Obituary: Addison Puma

Addison Puma, the daughter of Ardmore Elementary School teacher Vincent Puma whom the school rallied around earlier this year, died June 9, 2012.

Addison Lily Puma was not old enough to go to kindergarten, but her courageous battle with cancer inspired an entire elementary school to rally around her, her family and the hospital where she was being treated. Addison Lily Puma was only 4-years-old when she was diagnosed with brain cancer and traveled to St. Jude Hospital Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., for treatment. While she was receiving treatment, an organization of parents and children at Ardmore Elementary School—where her father Vincent is a fourth-grade teacher —organized a bowling fundraiser for the hospital.  The community event organized by Kids Who Care raised $7,646.27 for St. Jude through donations, raffles and registration. Addison Lily Puma lost her …

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Remembering Grosse Pointer Jane Bashara

Jane Bashara's leadership skills began when she was a child and continued into adulthood.

Jane Bashara was a leader even as a child. She was the oldest of four children and remained close with her siblings as an adult, her youngest sister Julie Rowe said. "She was an amazing person," Rowe said. "She was a leader. She was a mentor to everyone. Those same qualities (her friends) speak of she showed when she was young." Her friends in the Grosse Pointes described her as selfless and supportive. Amy Graham, a friend of Bashara's who organized the candlelight vigil on the front lawn of Grosse Pointe South last week, said she first got to know Bashara years ago when other people were not necssarily friendly with her.  The pair grew close and Bashara was a constant source of encouragement to Graham. When Graham began having children, …

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Remembering Scott Ivers: 'A Family Man'

The Ivers family and many Grosse Pointe residents are preparing for his visitation and funeral, which are Friday. The Grosse Pointe Public Libraries will close for a few hours Friday afternoon so employees will be able to attend the service.

Belle Isle holds a special place in the heart of the Ivers family. It is where James Scott Ivers spent a great deal of time during his childhood. It is where he and his widow, Tammy Ivers, took their children when they were younger. It is also where Scott propsed to Tammy. They would have been married 18 years in April. Although the family had spent less time there in recent years, it still represents fond memories and good times, Tammy Ivers said, noting how the discovery of her husband's body behind the nature center has not disturbed her memories of the family's time there. Tammy Ivers was not expecting her husband's death but after spending some time searching for him herself on Belle Isle along with some relatives, she is relieved he …

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Grosse Pointe's Ruth Cain Dies at 87

Regarded for her role as a mother and career woman in a time when that was not the norm. She died of heart failure Saturday at Beaumont Hospital Grosse Pointe.

Obituary: Cyril A. Grobbel, 85

The owner of the oldest independent corned beef in the U.S. grew up in the Pointes and later moved to Port Huron. He died Wednesday.

Cyril A. Grobbel, Jr., 85, died Wednesday, October 19, 2011 He was the loving father of eight children: Cyril III (the late Mary Ann Mac), Melea, Marita (Dennis Andrus), Christopher (Karen Oliver), Regan Stolarski (Joseph), Jason (Renee Brown), Cassandra Budzik (Bob), Anastasia Minor (Scott); and beloved brother of Patricia Kemp (Bill); and devoted grandfather to 22 grandchildren. Cy grew up in Grosse Pointe where he attended Grosse Pointe High School. As a teenager, he played saxophone in his band called the Sultans of Syncopation. In high school, he took a class in avionics and later enjoyed piloting small planes. He received his Bachelor of Science in Economics and Business Administration from University of Detroit and graduated in 1948…

Barbara Bentley Rememberd for her Longtime Involvement in Grosse Pointe Theatre

Bentley recently passed after a battle with cancer. She is well known in the Grosse Pointe Theatre community, where she was an actor and director as recently as earlier this year.

City of Grosse Pointe resident Barbara J. Bentley passed away peacefully at home on Aug. 31 following a courageous battle with cancer. She is survived by her sister Avril Pritchard and her nephew Steve Pritchard, of England, and her only child, Michael Trudel, daughter-in-law Leslie, and two grandchildren, David and Elizabeth, of Grosse Pointe Park. Barbara was born and raised in Stoke-On-Trent, England. Born June 16, 1934, she survived the German air raids during World War II, graduated with honors from St. Dominic's High School in 1950, and married Airman First Class Raymond Trudel, of Detroit, at St. Augustine's Church in Stoke-on-Trent on November 1, 1952. Her son Michael was born in August of 1953, and Barbara and Michael immigrated …

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Councilman's Passion Rooted in Government, Community Involvement

Charles "Terry" Davis III was a third-generation Grosse Pointer who loved being involved in government and the community. He loved helping others through his Grosse Pointe-based business and is well known to the Grosse Pointe Theatre.

