Elaine Mary (Moe) Bodell

Bark River / Munising

Elaine Mary (nee Moe) Bodell, age 80, of Bark River and formerly of Munising, died on Tuesday, July 17, 2018 at the Iron River Care Center in Iron River, Michigan. She was born on November 16, 1937 in Munising to the late Arneth and Sylvia (Pitkamaki) Moe.  Elaine grew up in Munising and was confirmed at Eden Lutheran Church in 1951 and graduated from Wm. G Mather High School in 1955.  She met Kenneth Lee Bodell who was stationed in Munising with the U.S. Coast Guard and they were married on December 17, 1955.  Ken was later transferred to Grand Marais where he and Elaine were the last keepers of the Au Sable Lighthouse.  She was a homemaker and after her children started school, Elaine went to college.  She earned her Bachelor and Master’s degrees in the mental health field and worked in Community Mental Health.  Ken and Elaine were longtime residents of Bark River and they were members of the Delta County Square Dancing Club, Bethany Lutheran Church, and Elaine was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star.  Together they enjoyed camping with their children when they were growing up and with their friends while on square dancing trips, and Elaine also enjoyed singing.

She is survived by her husband of over sixty-two years – Ken Bodell of Bark River; daughters – Raelynn Bodell and Kristine (Jim) Kok all of Madison, WI; grandchildren – Grant and Gabriel Goodman and Spencer and Seth Kok; daughter-in-law – Svetlana Bodell of Minnesota; sisters – Nancy (Roger) Thompson of Brighton, MI, Jean Hayes of Munising, and Kathy (Mike) Furlott of Port Washington, WI; sister-in-law – Julie Moe of Rapid River; and numerous nieces and nephews.  Elaine was preceded in death by her parents, infant son Kenneth in 1958, son Kenneth Lee “Kenny” Bodell II in 2017, grandson Garrett Goodman in 1992, sister Janice Moe, brothers Arneth and John Moe, and brother-in-law Mike Hayes.

Services will be held at the Eden Lutheran Church in Munising on Saturday, July 21, 2018.  Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m.  Pastor Ann Gonyea will conduct Elaine’s funeral service at 11:00 a.m.   Interment will be at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Munising.