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Georgia S. Vlahantones
Georgia S. Vlahantones, 80, dear wife of Louis Vlahantones, died after a lengthy illness on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2002, at Bon Secours Nursing Care Center in St. Clair Shores.
Born in Pontiac, Mrs. Vlahantones lived in Grosse Pointe Woods for 40 years. Her husband's certified public accounting and investment firm was located on The Hill, where she regularly visited many of the shop owners in the area. Her smiling face, vibrancy and lovely stature were widely known.
Georgia was very active in the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church and cultural organizations including the Wayne State University Modern Greek Cultural Association. She chaired many events and supported charitable endeavors on a regular basis.
An elegant woman and former model, Mrs. Vlahantones was a very generous, warm and thoughtful person. Her family was the center of her life.
She is also survived by her son, Peter; her grandsons Peter (PJ) and Nicholas; her brother John Pappas and many loving nieces and nephews.
Arrangements were handled by the A. H. Peters Funeral Home of Grosse Pointe Woods. A funeral service was conducted on Jan. 18, at the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in St. Clair Shores.
Tributes may be made to the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church Endowment Fund, 21800 Marter Rd., St. Clair Shores, MI 48080.
Ada P. Booth
One-time Grosse Pointe Park resident Ada P. Booth, 86, died on Friday, Jan. 25, 2002, at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
Mrs. Booth, who most recently lived in Dearborn, received a degree from Salem College in Winston-Salem, N.C. and later earned another degree in Library Science from Simmons College in Boston, Mass., and a master of science in Library Science from the University of Michigan. She was employed by the Grosse Pointe Public Library until her retirement in 1980.
She was active at Christ Episcopal Church Grosse Pointe and was also a member of the Daughters of the King and the Women's History Club.
She is survived by her daughters Ellen McCarthy and Meg Bagnasco; her grandchildren Emily and Andrew; her brother Bruce Pfohl of Waterford, Va. and her sister Caroline Carter of Front Royal, Va. She was predeceased by her husband Robert E. Booth and her brother Christian Pfohl.
Arrangements are being handled by the Verheyden Funeral Home in Grosse Pointe Park. A memorial service is planned for Saturday, Feb. 2, at 12:30 p.m., at Christ Episcopal Church, 61 Grosse Pointe Blvd. in Grosse Pointe Farms. Mrs. Booth was cremated and her ashes will be interred in the Christ Church Columbarium.
Memorial contributions may be made to Christ Church, 61 Grosse Pointe Blvd., Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236.
Gertrude Wilson Johnstone Meyer Carey
Gertrude "Trudie" Wilson Johnstone Meyer Carey, 95, died at her home in Grosse Pointe Park on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2002.
Trudie was the daughter of Dr. Alexander Watt Johnstone, minister of the Cadillac Presbyterian Church, and Cora Elmira Wilson, church organist. She was born and raised in Cadillac. Her maternal grandfather Wilson was a lumberman who built the family home in Harrison, Mich. Her grandfather donated the land for the Wilson State Park.
Trudie enjoyed traveling throughout the world. She loved dancing and the performing arts. In 1923, she graduated from Cadillac High School and attended Western College for Women in Oxford, Ohio. After two years, she transferred to Simmons College in Boston, Mass., where she graduated with an education degree and also a professional degree in clothing and textile design. Her grandparents gave her a graduation present of a grand tour of Europe and, upon her return, she was awarded a teaching position in the prestigious Russell Vocational School in Detroit.
Detroit was where she met her soon-to-be husband, Earl G. Meyer, an Ann Arbor native and a graduate of the University of Michigan architectural school. On Aug. 11, 1932, she and Earl were married
in the garden of her family's estate in Harrison. Earl and Trudie returned to Detroit where he opened an architectural practice and she continued teaching.
Earl designed a home for them in Grosse Pointe Farms on Touraine Road. Trudie loved to entertain there and it was also where they raised their three children, Marilyn Meyer DiLoreto, Cherylann L. Meyer and Earl Richard Meyer.
Trudie was very active at Grosse Pointe Memorial Church and in area square dance clubs and at the Detroit Boat Club, Fine Arts and Theater Arts where she designed and created beautiful costumes for many years. She was also a member of the Cercle Dramatique, Tuesday Musicale, Grand Marais Garden Club, the English Speaking Union and Book Review Clubs. Their love of travel took Earl and Trudie throughout the world with the Circumnavigators.
