1916
Leonard
2009
Leonard H. Burkhalter
June 21, 1916 — March 23, 2009
Munising
Leonard H. Burkhalter, age 92, of Munising died March 23, 2009 at the Tendercare Health Center in Munising. He was born on June 21, 1916 in Marinette, WI at the family home on Hall Ave. and Hwy. 64, the ninth child to the late Philip and Charlotte (Sieck) Burkhalter. When Leonard was three, the family bought a farm in Winesville, where they remained for eleven years until moving to the farm in Harmony Corners, WI. There they "lived and toiled for sixteen summers and fifteen winters!" During this time, Leonard studied to be an electrician and began working in the area along with the farm work. In October of 1945 he married Florence LaPlant and they opened an appliance sales and electrical repair shop "Harmony Electric Service". During their marriage they had two foster children, Debbie and Cindy whom they planned to adopt. Sadly, on March 9, 1947 Florence succumbed to Leukemia and Leonard was unable to keep the children. In 1951 Leonard closed up the shop and moved to California working for Cutler-Hamer before retuning to Wisconsin to work at the shipyards in Sturgeon Bay. While there, he worked on the ship "Badger" which is a car ferry that still operates on Lake Michigan between Frankfort, MI and Manitowoc, WI. Leonard was hired by the Field Service Division of Kimberly-Clark as a First Class Electrician and after being assigned to a project at the Munising Mill decided to stay and worked there as an electrcian until his retirement in1979, after 25 years of service. On April 15, 1956 he married Esther (Kangas) Maki. After retirement Leonard said he "began living his life in reverse." He started doing wiring jobs again, often as a volunteer at Eden Lutheran Church, the Moose Lodge, Alger County Historical Society, and the Alger Centennial Ice Arena. Then Leonard went back to "farming", attending to his vegetable and flower gardens, starting them all as seeds, and creating a rock garden at the edge of his daughter's property. Esther and Leonard enjoyed traveling, spending winters in their camper in Florida, trips to California, the Caribbean, and Hawaii, and a Scandinavian tour with Carl Pellonpaa. He was a life member and former president of the United Paper Workers Union #96. Leonard was a 33rd Degree Mason, a Past Master of Grand Island Lodge #422, life member of the Order of the Eastern Star Chapter 424, and a member of the Ahmed Shrine. Leonard was an active member of the Eden Lutheran Church having served on the church council, and was also a member of the Moose Lodge #1386 and the Alger County Historical Society.
He is survived by his wife of nearly fifty-three years - Esther; daughter - Debra (James) Perttula of Munising; sons - Bryan (Sandy) Burkhalter of Deerton, Carl (Mariellen) Maki of Rochester, MN, and Dr. Robert (Patricia) Maki of Anthem, AZ; grandchildren - Tara and Corey Perttula, Melia Garness, Todd (Doris) Maki, Taina (Lee Nelson) Maki, Kaara (David) Maki-Waller, Denice Hurt, Cal (Tish) Maki, Bradd (Jennifer) Maki, Kristin (Matthew Jenkins) Maki, Tricia (Brian) Boyer, and Nick Hamel; granddaughter-in-law - Geri Maki; seventeen great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; sister-in-law - Helen Ammesmaki; and numerous nieces and nephews. Leonard was preceded in death by his first wife - Florence; son - Dennis Maki; daughter-in-law - Beverly Maki; grandson - Kurt Maki; great-granddaughter - Harper Maki-Waller; brothers - Herbert, Raymond, Edwin, and Eugene; sisters - Cora, Emma, Edna, Ruth, and Florence;
Visitation will be Thursday, March 26, 2009 from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. with a Masonic service at 7:00 p.m. at the Bowerman Funeral Home in Munising. On Friday, March 27 there will be visitation from 12:00 noon until 1:00 p.m. at Eden Lutheran Church, and at 1:00 p.m. Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard will conduct Leonard's funeral service. Interment will be at Maple Grove Cemetery in Munising. He will be escorted by Cal and Bradd Maki, Corey Perttula, Al Ammesmaki, Greg Perttula, and Nick Hamel. Leonard's family would like to give a special thanks to the staff of Tendercare Health Center of Munising for the care and kindness shown to their father over the past two years. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Leonard's name to the Maple Grove Cemetery Restoration Fund.
