Author: Doug Donnelly

Joyce Weber

Joyce J. Weber, age 86, of Traverse City, passed away peacefully on March 10, 2016, under the care of her family and Hospice of Lenawee.
Joyce was born January 12, 1930, in Madison Township to Roger and Rachel (Withrow) Osborne. She married Harvey Dunavant in 1953, Norman Schoonover, Michigan State Trooper, Blissfield Post, in 1963, and Louis Weber in 1979 in Traverse City.
She was employed by Pacific Bell for 35 years, then 20 years by Hallmark. She helped her family run a resort on Spider Lake for many years. She enjoyed bowling, bird-watching. golf and Euchre, as well as her beloved Yorkies. She attended LifePoint Church on the lake. It was her great joy to have family (especially her grandchildren) and friends come make special memories with her.
Joyce is survived by her loving son, Roger (Pattie) Schoonover and grandchildren, Joseph, Rachel (Nathan)Jones, and Rebecca; stepdaughters, Janet (Greg) Dorman, and family, Joyce (Jim) Fehrenbach, and family, and close friend, Cathy (Bryan) Marrow, and family. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husbands, and her beloved granddaughter, Sara.
Joyce’s family will greet from 2-5 p.m. at a Celebration of Life gathering on Saturday, March 19, at Blissfield Baptist Church. Interment will be private in Kingsley, Mich.
In Joyce’s honor, memorial contributions may be shared with Hospice of Lenawee.

Bernita Reau

DEERFIELD – Bernita A. Reau, age 91, formerly of Deerfield, passed away peacefully at her home Thursday, March 17, 2016.

 

She was born June 4, 1924, in Dundee Township, Michigan the only daughter of Grover and Theo (Spohr) Willis, and graduated from Britton High School.

 

On January 4, 1941, she married Bernard Reau, and he preceded her in death in 1994, having been blessed with 53 years together.

 

Bernita was a faithful member of the Light of Christ St. Alphonsus Parish where she served on the Altar Society. She was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and the Deerfield Senior Center, which she managed.

 

She is survived by her children: Sharleen (Ken) Kendall of Adrian, Kenneth (Shirley) Reau of Clermont, FL, Ronald Reau of Belleville, Diane (Bob) Bosckay of Ottawa Lake, Thomas (Barb) Reau of Adrian, Greg (Judy) Willis of Burneyville, OK, Kevin (Suzanne) Willis of Tecumseh, and Kim (Larry) Hauser of Blissfield; seven grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

 

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Robert and Dale Willis.

 

Mass of the Christian Burial will take place at 11 a.m., Monday, March 21, 2016, at Light of Christ St. Alphonsus Parish in Deerfield with Rev. Jeff Poll as celebrant. Burial will follow at St. Alphonsus Cemetery. Visitation will be held Sunday at the Tagsold Chapel of Wagley Funeral home from 1 to  8 p.m., with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m.

 

Contributions in memory of Bernita are suggested to Guardian Angel Hospice. Online condolences and memories may be shared at www.WagleyFuneralHome.com.

Blissfield, Whiteford stage musicals this weekend

Looking for musical entertainment this weekend?

Blissfield High School will stage “The Wizard of Oz” starting Thursday and Whiteford Schools will present “Anything Goes” over the weekend as well. Both schools have a reputation of excellence in musical performances.

The Blissfield thespians will take their audience down the famous Yellow Brick Road Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Each showing will be  in the high school’s cafeteria at 7 p.m. all three days plus a 3 p.m. matinee Saturday.
Ticket prices for the shows are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $4 for children five and under. A $2 Saturday matinee discount is awarded on the afternoon. Tickets can be purchased at the door, or in advance by simply contacting the high school, or asking a cast and crew member for tickets. The high school number to call for tickets is 486-2148, ext. 326. Reservations were to be accepted up to 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 15.