After the tragic death of their son, Dick, who died of an aneurysm during his freshman year of college, Earl and Trudie moved to Tonnancour Place. Earl died in 1973.
In 1975, Trudie married
Thomas Carey and moved to Grosse Pointe Park. Her years with Tom were full of dancing, travel, laughter and a large, extended family. Tom passed away in May of 1987.
Trudie filled her life with friends, gardening, book clubs, theater and music. She instilled in both daughters a love for travel and community service. She was also an avid supporter of students in Grosse Pointe who participated in the performing arts.
Through her love and enthusiasm for life, her children's lives, and those of her friends, were greatly enriched.
She is survived by her daughters Marilyn M. DiLoreto of McLean, Va. and Cherylann Meyer of Grosse Pointe Park and Traverse City. She also has four stepchildren, Tom, Jim, Ann and Mary Carey; grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Trudie lived the way she wanted as a stately and elegant lady active in her community and family until the day when she died in her own home.
A memorial service will be held at Grosse Pointe Memorial Church, 16 Lakeshore Rd. in Grosse Pointe Farms on Saturday, Feb. 2, at 1 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Gertrude Meyer Carey Performing Arts Award, Grosse Pointe South High School, c/o Barb Cole, 11 Grosse Pointe Blvd. in Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236 or the VNA Hospice, 25900 Greenfield Rd., Suite 600, Oak Park, MI 48237.
Betty Virginia Charles
Betty Virginia Charles, 84, died of natural causes at her Detroit home on Monday, Jan. 7, 2002.
Born in Chicago, Mrs. Charles lived in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, before moving to Detroit. She was a longtime waitress in the restaurant of Hudson's downtown Detroit store.
Mrs. Charles enjoyed fishing and visiting Chicago.
She is survived by her many friends and family members. She was predeceased by her husbands Clarence Donnelly and Generosa Charles.
A memorial Mass will be celebrated on Sunday, Feb. 17, at 9 a.m., at St. Matthew's Catholic Church, 6021 Whittier in Detroit. Mrs. Charles was cremated and her ashes are interred in the St. Theresa section of Heavenly Rest cemetery in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Michigan Humane Society, 7401 Chrysler Dr., Detroit, MI 48211 (https://www.mihumane.org) or St. Matthew's Church, 6021 Whittier, Detroit, MI 48224.
Shirley Norton Donovan
Shirley Norton Donovan, 83, a longtime resident of Grosse Pointe, died on Monday, Jan. 21, 2002, at Bon Secours Hospital in Grosse Pointe.
Born March 10, 1918, in Detroit, she was the daughter of Preston Dunning and Maxine Abbott (Mosher) Norton. She attended Michigan State University, where she was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority.
She was married
to J. Lane Donovan on June 26, 1937, and they settled in Grosse Pointe, where they resided during 52 years of marriage. Mr. Donovan preceded his wife in death on Sept. 1, 1989.
Mrs. Donovan was a member of Christ Episcopal Church Grosse Pointe for many years, where she was a member and former chairperson of the ECW. She also served on the Altar Guild and participated in the Stephen Ministry Program.
She was a member of the Country Club of Detroit, where she participated on the golf and bowling leagues. Her other interests led her to memberships in the Audubon Society, the Seven Ponds Nature Center, the English Speaking Union, the Grosse Pointe Club, the Pointe Garden Club and the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution - Louisa St. Clair Chapter.
Mrs. Donovan was an avid needle woman and was well-known for her intricate needlepoint and crewel embroidery creations. She made significant contributions to needlework projects at Christ Episcopal Church Grosse Pointe, St. Aidan's Episcopal Church in Malibu, Calif., and Christ Church in Dayton, Ohio.
She is survived by her sons, Joseph L. (Claudine) Donovan of Alexandria, Va., Terrence N. (Kay) Donovan of Brighton and Charles W. (Sue) Donovan of Flint; seven grandchildren, Guy A. (Michelle) Donovan of Lincoln Park, Anne C. (Quinn) Pauly of Friday Harbor, Wash., Christopher D. (Cynthia) Donovan of Howell, Terrence N. (Jill) Donovan Jr. of Tulsa, Okla., Kelli M. Donovan of Littleton, Colo., Maxine C. (Lee) Meeks of Alexandria, Va. and Daniel C. Donovan of Brighton; her 10 great-grandchildren; one great-great-granddaughter; her sister-in-law Ann Norton of Petoskey and two nephews, Charles W. (Patsy) Norton of Grosse Pointe Park and John P. (Nancy) Norton of Petoskey.
