonagon County veterans are active throughout the county in numerous civic projects including the operation of the DAV (Disabled American Veterans) Van, providing Military Rites through the Ontonagon County Veterans Association, and assisting other county service organizations such as “Toys for Tots”, the St. Nicholas Project, Meals on Wheels, and various services through the American Legion and VFW Posts in the county.
Ron Howard served his country in the US Army from June 1959 until August 1963, last serving in Okinawa as a Specialist E5. He later moved to the area to begin working as a Mill Superintendent at Stone Container Corporation in January 1978. He retired in 2001, after 24 years, as the Ontonagon Mill Manager for Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation. He currently volunteers for numerous veterans’ organizations and serves as the Vice Commander of the Ontonagon County Veterans Association.
His daughter, JoEllen Howard, also lives in Ontonagon and is a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). She is working towards her Registered Nursing (RN) degree. She volunteers with numerous civic organizations, including the Ontonagon County Cancer Association and Loan Closet. Having struggled with dyslexia and ADHD, she would like to help other graduates with learning abilities achieve their dreams.