The students of Whiteford High School will take to the high seas Friday, Saturday and Sunday as the Whiteford Agricultural High School; the Whiteford Music Department and the Whiteford Music Boosters stages the musical “Anything Goes.”
Set on a cruise line ship in the year 1934, the story and the original book concerns a hectic and madhouse ocean liner trip that set sail from New York to its destination London. The original book was written by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse and revised by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse.  Music and lyrics were written by Cole Porter.

For ticket information, please contact 734-999-8775 or email whitefordmusical@gmail.com.  Premium reserved seating, which is limited, is $17. General admission tickets are $12 and students and seniors will be charged $8 for tickets.  Bleacher seats, which are also limited, are $5.

For more information on the Blissfield play, please see the March 9 edition of The Advance; and for details on Whiteford’s production, please see the March 16, edition.
 

Deerfield manslaughter defendant faces preliminary exam

By Melissa Burnor

Very little new information was revealed March 9 at Jacky Bell’s preliminary examination. The 44-year old Clayton man has been charged with manslaughter in the death of Nathan Vance on  Sept. 22, 2015.
Vance died as a result of an alleged fist fight outside of the Deer Run Apartments on East River Street in the village of Deerfield.
“There will be another time to argue the facts of this case,” public defender Rodney Leon said.
The defense does not deny that Bell took part in a fight between the defendant and Vance. They claim that Bell acted in self-defense in an altercation where Vance was the instigator.
Bell’s attorney also asked for  a bond of $5,000 or lower or even a personal recognizance bond.
His original bond of $50,000 had been reduced to $30,000 at his arraignment by Judge Jonathan Poer.
Schaedler said she also had concerns about lowering the bond, but did lower his bond to $20,000. Bell will be arraigned in Lenawee County circuit Court on March 23.

For the complete story, please see the March 16, 2016, edition of The Advance.

Testicle Festival returns to Deerfield for 15th year on March 19

DEERFIELD – The Deerfield American Legion Testicle Festival will serve up the cuisine that some folks love and makes others cringe this Saturday, March 19, at the legion hall at 10 W. River St. in Deerfield.
Commander Al Rau said this year will be the 15th annual event that draws people from Michigan, Ohio and sometimes Canada for the day-long event.
The bar opens at 10 a.m. and the legion starts serving dinners at noon until they run out of food.  The menu features Rocky Mountain oysters, chicken gizzards, baked beans, slaw and rolls.
Commemorative shirts will also be on sale.

Blissfield Rotary auction Saturday night

By Melissa Burnor

The Blissfield Rotary Club has a treasure trove of items up for bid a the 28th annual charity auction this Saturday, March 19. Once again hosted by Toledo 11 news personality Jerry Anderson, the event has a large variety of items in live and silent auctions as well as a Blitz Raffle.
This year’s blitz raffle beneficiaries are the Blissfield Senior Center and I92 Ministries, a Lenawee County-based organization working to feed the hungry here and in Haiti.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. giving folks time to register and put initial bids on silent auction items and purchase raffle tickets.  The Blitz Raffle drawing, dinner and game table drawings take place from 6:30-8 p.m. At 8 p.m. is when the main event takes place with the live auction with Anderson acting as auctioneer. Another Blitz Raffle and the silent auctions will also close during this time. And then there is the popular Heads & Tails competition and the horse race to end the evening.
Several trips, sporting event tickets, gift certificates and local products are available for the live auction. Also original artwork from local artists will be auctioned off. An original painting of Blissfield landmarks by Carl Quinn will be on the auction block. Also a painting by Bob Billington depicting the Palmyra Hobo Race of 1924. Artwork by Ted Vassar and glass work from Mark Wagar will also be available.
The Auction is the service organization’s biggest fundraiser of the year.

This is a photo of Bob Billington's painting of the Palmyra Hobo Race to be auctioned off Saturday at the Rotary Auction.
This is a photo of Bob Billington’s painting of the Palmyra Hobo Race to be auctioned off Saturday at the Rotary Auction.
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