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Mary Cobane Rea
Mary Cobane Rea and her husband Thatcher W. Rea Jr. would have celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary on June 19th, and Mary's 75th birthday on June 7th, had she not died of natural causes in Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Sarasota, Fla., on Sunday, March 24, 2002.
Mary and Thatcher were longtime residents of Grosse Pointe Farms before their move to Castle Park, Mich. Their winter residence was in Siesta Key, Fla.
Mary was a graduate of Grosse Pointe High School. She attended the University of Texas and graduated from the University of Michigan. She taught kindergarten at Steven T. Mason School for seven years prior to her marriage.
A devoted mother and grandmother, Mary is also survived by her sons Thatcher William "Bill" (Pam Raden) Rea III and John Clinton (Susan Noble) Rea, both of East Grand Rapids; her daughters Laura Irene "Lolly" Rea of Castle Park and Carrie (John) Sharp of Fort Mill, S. C.; six grandchildren; her brother Joseph L. Cobane and her sister Carol A. Cobane, both residents of Grosse Pointe.
A private memorial service for the family will be held on Thursday, July 4, 2002, at Top-O-Pines, Castle Park.
Emily Ann Scott
Emily Ann Scott, 77, a former art teacher at Pierce Middle School in Grosse Pointe Park and co-founder of Michigan Blind Sales and Industries, Inc., died on Wednesday, March 20, 2002, at Crittenton Hospital in Rochester Hills.
Born Emily Ann Blacha, in Hamtramck, on Feb. 16, 1925, Mrs. Scott was a longtime resident of Huntington Woods until she relocated to Washington Township in 2001.
Mrs. Scott earned master's degrees in Art Education and Vocational Rehabilitation from Wayne State University. In addition to her work in Grosse Pointe, she was also an art teacher in New York and St. Paul, Minn. before her retirement in 1977.
In 1945, she joined her late husband, John E. Scott, in founding the janitorial supply firm, Michigan Blind Sales and Industries, Inc. of Highland Park.
Mrs. Scott was a life member of the Wayne State University Alumni Association and also active in Pi-Lamda-Theta, a retired teachers sorority.
Mrs. Scott is survived by her son Alexander Scott of Colorado; her daughter Emily (Kenneth) Kort of Washington Township and her grandchildren Kelly and Michael.
The Rev. Penny Lowes presided at a funeral service on March 23, at the A. J. Desmond and Sons Funeral Home in Troy. Interment is at Evergreen cemetery in Detroit.
Memorial tributes may be made to the American Diabetes Association.
Curtis Andrew Seichter
Curtis Andrew Seichter, 43, dear husband of Merrill Robinson Seichter, died on Thursday, March 21, 2002, as the result of injuries sustained in a pedestrian accident in Bingham Farms.
Mr. Seichter, a resident of Beverly Hills, was born on July 20, 1958, in Detroit. A 1976 graduate of Cranbrook School, he earned his undergraduate degree at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio in 1980 and received his masters in business administration from Columbia University in 1984.
He was the president of N.C.O.C. Industries which specializes in chemicals and oil.
Mr. Seichter was a member of the Toastmasters International and the Birmingham Athletic Club. He was an avid historian and a collector of toy soldiers. His passion for scuba diving led him to attain Master Diver status.
Mr. Seichter is also survived by his sons Conrad Seichter and Cameron Seichter; his parents Frank S. and Barbara Seichter; his sister Suzanne Larimer of Grosse Pointe and his grandmother Gertrude Allor.
Arrangements were handled by the A. J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Home of Royal Oak. A funeral Mass was celebrated on March 25, at the Church of St. Owen in Bloomfield Hills. Interment is at Holy Sepulchre cemetery in Southfield.
Memorial contributions may be made to Kenyon College, College Relations Building, Gambier, Ohio 43022.
George N. Bashara
George N. Bashara, 67, past president of both the Detroit College of Law and of Wayne State University, died on Monday, April 8, 2002, in his Grosse Pointe Shores residence.
Mr. Bashara was born in Detroit, and received a bachelor's degree in art from the University of Michigan, and a law degree from the Detroit College of Law. At his time of death, he was employed at Clark Hill P.C. in Detroit.
Mr. Bashara was a 33rd degree Mason of the Chancellor Street Chapter, the past president of the Lochmoor Club, and former vice president and general counsel member of the Federal Mogul Corp.
Above all, he enjoyed spending time with his family, playing backgammon or golf and being involved St. Michael's Church.
Mr. Bashara is survived by his wife, Suzanne H. Bashara; his daughter, Laura Bashara Maurer; his son, Robert M. Bashara Sr.; his sisters, Gwendolyn Samuel, Judith Pleve (Steve) and Carol George (Tobias); his step-daughter, Meribeth Meyers; his step-son, J. Scott Simon; and his five grandchildren.
Services will be held Friday, April 19, at St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Grosse Pointe Woods.
Count Ferdinand Cinelli
Count Ferdinand "Nando" Oreste Federico Cinelli, 86, died on Monday, March 25, 2002, at his home, Tenuta di Spannocchia, near Siena, Italy.
Known to his family and friends as "Nando," he was born in Detroit but raised by his parents France Hartz Cinelli and Delfino Cinelli in Florence, Italy. He was educated at the Liceo Michelangelo in Florence, then studied for a law degree at the University of Florence with a postgraduate year at Yale University.
During World War II, Count Cinelli served first with the Italian Army as an officer in a tank company in Yugoslavia. Returning to Italy after the death of his father, he then joined the British 8th Army after the Allies invaded Italy and Italy switched sides. He was assigned to an armored regiment as a scout and interpreter and his unit was involved in liberating Florence. He was wounded in battle and decorated for his valor.
