Search Archived Marriage Records
Marie H. Surbrook
Former Grosse Pointe Park resident Marie H. Surbrook, 92, died Saturday, Sept. 29, at Oakwood Skilled Nursing Center in Dearborn.
After declining an opportunity to launch a career on the stage, Mrs. Surbrook pursued a career in law and received a degree of Juris Doctor from the University of Detroit. When she was admitted to the Michigan State Bar in 1932, her picture appeared on the front page of the Detroit Free Press.
She was a court clerk under two judges in the city of Grosse Pointe Woods until her retirement.
Mrs. Surbrook was very active at her daughters' school and was a longtime Girl Scout leader. She also enjoyed traveling.
In addition, she also served as president of the women's committee of the Detroit Boat Club and was a past board member of the League of Women Voters and the American Association of University Women. She was also a lifetime member of the Soroptimist Club and the Grosse Pointe Symphony.
Mrs. Surbrook was a member of the Detroit Symphony Women's Committee and a patron of the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Grosse Pointe War Memorial, the Detroit Public Library and Grosse Pointe Public Library. Other interests included membership in the Tuesday Musicale and the Senior Ladies Club of the Grosse Pointe War Memorial.
Mrs. Surbrook is survived by her daughters Elaine Benson of South Lyon; Carol Pitt of Lewis Center, Ohio and Barbara Surbrook of New York, New York; six granddaughters, Deborah Todd, Susan Harvey, Linda Pitt, Lynn Smith, Pam Jacops and Amy Pitt; and three great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband James M. Surbrook.
A memorial service was held on Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2001, at Grosse Pointe Memorial Church. Interment is at White Chapel cemetery in Troy.
Carolyn Benzin Totte
Grosse Pointe Shores resident Carolyn Benzin Totte, 61, beloved wife of Dr. Tymon C. Totte, died Saturday, Oct. 20, 2001, at St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit.
Mrs. Totte, a graduate of University Liggett School, was characterized by her family as a "true servant to her husband, children and many friends."
Recalls her daughter Tyra Bone,"If you knew Carol, you knew love. Her smile made you smile. Her laugh made you laugh. She was a mother to all, always willing to provide more than you needed. Her eyes would sparkle at the mention of her four grandchildren. She was an outstanding homemaker and the Chief Executive Officer of the Totte life."
Mrs. Totte and her husband were married
for 38 years. They enjoyed being together with their family, traveling the Great Lakes on their boat and visiting their second home in the Florida Keys.
Mrs. Totte was a member of the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club, The Old Club, Club Island, Jenny Lind and the Islamorada Fish Club.
Diagnosed with leukemia in early September, Mrs. Totte revealed a fighting spirit with a saved heart. Her death came quickly due to complications after the leukemia was in remission.
Her family and friends grieve her loss but are certain that she is home with her savior Jesus.
She is also survived by her son Benzin C. (Jayne) Totte; daughters Tyra Totte Bone and Britta Kristina Totte; grandchildren Mackenzie and Kaleigh Bone and Cole and Payton Totte; mother Kathryn Buehrig; sister Joanne Benzin Herrington and her dog Abby.
Arrangements were handled by the Verheyden Funeral Home in Grosse Pointe Park. A memorial service was held on Monday, Oct. 22, at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in Grosse Pointe Shores.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Van Elslander Cancer Center, the Capuchin Soup Kitchen or the charity of your choice.
David H. Barker, M.D.
Former Grosse Pointe Farms resident David Hargis Barker, M.D., 79, husband of Margaret Wagg Barker, died of Alzheimer's disease, Friday, Sept. 14, 2001, in Beaverton, Ore.
Dr. Barker was born in Columbus, Ohio. He graduated from the University of Maryland and the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
He was a captain in the United States Army.
He practiced radiology in the Detroit area from 1952 through 1992 and served as the chief of the medical staff at Cottage Hospital in Grosse Pointe Farms for many years.
Dr. Barker was an active member of Christ Church Grosse Pointe. He was a Fellow of the American College of Radiology.
His hobbies included tennis, sailing and bird watching.
Survivors include his sons D. Bradford, Kendall and Randolph. He also had four grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Oct. 20, at 4 p.m., in Portland, Ore. Cremation was handled by Autumn Funerals and Cremations, of Tigard, Ore.
Memorial donations may be made to the Portland Audubon Society, 5151 Cornell Rd., Portland, OR 97210.
Tiffany Marie Hart
Tiffany Marie Hart, 26, loving daughter of Kris and Jim Hart and dear sister of Matthew, died Thursday, Sept. 27, 2001.
Tiffany was a graduate of Grosse Pointe South High School. She was a hair stylist at the Do by Hair Company in Grosse Pointe Park for six years and was most recently employed by the Edwin Paul Salon in Grosse Pointe Woods.
Family and family values were very important to Tiffany and she had a special bond with everyone from grandparents to cousins. She was always a people person, and she had many friends, young and old, from all walks of life.
A compassionate woman, Tiffany was always there to help anyone in need.
Tiffany was a creative person with her own unique, unconventional style. She had a flair for fashion and was not afraid to change her hair color almost as often as she changed her shoes.
Her creativity was also expressed through her photography which adorned the walls of her retro-decorated Grosse Pointe Park apartment.
A music lover, Tiffany had an extensive, eclectic collection of C.D.s, from Elvis, to Phish, to the Beatles, to Uncle Kracker.
