Julia M. Vartti

Julia M. Vartti, age 98, of Munising and longtime Chatham resident, died surrounded by her family on Tuesday morning, December 9, 2014 at the Tendercare Health Center in Munising. She was born on September 18, 1916 in Shingleton to George and Angeline Julia Stimac. Julia graduated from Sacred Heart School and then Wm. G. Mather High School in 1935. While in high school and after graduation, she worked at the Munising Hospital. Julia married Tauno R. Vartti on January 30, 1937. She was a homemaker and raised their family in Eben. Julia was an active volunteer at school while her children were young and she enjoyed watching her grandchildren in their school activities. For over thirty years, she entered numerous items in the Alger County Fair. Julia won many blue ribbons and in the year 2000, at eighty-four years of age, she won the Best of Show. She was a member of Sacred Heart Church and then St. Rita Church in Trenary when she lived in Chatham. Julia was active in St. Rita's church circle and with their Fall Festival. She was a member of the Chatham Homemakers and Senior Citizens Clubs. Julia enjoyed berry picking and traveling around the country with her family and with friends on the Debi Tours. Julia moved to Tendercare from Chatham over five years ago while there, she enjoyed having hot chocolate with Charlie and attending Mass there.

She is survived by her children - Joan (Pete) Ostanek of Traunik, Barbara (Clyde) Johnson of Chatham, Ruth (John) Heidemann of Ishpeming, Judy (Ron) Baysinger of Durango, CO, and Charlie (Dorothy) Vartti of Wetmore; grandchildren - Kristin, Jon, Marisa, David, Kelly, Jane, Susan, Debra, Terie, Lisa, Craig, Brett, Janice, Suzanne, Patty, David, and Miguel; she was GiGi to her twenty-six great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren; sister - Angie Mahne of Munising; special nephew - Jerry "Red" Stimac; sisters-in-law - Creta Vartti, Tootie Vartti, and Aune Juntunen; brother-in-law - George Vartti; and numerous nieces and nephew. Julia was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Tauno on May 30, 1988, her granddaughters Larissa Vartti and Christine Inman, and her sisters Catherine Casey, Dorothy Haynes, and Edna Pierce.

Julia's services will be on Saturday, December 13, 2014. Visitation will be at the Bowerman Funeral Home from 9:00 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. Father Chris Gardiner will celebrate Julia's Mass of Christian Burial at Sacred Heart Church on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. A luncheon will follow at the Moose Lodge in Munising. Interment will be at the Pine Grove Cemetery in Chatham on Friday, May 15, 2015 at 4:15 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to be made in Julia's name to the Tendercare Activity Fund, 300 W. City Park Drive, Munising, MI 49862.