Arrangements were handled by the Verheyden Funeral Home of Grosse Pointe Park. Funeral services were held on Jan. 25, at Christ Episcopal Church Grosse Pointe, the Rev. Bryant Dennison Jr. officiated. Interment will be held at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Seven Ponds Nature Center, the Salvation Army or Christ Episcopal Church, 61 Grosse Pointe Blvd., Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236.
Mary Ellen Garan
Grosse Pointe Farms resident Mary Ellen "Mimi" Garan died after a long illness, at St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit, on Friday, Jan. 25, 2002.
Born in Detroit's Harper Hospital, Mimi grew up in Indian Village. She attended the Liggett School and Bradford Junior College. She received a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Michigan and a masters in Special Education from Wayne State University.
She earned her Ph.D. in making everybody happy.
Mimi taught at the Detroit Day School for the Deaf until her children were born. She served 10 years on the board of the Detroit Institute for Children. During the final year of her term, she was president of the Board of Trustees. Her "unselfish devotion, strong guidance and leadership" were acknowledged by her peers.
Mimi also served as a contributing member to Sigma Gamma, PiPhi Sorority, Christ Episcopal Church Grosse Pointe, University Liggett School and the Detroit Industrial School Board.
Her family was the center of her life.
She is survived by her son Daniel (Janis) Garan; her daughter Kathy Garan of Scottsdale, Ariz.; her grandson, Daniel L. Garan IV; her sisters Peggy Murphy of Honolulu, Hawaii and Kiki (Kenneth) Gould of Northfield, Ill., and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband Daniel L. Garan.
A memorial service honoring Mimi was held on Jan. 30, at Christ Episcopal Church in Grosse Pointe Farms. Her ashes are interred at the Christ Church Columbarium.
Memorial gifts will be welcomed at the Detroit Institute for Children, 5447 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48202 (https://www.detroit-children.org) and the Michigan Humane Society, 7401 Chrysler Dr., Detroit, MI 48211 (https://www.mihumane.org).
Mimi will be missed and fondly remembered by all who knew her.
Margaret F. Grobbel
Margaret F. Grobbel, 102, died on Friday, Jan. 25, 2002 in Houston, Texas.
Born in Detroit, Mrs. Grobbel was the daughter of Margaret J. and Lawrence E. Fitzpatrick. She was a resident of Grosse Pointe Park for 50 years.
Mrs. Grobbel attended both the Jefferson Avenue and Lawrence Avenue Academies of the Sacred Heart and earned a bachelor of arts from Clifton College of the Sacred Heart in 1922. She served as president of the Sacred Heart Alumnae in 1930 and was later the president of the Children of Mary Sodality at the Academy of the Sacred Heart, Grosse Pointe.
She was married
for 55 years to the late Cyril A. Grobbel, past owner of E. W. Grobbel Sons, a wholesale meat business that has been owned by the Grobbel family from 1883 to the present.
An active member of the community, Mrs. Grobbel was a member of St. Clare of Montefalco Catholic Church, the League of Catholic Women, the Women's City Club and the Detroit Yacht Club.
Mrs. Grobbel is survived by her son Cyril A. Grobbel Jr. and her daughter Patricia Grobbel Kemp. She was "the dearest grandmother" of Cyril A. Grobbel III, Dr. Melea Grobbel, Marita S. Grobbel, Christopher Grobbel, Regan Grobbel Stolarski, Jason J. Grobbel, Anastasia Grobbel Minor, Cassandra Grobbel, Margaret Kemp Karteron, Michaela Kemp Zirnbauer, Angela Kemp Woodrow and Patricia Kemp Jackson; 23 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild and many loving nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband and her granddaughter Kathleen Anne Kemp.
Arrangements are being handled by the Verheyden Funeral Home of Grosse Pointe Park. A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, Feb. 2, at noon, at St. Clare of Montefalco Church, on Mack and Whittier in Grosse Pointe Park. Interment will follow at Mount Olivet cemetery in Detroit.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Academy of the Sacred Heart, Bloomfield, 1250 Kensington Rd., Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304.