Tiffany loved to travel and spent four months backpacking through Europe after graduation. Her other travel adventures included camping, kayaking, rock climbing and white water rafting.
Tiffany is also survived by her grandmothers Gloria Hart and Virginia Kotowski; aunts and uncles, Jonathon and Kimberly Hart, Mary Hart, Robert and Melissa Hart, Kathy Foucher, Karole and Tom Steen, Kim and Vito Tocco, Kerry and Dan Smale, Mary-Kay and Matthew Reno and 18 adored cousins. She was predeceased by her grandfathers E. Warren Hart and Leonard J. Kotowski.
Arrangements were handled by Verheyden Funeral Home in Grosse Pointe Park. A memorial Mass was celebrated on Oct. 3, at St. Paul Catholic Church in Grosse Pointe Farms.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Detroit chapter of the Salvation Army.
Chester J. Kaczmarek
Grosse Pointe Shores resident Chester J. Kaczmarek, 79, dear husband of Irene Kaczmarek, died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on Sunday, Sept. 30, 2001, at St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit.
Mr. Kaczmarek graduated from Hamtramck High School in 1939 and later attended Vanderbilt University before graduating from the Detroit College of Commerce and Finance. In 1950, he received a juris doctorate degree from the University of Detroit Law School.
He served in the United States Army, from 1942 to 1943.
Mr. Kaczmarek began his career as a Wayne County public administrator. He was with the law firm of Kaczmarek and Nedzi from 1952 to 1962. In 1978, he formed Kaczmarek, Kaczmarek and Kaczmarek and served as president of that firm.
His professional affiliations include the Michigan State Bar Association, the Advocates Bar Association, the National Advocates Bar Association and the Hamtramck Bar Association. He was also an active member of the Hamtramck Library Board, the Optimists Club, the Grosse Pointe Crisis Club, the Grosse Pointe Power Squadron Answer Club, the Hamtramck Board of Commerce, the Recess Club, the Knights of Columbus Cardinal Mercier Council, Fraternal Groups of the Polish National Alliance, Alliance of Poles of America, Amvets Post #27, the Hamtramck High School Hall of Honor, the Grosse Pointe Improvement Endowment Fund Association and the Hamtramck Varsity Club. He was a director of the Guardian Angel Guild, president of Delta Theta Phi, a member of the University of Detroit President's Cabinet, an Orchard Lake Seminary Extra Ordinary Ambassador and a director of the People's State Bank.
Mr. Kaczmarek's hobbies included boating and music.
Survivors include his daughters Carolyn Kaczmarek and Kathleen Schuch; daughter-in-law Rose Mary Kaczmarek; grandsons Paul Fontella of Grosse Pointe Woods, Jason Fontella of Naples, Fla. and Daniel Fontella, of Naples, Fla.; and granddaughters Margaret (Ronald) Stebelton of Saline, Emily Schuch of New York City and Mary (Kevin) O'Hara of Allendale. He also had three great-grandchildren.
Mr. Kaczmarek was predeceased by his son Chester Kaczmarek.
Visitation will be held at the Verheyden Funeral Home, 16300 Mack Ave., in Grosse Pointe Park, Thursday, Oct. 4, from 3 to 9 p.m. A scripture service will be held at 7 p.m. He will lay in state at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, 467 Fairford in Grosse Pointe Woods, on Friday, Oct. 5, at 10 a.m. until the funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m.
Memorials may be made to the Orchard Lake St. Mary's Prep School, 3535 Indian Trail, Orchard Lake, MI 48324.
Robert A. Slone
Robert A. Slone, 81, of Grosse Pointe Park, beloved husband of Martha Jane (Moore) Slone, died on Saturday, Sept. 29, 2001.
Mr. Slone was born in Flint on March 13, 1920 to George A. Slone and Mary Florence (Wilder) Slone. He graduated from Flint Central High School and Bowling Green State University.
During World War II, Mr. Sloan served as a captain in the Army Air Corp.
He served as the city manager for Flushing, from 1947 to 1949, Rochester, from 1949 to 1958 and Grosse Pointe Park, from 1958 to 1978. Mr. Slone was later the interim director base conversion authority for Kinchaloe Air Base in Kinross.
Mr. Sloan was the range rider, and later president, of the Michigan Chapter of the International City Managers Association (IMCA). In addition, he served on the Planning Commissions for Rochester City and Region, Grosse Pointe Park, Elk Rapids, Antrim County and Lake Wales, Fla.
He was an active member of the Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian Church and an elder in the Presbyterian U.S.A. Church of Elk Rapids.
Mr. Slone also enjoyed memberships in the Flushing and Rochester Lions Clubs, Economic Club of Detroit, Elk Rapids Golf Club, Lake Wales Country Club, Dutchmen Social Club and the Grosse Pointe Senior Men's Club. He was a life member of the ICMA and the Masonic Lodge #223 of Flushing and Commandry #1 of the Scottish Rite Valley of Detroit.
Arrangements are being handled by the Verheyden Funeral Home in Grosse Pointe Park. A memorial service will be held on Friday, Oct. 5, at 11 a.m., at Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian Church, 8625 E. Jefferson in Detroit. Visitation will be held in the church from 10 a.m., until the service begins.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian Church or Hospice of Southeastern Michigan, 16250 Northland Dr., Suite 212, Southfield, MI 46075.