Leonard H. Burkhalter, age 92, of Munising died March 23, 2009 at the Tendercare Health Center in Munising. He was born on June 21, 1916 in Marinette, WI at the family home on Hall Ave. and Hwy. 64, the ninth child to the late Philip and Charlotte (Sieck) Burkhalter. When Leonard was three, the family bought a farm in Winesville, where they remained for eleven years until moving to the farm in Harmony Corners, WI. There they "lived and toiled for sixteen summers and fifteen winters!" During this time, Leonard studied to be an electrician and began working in the area along with the farm work. In October of 1945 he married Florence LaPlant and they opened an appliance sales and electrical repair shop "Harmony Electric Service". During their marriage they had two foster children, Debbie and Cindy whom they planned to adopt. Sadly, on March 9, 1947 Florence succumbed to Leukemia and Leonard was unable to keep the children. In 1951 Leonard closed up the shop and moved to California working for Cutler-Hamer before retuning to Wisconsin to work at the shipyards in Sturgeon Bay. While there, he worked on the ship "Badger" which is a car ferry that still operates on Lake Michigan between Frankfort, MI and Manitowoc, WI. Leonard was hired by the Field Service Division of Kimberly-Clark as a First Class Electrician and after being assigned to a project at the Munising Mill decided to stay and worked there as an electrcian until his retirement in1979, after 25 years of service. On April 15, 1956 he married Esther (Kangas) Maki. After retirement Leonard said he "began living his life in reverse." He started doing wiring jobs again, often as a volunteer at Eden Lutheran Church, the Moose Lodge, Alger County Historical Society, and the Alger Centennial Ice Arena. Then Leonard went back to "farming", attending to his vegetable and flower gardens, starting them all as seeds, and creating a rock garden at the edge of his daughter's property. Esther and Leonard enjoyed traveling, spending winters in their camper in Florida, trips to California, the Caribbean, and Hawaii, and a Scandinavian tour with Carl Pellonpaa. He was a life member and former president of the United Paper Workers Union #96. Leonard was a 33rd Degree Mason, a Past Master of Grand Island Lodge #422, life member of the Order of the Eastern Star Chapter 424, and a member of the Ahmed Shrine. Leonard was an active member of the Eden Lutheran Church having served on the church council, and was also a member of the Moose Lodge #1386 and the Alger County Historical Society.
He is survived by his wife of nearly fifty-three years - Esther; daughter - Debra (James) Perttula of Munising; sons - Bryan (Sandy) Burkhalter of Deerton, Carl (Mariellen) Maki of Rochester, MN, and Dr. Robert (Patricia) Maki of Anthem, AZ; grandchildren - Tara and Corey Perttula, Melia Garness, Todd (Doris) Maki, Taina (Lee Nelson) Maki, Kaara (David) Maki-Waller, Denice Hurt, Cal (Tish) Maki, Bradd (Jennifer) Maki, Kristin (Matthew Jenkins) Maki, Tricia (Brian) Boyer, and Nick Hamel; granddaughter-in-law - Geri Maki; seventeen great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; sister-in-law - Helen Ammesmaki; and numerous nieces and nephews. Leonard was preceded in death by his first wife - Florence; son - Dennis Maki; daughter-in-law - Beverly Maki; grandson - Kurt Maki; great-granddaughter - Harper Maki-Waller; brothers - Herbert, Raymond, Edwin, and Eugene; sisters - Cora, Emma, Edna, Ruth, and Florence;
Visitation will be Thursday, March 26, 2009 from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. with a Masonic service at 7:00 p.m. at the Bowerman Funeral Home in Munising. On Friday, March 27 there will be visitation from 12:00 noon until 1:00 p.m. at Eden Lutheran Church, and at 1:00 p.m. Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard will conduct Leonard's funeral service. Interment will be at Maple Grove Cemetery in Munising. He will be escorted by Cal and Bradd Maki, Corey Perttula, Al Ammesmaki, Greg Perttula, and Nick Hamel. Leonard's family would like to give a special thanks to the staff of Tendercare Health Center of Munising for the care and kindness shown to their father over the past two years. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Leonard's name to the Maple Grove Cemetery Restoration Fund.
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