The accomplishments of Charles "Terry" Davis III are many. He worked for President Ronald Reagan. He started his own business. He was married for 44 years. He was the father of three and the grandfather of five. He was a Grosse Pointe Farms city councilman. He helped light the stage for Grosse Pointe Theatre actors. He was a Ford executive. The list could go on and on. A third-generation Grosse Pointer, Davis was passionate about government and community involvement, his widow, Susan Davis, said. Government is not to be confused with politics, she said, noting how he truly cared about how his decisions impacted residents and neighbors.  Terry Davis died Aug. 14 from heart failure. Those who knew him well were aware that he had been dealing…

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Assisted Suicide Advocate Jack Kevorkian of Royal Oak Dies at 83

Longtime resident was a lightning rod for controversy and a familiar face around town.

Assisted suicide advocate Dr. Jack Kevorkian of Royal Oak died at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak this morning after being hospitalized with kidney, liver and respiratory problems off and on for several weeks. He was 83. Kevorkian first made headlines for his right-to-die stand in 1990 when he assisted in the death of Janet Adkins, who had Alzheimer’s disease. The former pathologist admitted to assisting in an estimated 130 deaths from 1990-98. More recently, he served eight years of a 10- to 25-year sentence in the 1998 death of Thomas Youk, who suffered from Lou Gehrig's disease. He was released from prison in 2007 and returned to live in an apartment in Royal Oak, where he was frequently seen at his favorite restaurants and shops. …

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ecnalubma

5:15 pm on Friday, January 13, 2012

Rants go on and on here. Dr. Death was the wrong guy to follow as the Poster Child for this cause. People want dignity when their life ends, only to find the insurance company standing by the plug ready to pull it. I have seen many times, as recently as this past December, the insurance company wanting to withhold care and having the families told that they need to make sure things are in place …   more ›

Teen Loved Art, Standing Up for the Underdog

The funeral for Grosse Pointe North alumna 19-year-old Kara I. Wilhelm is Saturday with visitation Thursday and Friday. A candlelight vigil has also been scheduled for Monday at GPN High School.

Finishing up her first year at Macomb Community College and enjoying her first job as a courtesy clerk at Kroger, Kara I. Wilhelm had plans to become an occupational therapist.  Wilhelm, 19, was found dead in her bed May 28 by her mother, Alexandra "Sandy" Wilhelm. Her death is under investigation by Grosse Pointe Woods police and the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office. The Grosse Pointe North alumna graduated last year and was always anxious "to help the underdog," her mother said, noting much of it probably had to do with growing up with and helping care for her slightly older brother Kurt Wilhelm, 20, who is autistic. Sandy said that it was always the three of them—together.  As she got older, Kara frequently took Kurt to the …

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Photo Gallery: 'Field of Honor' Pays Tribute to Michigan's Fallen Troops

The flags and biography tags are on display this weekend at Guardian Angel Cemetery in Oakland Township.

Just inside the iron gates of Guardian Angel Cemetery on Rochester Road in Oakland Township, 245 American flags arranged meticulously in six rows flap in the breeze. Each of the flags represents a Michigan serviceman or woman who died as a result of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and each flagpole bears that man or woman's name, photograph, hometown and a short biography. “We’ve done the flags for the past couple years, and the idea to add the tags with the bios on it was a collective idea," said Guardian Angel Cemetery Director Wendy Mann. “We’ve been working on it for the past couple months. It’s definitely a project.” Mann said the Field of Honor was erected Tuesday near the silo, but heavy rain flooded the area and forced …

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Dexter Rotary Memorial Day Parade

9:24 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013

A memorial wall with the names of the 245 service personnel that died in these conflicts will be on the grounds at the Dexter Memorial Day Ceremony.   more ›