Obituaries
Raymond L. Watson
Raymond L. Watson, age 83 passed away at his home on Tuesday, February 26, 2019. Raymond was born on April 24, 1935 in Lansing, MI the son of Fred J. and Hattie (Hudson) Watson. He graduated from Eastern High School in 1953, served in the U.S. Army and worked for the City of Lansing, Parks and Recreation Dept. retiring in 1988. In December of 1957 he married Aletha I. Heiden in Haslett, MI. Raymond loved fishing, hunting, building things and helped to build the St. Peter Lutheran School.
Survivors are his wife, Aletha, sons Scott R. (Pam) Watson of Bath, MI, Robert (Becky) Watson of St. Johns, Dale Watson of North Carolina and Andy (Amy Lynch) Watson of Lansing; 4 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild and brother Irvin Watson of Lansing. He was preceded in death by son Joe A. Watson in 1989 and 6 siblings, also daughter in law, Jamie Noble.
Services will be held at St. Peter Lutheran Church on Friday, March 1, 2019 at 11:00 A.M. with Rev. Randall Glander officiating. Burial will be at St. Peter Cemetery. The family will receive friends and relatives at the church beginning at 10:00 a.m. until service time. Memorials may be given to St. Peter Lutheran School or Great Lakes Hospice.
Arrangements were handled by Keck-Coleman Funeral Home.
Linda K. Goboly
Linda K. Goboly died suddenly Monday, February 25, 2019 at the age of 61. She was born August 7, 1957 in Long Beach, CA the daughter of Edward and Valerie Beitel. Linda was working as a paraprofessional for the St. Johns Public Schools. She enjoyed spending time up at Torch Lake, camping and spending time with family and friends. On September 14, 1985 she married Richard Goboly and he survives her.
Also surviving are two daughters, Melissa Goboly (Nicholas Wilson) and Samantha Goboly (Ken Pitsch); grandchildren, Ivy Goboly-Pitsch and Brody Goboly-Wilson; parents Edward and Valerie Beitel; three sisters, Lisa (Roger) Kight, Ardith Beitel and Leslie Beitel; one brother, Mark (Kathy) Beitel; father-in-law, Alex Goboly; two sisters-in-law, Anne Miller and Mary (Larry) Munson.
A memorial service will be held 11:00 AM Friday, March 1, 2019 at Keck-Coleman Funeral Home, St. Johns with Rev. Fr. Dwight Ezop officiating. The family will receive relatives and friends 5:00 to 8:00 PM Thursday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Briggs Public Library.
Mary Niedzwiecki
Mary Niedzwiecki, 75, passed away peacefully February 14, 2019, with her devoted husband, Gene, by her side. Mary was the 4th of 6 children of Hamilton and Clara Pennell. Mary was born in Bay City, MI on September 26, 1943. She graduated from Bay City Central High School in 1961. Mary married the love of her life Eugene Niedzwiecki, on July 13, 1963, and they were happily married for 56 years.
After completing nursing school at the Bay City School of Practical Nursing, she practiced nursing for nearly 50 years. When Gene finished pharmacy school at Ferris State, they moved to Gaylord, MI, aka “God’s country”, to raise their family. Mary founded Hospice of The North in 1982, which was the first hospice in Gaylord, MI. Mary was awarded the Citizen of the Year by the Fraternal Order of Police on behalf of the city of Gaylord because of her hospice work.
Mary provided daycare to dozens of children in Gaylord. Mary’s nursing career concluded as the head nurse at the practice of her longtime friend, Dr. Roy Boyer, MD. Upon retiring from nursing, Mary operated the local GNC store, a business she and Gene owned for 19 years.
Mary loved Gaylord St. Mary Cathedral and Schools, and being a part of their faith community. In addition to teaching CCD for St. Mary’s, Mary served on multiple committees at the church. Mary was a member of the church choir for several years. Mary was an active member of the Daughters of Isabella, Our Lady of Grace Circle #911 for more than 40 years, serving several times as Regent. Mary was a Brownie/Girl Scout troop leader for several years, and she served on the City of Gaylord’s planning commission.
Mary is survived by her husband Eugene; children Michelle (Matthew) Rick, Jennifer Foote, Christopher (Kandi) Niedzwiecki; grandchildren Joseph Foote, Sarah Rick, Rachel (Joe) Cleminson, Joshua Rick, Hannah Rick, Gregory and Ella-Jae Niedzwieck; her sister Penny Neuchterlein, brother Timothy (Lois) Pennell, her sister in law, Mary Pennell; and many nieces and nephews. Mary was preceded in death by her son, Eugene ll; her parents; and her sisters and their spouses, Beverly and Carl Doan, Sharon and Gary Bishop, her brother Terry Pennell, and her brother in law Ron Neuchterlein.
A funeral mass will be celebrated Tuesday, February 19, at St. Mary Cathedral at 11:00 am with a visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m. A visitation will be held Monday, February 18, from 2:00 – 8:00 pm at the Nelson Funeral Home, with a rosary being offered by Our Lady of Grace Circle at 7:00 p.m. Memorial contributions in her honor may be made to Munson Manor Hospitality House or St. Mary Cathedral Schools.
Arrangements entrusted to Nelson Funeral Home and Cremation Service, PO Box 1548, Gaylord, MI 49734.
James Allen Sherman Sr.
Newspaperman James Allen Sherman Sr., of Oxford, passed away on Saturday, February 16, 2019 at Independence Village of Waterstone. He was 92. He was born in Owosso on August 10, 1926 to parents Dair and Clara Sherman. Growing up, Sherman’s family moved around a lot as his father worked for the Grand Trunk Western Railroad. This gave Sherman an opportunity to experience other small communities in Shiawassee County, including Laingsburg, Bancroft, Morrice, Durand and Vernon. He graduated from Vernon High School, the salutatorian in a class of just nine students.
Sherman was the founder of Sherman Publications, Inc. (SPI), a chain of publications that includes the Oxford Leader, Lake Orion Review, Clarkston News and The Citizen. After beginning his journalism career in January 1951 at the Gladwin County Record, Sherman went to work for the Clinton County Republican-News in St. Johns. He made the big leap from employee to owner when he purchased his first newspaper in 1955, the Oxford Leader. Sherman served as its publisher until his retirement in 1993.
Sherman is survived by his children Jim (Linda) Sherman, Luan (Robert) Offer and Susan (Tim) Speed; grandchildren Daniel (Alexandria) Offer, Karen Offer and Savannah, Trevor and Haley Speed; and great granddaughter Adalyn Offer. There are no surviving siblings.
Visitation and a funeral service will be held at Modetz Funeral Homes Silverbell Chapel, 100 E. Silverbell Rd., in Orion Township. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on February 21.
The family asks that memorial contributions be made to the Northeast Oakland Historical Society and the Rotary Club of Oxford.