Obituaries

Rodger Clarence Swanson, most recently of Munising, died on Friday, May 24, 2024, following a fall. Rodger was a farm boy from North Dakota who spent his years around the Great Lakes and the North Eastern harbors gleaning everything that he could about traditional wooden boats. If you know him, you know that he can speak a lot on the subject. Rodger was born in Grand Forks, ND, on January 4, 1944, to Clarence Ordean and Grace Naomi (Spearman) Swanson. He was their firstborn and grew up strong and working with his hands in the rural farmland along US 2, in Arvilla, ND. He began his education in a one-room schoolhouse. He talked about taking a horse drawn sleigh down to the highway to catch the bus to school in the winter. When it came time for him to go to high school, he started boarding school in Minnesota. Rodger graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1966 with his Bachelor’s degree, followed shortly by a Master’s degree. He studied sociology and anthropology. He also attended Cooley Law School in Lansing, MI. Most of Rodger’s vocational life was spent helping people navigate life’s upsets. He provided counseling and worked to connect people with resources for independent and healthy living following injury and disability, employment disruptions, incarceration, and addiction and other brain health issues.

Rev. Christina “Tina”Robb, age 71, quietly passed away at 3:30pm on Friday, April 26, 2024, at the MediLodge Nursing Center of Munising. She had resided at MediLodge with her husband Jim by her side since May of 2023. Tina is now pain free and in the arms of Jesus at peace.

Richard David “Dave” Erickson, age 81, of Munising, died April 19, 2024, at his winter home in Dade City, Florida. He was born on June 9, 1942, in Munising to the late Richard T. and Lucille (Passinault) Erickson. Dave graduated from William G. Mather High School in 1960. He moved to Milwaukee, WI, and worked for Controls Company of America in manufacturing. This is where he met Mary Helen Young. They were married May 22, 1965, and soon after moved to Lower Michigan where he worked for Canteen as a vendor in GM’s Pontiac plant before moving back to the Munising area to raise their three children. Dave worked at the Clevland Cliffs Iron Company and was later hired at Kimberly Clark and worked in the lab there until he retired in 1997. Dave enjoyed ice fishing, four-wheeling, helping family, cooking, baking, deer hunting, and spending time at his property on the 440. He also enjoyed playing games with his extended family and friends. He was a member of the Sacred Heart Church, Knights of Columbus, and Munising Moose Lodge.

Merle “Buzz” D. Karr, age 70, of Munising died on Thursday, April 25, 2024 at Munising Memorial Hospital. He was born on August 2, 1953, the sixth of eight children to Merle F. and Dorothy (McNally) Karr. In his youth, Buzz played Little League and participated in wrestling. At an early age, he found his love for the woods and spent the rest of his life hunting and fishing whenever he could. Merle graduated from Wm. G. Mather High School in 1972. He worked at several different places. Merle worked construction with VanEss on the pipeline, logging in the woods with his brother-inlaw Pete, Timber Products, with Uncle Arvo at Miller Tool & Die where he mastered his sharpening skills, the DePere foundry where he made a giant cast iron pot that family still uses today for large gatherings, and he spent over thirty years alongside his best friend, Greg Anderson, and his wife, Mary Ann, with Anderson Landscaping. Merle married Kelly Anderson, and together they raised their son, Merle J. Karr. Buzz enjoyed working on snowmobiles with his cousin, Kenny McNally and racing sleds in his younger years. Merle shot bows competitively and was UP Champion in Class B Archery multiple years. He married Sheila (Terry) Enterline on July 1, 2015. She preceded him in death on July 13, 2023. Merle was a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.