Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Delette Zimmel > Husband 12.29.2019
Michael Laurie Huffman was born in Superior, Wis., July 3, 1941 to Warren and Estalene (Enes) Huffman. After his father returned from World War II, Mike moved with his parents and baby sister, Patricia, to Bungo Township, Minn., - the Huffman family home. He attended Pine Forest country School, which he loved. His teacher, Mrs. Ware, said he was, "smart as a whip" and she could never keep him busy enough. In sixth grade, he started "town school" in Pine River, Minn. With town school not being much to his liking, he enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 17 where he finished his education.Mike served in the U.S. Army for eight years. His favorite tour of duty was his time at Fort Eustis, Va., where he was assigned to the boats that traveled the intracoastal waterway. His least favorite assignment was at Homestead Army Air Field where the troops lived in tents in the Florida heat and humidity for nine months while new barracks were being built. He served for two years at Pusan, South Korea and his final two years were in Gablingen, Germany.
After his honorable discharge in July 1966, he returned to Alexandria, Minn., where his father lived. He enrolled in the diesel mechanics program at Alexandria Technical School. Although he met his future wife, Delette Zimmel, briefly at a summer party in 1967, it was at school that autumn that their paths crossed again. Delette asked him, "where's the party?" after school one afternoon. Little did they know that would be the beginning of a long and wonderful party! Mike and Delette were married Oct. 5, 1968 at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Belle River, Minn. Two beautiful daughters joined their party - Naomi in 1969 and Shawna in 1970. On March 31, 1974, he decided the party would be better without alcohol. Like everything he decided to do, he did that well, too.
Mike worked as a diesel mechanic and truck driver for Tonka Corporation in Mound, Minn., for 12 years. His favorite memory of that job was delivering a semi-load of toys in a snowstorm to the International Toy Fair in Manhattan, N.Y. In 1973, he enlisted in the Minnesota National Guard and then transferred to the Oregon National Guard when the family moved to Portland in 1980. He was employed by Multnomah County as a mechanic for 21 years. He retired from the Guards in 1986 and the County in 2001.
As a family, they took weekend trips to visit the grandparents and always a summer getaway to northern Minnesota, a lake, or a road trip. After retirement, their yard at their Mt. Scott home received his undivided attention. With an empty nest, Mike and Delette took innumerable trips back home to Minnesota and visited many other states and Canadian provinces where they would sometimes attend cribbage tournaments. After Delette retired, they made a memorable 10,000-mile road trip from Portland to Nova Scotia. They enjoyed four trips to Europe, the last one being a six-week trek through eight countries to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. The highlight of the last trip to Europe was finding Mike's roots in Enes, Hordaland, Norway, where his great-grandfather lived before immigrating to America. There, he met cousins who still lived on the family farm.
Taught the love of reading by his mother, Mike preferred books over television. His daughters recall him reading the Mother West Wind books to them and that he always did the best animal voices. He loved card games - especially cribbage - puzzles, pool and visiting with family and friends. Most of all, he loved his grandkids who called him Papa Mike. He was everything a grandpa should be!
Mike and Delette moved to Hope Village Garden Homes in Canby, Ore., in 2016. He was an active member of the retirement community and enjoyed his daily games of pool. He won the first annual Hope Village pool tournament in October 2019. A friend described him as being a true sportsman. That was Mike. He enjoyed the game whether he won or lost.
Mike lived life to the fullest until a heart attack Dec. 11, 2019. After an unsuccessful surgery, he left this world on his terms 18 days later with family by his side. In the early morning hours of Dec. 29, 2019, he said "I think I will take a little lunch break now." These were some of the final words of an amazing man whose life's philosophy was work hard, have fun and be kind. He is simply on a little lunch break. We will all meet again.
Mike was predeceased by his parents; step-parents; and sister, Pat. He is survived by his wife, Delette; daughters, Naomi (Scott) Sether and Shawna Huffman; and four grandchildren, Demi (Jordan) White, Curtis Sether, Tyler Woodall and Alayna Woodall. Also surviving are his brother, Kelly Huffman; and sister, Nolee Riley; 99-year-young Uncle Bob Huffman; other uncles and aunts, lots of nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws and friends.
A military service will be held in his honor at 10 a.m., Friday, Feb. 28, 2020, at Willamette National Cemetery, 11800 S.E. Mt. Scott Blvd., Portland, OR. It will be followed by a Celebration of Life luncheon at Noon, at Rivershore Hotel Banquet Room, 1900 Clackamette Dr., Oregon City. All are invited to attend either or both events. Mike would prefer that everyone dress for comfort to enjoy his celebration. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Thelma's Place, 352 N.W. 2nd Ave., Canby, OR 97013 or online at https://thelmasplace.org/donate/
Please sign the online guest book at www.oregonlive.com/obits
Teacher > James Reiter
James “Jim” Lloyd Reiter, age 81, passed away peacefully on Saturday, December 14, 2019, in his home at the Ebenezer Care Center, Minneapolis.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Sunday, December 22, 2019, at the Thompson-Doughtery Historic Funeral Home in Minneapolis. A reception will follow the service. He was interred at Kinkead Cemetery in Alexandria beside his son, Noel.
Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service.
Jim was born on December 27, 1937 in Mankato, Minnesota to Margret B (Jones) and Adrian Randolph Reiter. He spent his youth in Plainview, Minnesota, graduating from Plainview High School in 1956. Post-graduation, he attended the University of Minnesota where he graduated with a BA in Education. He served in the Navel Reserves as an Aviation Electronic Technician and student taught in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.
Jim married Gayle Avis Harrington on July 16, 1961 and moved to Alexandria, Minnesota, where he taught in the Business Department of the High School until his retirement. Jim and Gayle had two children, Noel James and Evan Lloyd. They divorced in 2002. In 2008, Jim moved to Prescott, Wisconsin. In November of 2016, Jim suffered a severe brain injury that eventually landed him at the Ebenezer Care Center, his final home.
Jim was a passionate lover of dogs, grooming dogs as a side job and always devoted to his own canines. He loved music, particularly choir, which he actively sang in for much of his life. He played the clarinet and was involved in community theater. At various times in his life he enjoyed boating, skiing, road tripping, model railroading, snow plowing, skating, wine making, snowmobiling, drawing and painting, dog breeding, and line dancing. Above all, his greatest past time was conversation.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Adrian and Margret Reiter; son, Noel Reiter; and former wife, Gayle Harrington.
Jim is survived by his son, Evan Reiter and his wife, Tanya Gajewska; and two cousins, Marcia (Jones) Richards and Kay (Jones) Jacobson.
https://www.lindfamilyfh.com/notices/James-Reiter
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)