Obituaries
John Mark Wilson
John Mark Wilson, well-known craftsman and founder of the Home Shop in Charlotte, Michigan, died peacefully at his home surrounded by loving family on January 27, 2023. Born June 2, 1939, John was the youngest of four children. His father, William Dexter Wilson (1889 – 1968), graduated from Syracuse University Engineering school in 1912, served as a Captain in the anti-aircraft artillery in Paris in WWI, and married Christine Keith Ross (1899 – 1974) in 1925. John’s siblings are his two brothers, William Dexter (1927 – 1985) and Alexander Ross (1929 – 2012), and his sister, Christina Keith Wilson Adams (1936 – ___).
As a young man, John earned the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts, and was on the staff of Askononta Explorers Camp, in Lake Placid, New York. He graduated from Nottingham High in 1958 and attended Carleton College, graduating in 1962 with a BA degree in Sociology. John continued his studies at London University, England, where he earned a Master’s in Social Anthropology in 1964.
Following graduate school, John taught Anthropology, first at Purdue University, then Michigan State University, then for five years at Albion (Michigan) College. In his anthropological research, John studied commercial fishermen in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. As John often said later in life, he was fortunate that he never finished his PhD dissertation, for when the door to university teaching closed, the door to a new career opened.
Career as craftsman
While in college, John had worked summers as a carpenter in residential construction. This was in the days before specialization in the construction trades, at a time when a builder took the home from foundation to paint, giving him experience in all aspects of the trade. Using the skills and knowledge he had gained as a carpenter during those years, John became a licensed remodeling contractor in Charlotte, Michigan.
By 1977 he knew it was not general carpentry he loved, but the craft of woodworking. He started teaching woodworking at Lansing Community College (LCC). The college encouraged teachers to follow their interests and design new courses. John started classes in Shaker Furniture and Boat Building as well as general woodworking and taught at LCC for the next 23 years.
His teaching job at LCC allowed him free time to work on what would later become his own woodworking shop. In 1988, he finished the building and established the Home Shop business. Over the next thirty years, John partnered with John Kellogg (now retired) and Eric Pintar to provide materials, instruction, manuals, classes, and support to the many craftspeople who shared their interest in the historic craft of making Shaker oval boxes. The Home Shop takes the wood for bending from log to final dimension, makes the required forms and jigs needed for shaping the pieces, and produces the copper tacks on original machines, circa 1860, obtained from the now closed Cross Nail Co.
In addition to running his woodworking business and teaching, the third strand of John’s life work was writing. He credited the tutorial class structure at London’s School of Oriental and African Studies with sparking his interest in writing. Required to write a five-page paper on a new topic in anthropology every Tuesday and Friday for the whole school year, “I began to see the whole world in this framework: defining – development – conclusion,” he said. Over the years he published over sixty articles in Working Wood (England), Adirondack Magazine, Workbench, School Shop, The Shaker Messenger, Woodworkers Journal, The Crafts Reports, Small Boat Journal, Wood News, The Shaker Quarterly, Fine Woodworking, Messing About in Boats, The Ash Breeze, and Wooden Boat.
Most prolific and important was his association with Popular Woodworking. His first cover story “Making Shaker Oval Boxes” was published in 2003 which by this time had become the signature activity of the Home Shop. The journal’s format which combined photos, drawings, and ample space, made the publication an ideal forum for his work. It also established a long partnership with their editors (Chris Schwarz and Linda Watts) who were instrumental in the design of his future books.
John authored and published four books that have been widely acclaimed. Chris Bagbee of Highland Woodworking News wrote of Making Wood Tools, “Wilson brings us what may be both the most beautiful book of the year as well as the most useful.” This book was also a gold star winner with the Non-Fiction Writers Association. Later, John published the Shaker Oval Box trilogy (2014, 2017, 2019). Other writings include “Your Own Woodworkers Bench” (1997), “Building Sailor Girl” (2004) — the design that won an award from Wooden Boat Magazine for new small craft suitable for a family boatbuilding weekend event — and “Skaneateles Skiff No. 5” (2005) documenting the rowing boat from his childhood on Otisco Lake which is now included in the Howard Chapell collection of American Small Craft at the Smithsonian.
In 2014, PBS produced an episode of their series “Craftsmen’s Legacy” featuring John titled “The Woodworker.” John’s legacy as a craftsman includes the beautiful objects he created, the pieces he taught others to create and the instruction he shared with so many others in his wonderful books.