After the war, Count Cinelli came to Detroit to work in the family medical supply business, The J.F. Hartz Co., now Ferndale Laboratories Inc., where he was active for more than 40 years. During this time, he met his wife, Sarah Edma McGraw and they settled in Grosse Pointe to raise their family.
Next to his family, Count Cinelli's great passion in life was Spannocchia, his estate in Tuscany. In 1959, Nando and Sarah established The Etruscan Foundation, a non-profit organization to support archaeological fieldwork in the region of Tuscany. Farm buildings at Spannocchia were renovated to house students and professors for summer research programs. Still going strong after 40 years, the Foundation has hosted thousands of students from all over the world.
Count Cinelli was a former trustee of the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and chairman emeritus of The Etruscan Foundation. He was a member of The Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Michigan and the Yale Alumni Association. He also belonged to The Prismatic Club, The Country Club of Detroit, Circolo del Unione in Florence and Circolo degli Uniti in Siena.
He is survived by his son Peter (Gail) Cinelli of Yarmouth, Maine; his daughters, Catherine (Rogelio) Henriquez of Panama City, Panama, Francesca (Randall) Stratton of Spannocchia, Italy and Gioconda (Thayer) McMillan of Grosse Pointe Farms; 13 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren and his sister Contessa Federica Cinelli Piccolomini of Florence, Italy. He was predeceased by his wife Sarah McGraw Cinelli, on March 2, 2002, and his sister, Giovanna Cinelli Bowers.
A funeral service was held in the chapel at Spannocchia for family and friends on March 26. A Mass and burial took place in Signa, Italy, near Florence, on March 27.
Friends of the family will be received at the McMillan residence, from 5 to 7 p.m., on Monday, April 22.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to the Etruscan Foundation, c/o Grants Management Associates, 77 Summer St., Suite 800, Boston, MA 02110-1006.
T. Norris Hitchman
T. Norris "Norrie" Hitchman, 93, died on Sunday, April 7, 2002, in his Grosse Pointe residence.
Born in Detroit, Mr. Hitchman was a graduate of Northwestern High School, Wayne State University and Harvard Business School.
He was a financial investor for Kales, Kramer Investment Company, Kenower, MacArthur and Company and The Ohio Company. In 1935, he served on the Investment Council.
Active in community affairs, Mr. Hitchman served on the city commission of Huntington Woods. He was an adviser to the Berkley School System, a member of the Oakland County Commission and the Oakland County Citizens League.
Until recently, he was an active member of the Financial Analysts Society of Detroit, the Wranglers and Ex-dividends, The Grosse Pointe Senior Men's Club and the Harvard Business School Club of Detroit. He was also a loyal member of Grosse Pointe Woods Presbyterian Church.
At the Wayne State University graduation ceremony in 1999, Mr. Hitchman and his wife were recognized with a Distinguished Alumni Award.
Mr. Hitchman was known throughout his business career, community involvement and family life for his honesty, integrity, modesty and generosity. His mild manner and quiet sense of humor will long be remembered.
Mr. Hitchman is survived by his wife, Vivilore; his son Thomas N. (Myrna) Hitchman Jr.; his daughters Ann (Robert) Pike and Julia (James) Smith; his grandchildren Paula (Bryce) Dreeszen, Thomas D., Marianne Smith, Cynthia Pike and Julie Pike; his stepsons Lyle (Diane) Heavner and Robert (Carol) Heavner; his stepdaughters Carol (Ronald) Bussell, Nancy (Roger) Battistella and Susan (Michael) Becker; nine step-grandchildren and nine step-great-grandchildren and his sister Beatrice (John) Campbell. He was predeceased by his first wife Genevieve Philbrick and his sisters Lillian (Norman) Stockmeyer and Elsie (Russell) Rogers.
Arrangements were handled by the A. H. Peters Funeral Home of Grosse Pointe Woods. A funeral service was held on Wednesday, April 10, at Grosse Pointe Woods Presbyterian Church.
Memorial donations may be made to the Wayne State University School of Business or Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, 3860 North Long Lake Rd., Suite D, Traverse City, MI 49684.
Jonathan E. Martin
Grosse Pointe Shores resident Jonathan E. Martin, 58, died suddenly at this home on Friday, April 5, 2002.
Mr. Martin was born in Wayne and graduated from Western Michigan University and the Detroit College of Law.
He practiced law in Mount Clemens at Martin, Bacon & Martin, a firm he founded in 1980 with his brother, James N. Martin and the late John G. Bacon.
Mr. Martin was a member of the Association of Defense Trial Counsel and the American Board of Trial Advocates. He was a former director of the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel. In addition, he belonged to the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club and the Gowanie Golf Club.
According to his good friend, Joe Tomlinson, "Jon was one of the most terrific friends I have ever had, just a great guy to be around."
His children, J. Gardner Martin of San Francisco and Carrie (Jay) Henze of Grosse Pointe Farms, recall their father's wonderful sense of humor, his spontaneity and his sensitivity. They value tremendously the understanding and guidance he provided through their lives.
Said his brother Jim, "Jon was a loving and supportive father and an excellent attorney who was well known for his trial skills. He was a trusted business partner and my closest friend."
In addition to his brother and children, Mr. Martin is also survived by his grandchildren, Felix, Jack and Joseph; his parents Norman and Mary Martin of Torch Lake and his close friend and former wife, Leslie A. Martin of Grosse Pointe Farms.
A memorial gathering will be held at the Verheyden Funeral Home, 16300 Mack Ave. in Grosse Pointe Park, on Thursday, April 11, at 3 p.m. It will be followed by a reception at the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club, 788 Lakeshore in Grosse Pointe Shores.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Beverly Farm Foundation, 6301 Humbert Road, Godfrey, IL 62035.
