1921
Lawrence
2009
Lawrence Peter Magnusson
April 10, 1921 — October 3, 2009
Munising
Lawrence Peter Magnusson, 88 1/2 years of age, was surrounded by his family at his home on October 3, 2009 when the angel he had seen as a ten year old boy guided him through the gates of heaven. Lawrence was born in Limestone, Michigan on April 10, 1921 to the late August and Ellen (Johnson) Magnusson. He grew up in Limestone and left school during the third grade so he could stay home and help run the family farm while his father was in the woods working. Lawrence was a lifetime member of the "CCC'S" in 1937. On April 13, 1940, Lawrence married Viola D. Paquette. He entered the U.S. Army during WWII where he became a mechanic for the U.S. Armed Services and was a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans. Lawrence was a welder and heavy equipment operator and mechanic. He worked for Kimberly Clark and the Munising Ford Garage. Among his other businesses, he owned and operated Speedway / Marathon Service Station. His passion and profession in life was running timber operations in the Upper Peninsula until the time of his retirement. Lawrence enjoyed and was an active member of the Logging Congress. During Lawrence's lifetime, he enjoyed long talks with his friends - Bob and Roy Graves, Ray and Max Becker, Kip McNally Sr., Roger Kempany, Irving Somerville, Paul Anderson, Richard Kohpnik, Willy Clark and his brother-in-law, Ted Paquette.
Lawrence and Viola enjoyed blue grass festivals and travelling across the country in their motor home after retirement. As a young boy on the farm, he fell in love with animals and that love lasted his whole life. Deer, rabbits, birds, and his dogs (especially Buddy) were some of his best companions. Every day Lawrence would walk the trails on his property, ride his three-wheeler through the woods, take a nap, have a cup of coffee, and return back to the woods. Whether in the woods, making maple syrup in his sugar bush, tinkering in the garage, or welding for family and friends, Lawrence always stayed busy. He was known as "BOPPU" to all his grandchildren. The memories he shared with them will never be forgotten.
He is survived by his wife of 69 ½ years - Viola; daughter - Darlene Matson; 5 grandchildren - Donna (Jim) Gauthier, Ronald (Kristen) Matson Jr., Timothy (Kathy) Matson, Julie Matson and Troy Magnusson; 12 great-grand children--Alexis, Jenna, Megan, Katy, Ricky, Molly, David, Isabella, Derrick, Ronald III, and his two special little buddies-Jesse and Dylan who he nicknamed "Charlie"; 5 great-great grandchildren-Caleb, Austin, Isabella, Ethan and Olivia. Passing on before him were his parents - Ellen and August; his son - Wayne; grandson Larry "Bubie" Mrowka; son-in-law - Ronald Matson, Sr.; sisters - Ruth Tripp and Betty Prunick; brothers- Lester and Louie Magnusson, great-grandchildren - Jamie Gauthier and Faith Marie Matson, and great-great-grandson - Chase Gauthier.
Services for Lawrence will be held at the Bowerman Funeral Home on Tuesday, October 6, 2009. Visitation will be from 12:00 noon until 1:00 p.m. Pastor Jason LaFlamme will conduct his funeral service in the funeral home's chapel at 1:00 p.m. Interment will be at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Munising where the Alger County Veterans Council and American Legion Honor Guard will conduct military honors. Lawrence will be escorted by Billy Perry, Joey Paquette, Dee Jay Paquette, Paul Magnusson, Brian Prunick, and Monty Perry.
Lawrence Peter Magnusson, 88 1/2 years of age, was surrounded by his family at his home on October 3, 2009 when the angel he had seen as a ten year old boy guided him through the gates of heaven. Lawrence was born in Limestone, Michigan on April 10, 1921 to the late August and Ellen (Johnson) Magnusson. He grew up in Limestone and left school during the third grade so he could stay home and help run the family farm while his father was in the woods working. Lawrence was a lifetime member of the "CCC'S" in 1937. On April 13, 1940, Lawrence married Viola D. Paquette. He entered the U.S. Army during WWII where he became a mechanic for the U.S. Armed Services and was a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans. Lawrence was a welder and heavy equipment operator and mechanic. He worked for Kimberly Clark and the Munising Ford Garage. Among his other businesses, he owned and operated Speedway / Marathon Service Station. His passion and profession in life was running timber operations in the Upper Peninsula until the time of his retirement. Lawrence enjoyed and was an active member of the Logging Congress. During Lawrence's lifetime, he enjoyed long talks with his friends - Bob and Roy Graves, Ray and Max Becker, Kip McNally Sr., Roger Kempany, Irving Somerville, Paul Anderson, Richard Kohpnik, Willy Clark and his brother-in-law, Ted Paquette.
Lawrence and Viola enjoyed blue grass festivals and travelling across the country in their motor home after retirement. As a young boy on the farm, he fell in love with animals and that love lasted his whole life. Deer, rabbits, birds, and his dogs (especially Buddy) were some of his best companions. Every day Lawrence would walk the trails on his property, ride his three-wheeler through the woods, take a nap, have a cup of coffee, and return back to the woods. Whether in the woods, making maple syrup in his sugar bush, tinkering in the garage, or welding for family and friends, Lawrence always stayed busy. He was known as "BOPPU" to all his grandchildren. The memories he shared with them will never be forgotten.
He is survived by his wife of 69 ½ years - Viola; daughter - Darlene Matson; 5 grandchildren - Donna (Jim) Gauthier, Ronald (Kristen) Matson Jr., Timothy (Kathy) Matson, Julie Matson and Troy Magnusson; 12 great-grand children--Alexis, Jenna, Megan, Katy, Ricky, Molly, David, Isabella, Derrick, Ronald III, and his two special little buddies-Jesse and Dylan who he nicknamed "Charlie"; 5 great-great grandchildren-Caleb, Austin, Isabella, Ethan and Olivia. Passing on before him were his parents - Ellen and August; his son - Wayne; grandson Larry "Bubie" Mrowka; son-in-law - Ronald Matson, Sr.; sisters - Ruth Tripp and Betty Prunick; brothers- Lester and Louie Magnusson, great-grandchildren - Jamie Gauthier and Faith Marie Matson, and great-great-grandson - Chase Gauthier.
Services for Lawrence will be held at the Bowerman Funeral Home on Tuesday, October 6, 2009. Visitation will be from 12:00 noon until 1:00 p.m. Pastor Jason LaFlamme will conduct his funeral service in the funeral home's chapel at 1:00 p.m. Interment will be at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Munising where the Alger County Veterans Council and American Legion Honor Guard will conduct military honors. Lawrence will be escorted by Billy Perry, Joey Paquette, Dee Jay Paquette, Paul Magnusson, Brian Prunick, and Monty Perry.
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