Paul Edward Petosky

Paul Edward Petosky, age 79, of Munising, died at his home on Wednesday evening, July 29, 2020 following a lengthy illness.   Paul was born on March 31, 1941 in Newberry, Michigan to Frank and Hazel (McMullen) Petosky. Paul’s father was a career Coast Guard man at the Vermillion Life Saving Station and this is where Paul spent his first few months.  The family enjoyed life on the beach and then December 7, 1941 came. Paul and his mother had to stay with family while Frank went on recruiting duty around the Great Lakes. When his father was still serving in the war, his mother found a beautiful home right on the shore of Lake Superior a short distance from Paradise, Michigan. Paul lived here until he finished the eighth grade. Paul had many happy memories of the home on the lake – fishing with his dad and picking berries.  As an only child he had his parents’ full attention.

When Paul was around 6 years old, he actually had a pet chicken. He taught the chicken to sit on a chair in his wagon and Paul would take the chicken and his dog for a walk. The main road passed right by Paul’s home.  Many tourists would stop and ask to take a picture of the trio and would often tip him a quarter or more for the fun. Paul and his mom loved to talk and laugh about this time in their lives.

After 8th grade Paul’s family moved to Trout Lake where his mom had grown up. He finished high school while they lived there. He had to travel 45 minutes each way every day through all of the back roads to Rudyard High School.

He didn’t get a chance to go out for sports until he could drive as was the case with most country kids. Paul had many happy memories of his classmates. Paul graduated high school in 1960 and then worked for the U.S. Survey team around the Midwest for a while. He attended Ferris for a short time and then entered the Army. During the Vietnam War Paul served at Radar stations in the hills around Oakland and San Francisco. Paul truly left his heart in San Francisco and was privileged to go back there for six months in 1988 as a recruiter for the National Guard.

Paul was employed at several radio stations in the upper peninsula including WQX0 in Munising and WJPD in Ishpeming. He retired as a recruiter with the Michigan Army National Guard and then worked for a few years at the Christmas Kewadin Casino.

Paul and his first wife adopted a beautiful baby boy in 1970. When they divorced Paul met Shirley and they blended her three children into a family. One more came along to make yours, mine and ours.

Paul had many interests – old postcards, old coins, old post office history and movie memorabilia. He wrote articles for many magazines and the Great Lakes Pilot. He also published a book that he was very proud of. He was still getting phone calls for information about old post offices in the weeks just before his death. He loved tracking down information for people and for a long time was best friends with his computer!

Left to survive are his wife Shirley; children Kris (Alice) Petosky, Jodi (Chris Falk) Petosky, Laurie (Kevin) Pine and Rick (Thomas Engelberger) Haverkate; grandchildren Hillary (Nick Roberts) Pine, Courtney Petosky, Hailee Petosky, CJ Petosky and Cayden Falk; one great granddaughter Harlow Laakso; brothers-in-law Joseph (Lee) Paquette and Dee Jay (Heidi) Paquette; sisters-in-law Bonnie Masters and Gail (David) Cromell; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, infant daughter Cindy Petosky, son Gregory Haverkate, parents-in-law Joseph and Arvilla Paquette and brother-in-law Howard Masters.

Graveside services will be conducted on Thursday, August 6,  2020 at 3:00 PM at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Munising, Michigan where military honors will be rendered by the American Legion, Vietnam Veteran, and National Guard Honor Guards, and committal prayers will be prayed with Pastor Paul Kelto officiating.