Family
John met his first wife Abigail McLean Brown (1940 – ) in high school. They were married in 1962 in Montreal, Canada, where she graduated from McGill University. During their twenty-year marriage they had two sons, David Reynolds (1964- ) and Andrew Ross (1966 -). David retired from an engineering career in 2021 and lives in Michigan with wife, Denise, and their twin daughters, Merle and Veronica (2004- ), who are both students at Michigan Technological University. Andrew heads a consulting firm he founded in Florence, Italy, specializing in international tax law. He lives there with his two daughters Sofia (2005 -) and Diana (2007- ).
John met Sally King (1961 – ) in 1985 while John was teaching at LCC. They grew to be devoted soulmates and married in 1988, raising their children in Charlotte. After receiving her MD degree in family practice from Michigan State University and completing her residency at St. Lawrence and Sparrow Hospitals, Sally practiced medicine in Charlotte until her retirement in 2015. John and Sally had two children: Molly Christina (1994 -) and William Dexter (2000 – ). Molly graduated from the University of Michigan, served in the Peace Corps in Tanzania, and is pursuing a medical degree at Wayne State University. William is a junior at the MSU College of Engineering pursuing a degree in Computer Science.
Child of God
Above all, John considered himself a child of God. He grew up in the Episcopal Church and explored many different denominations as an adult. He believed that all worship the same God who is alive and well and knows his name. His was a very personal relationship with God and his Redeemer Jesus Christ. He lived by faith every day, believed the universe was a friendly place, and had an incredible number of friends. John was very engaged in his community of Charlotte, where he lived and worked for most of his lifetime. He generously contributed his time and talent to many organizations, including the Boy Scouts, the local food bank, and Crop Walk. John was also involved in the activities of his church, St. John’s Episcopal Church, where he served as a lay preacher. He loved to repeat the old chestnut, “God has no grandchildren, only sons and daughters.”
Memorial
A memorial service to celebrate John’s life will take place at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 201 W. Shepherd, Charlotte, Michigan, on March 4, at 11am. All family and friends are welcome to attend. A luncheon will follow the service. In lieu of flowers, those interested in honoring John are invited to donate to St. John’s Episcopal Church or to the Eaton Clothing and Furniture Center, links available at www.mykeeper.com/profile/JohnMWilson.
eof flowers, those interested in honoring John are invited to donate to St. John’s Episcopal Church or to the Eaton Clothing and Furniture Center, links available at www.mykeeper.com/profile/JohnMWilson.
Dorothy Sophie Wehr
Dorothy Sophie Wehr departed quietly for heaven on Wednesday, February 8, 2023 surrounded by family. Dorothy was born September 15, 1927 in Lansing, Michigan, to Karl and Sophie Wildeman. She graduated from Eastern High School in Lansing and worked at the Style Shop in East Lansing, where she met her husband, Max. They were married in 1947 at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Lansing. She was a stay-at-home mom who was very involved in her children’s lives, serving as room mother and Girl Scout and Campfire Girls leader, having hot lunches ready when they came home from school at noon, and baking lots of homemade cookies. Family was everything to Mom. She was never happier than when her family could get together!
Max and Dot, as he called her, loved to travel. They visited nearly all of the 50 states in their motor home and went to Germany with a church group in 1996. Dorothy loved to paint and was an accomplished watercolor artist and past member of the Eaton Art League. Her children are the proud owners of many of her paintings, which hang in their homes. She was a faithful and active member of First Lutheran Church of Charlotte, having served on the altar guild and decorating committee. She also enjoyed golf and playing Scrabble, cards, and other games with family and friends.
She is survived by four daughters: Judith (Phil) Hooper of Big Rapids and Grand Haven, MI; Kay (Darwin) Mahar of Reed City, MI; Mary Jo (Brian) Huver of Charlotte; and Polly Burns of Reed City; six grandchildren: Erin Mahar, Matthew (Kim) Mahar, Dr. Gretchen (Hooper) (Dr. Jonathan) Winters, Ryan Converse, Elliana Burns, and Mason Huver, and six great-grandchildren: Taylor, Emily, Julian, Tristan, Drew, and Max, as well as four nieces and four nephews.
Dorothy was preceded to heaven by her husband of 71 years, Max, in 2019; son, Mark and son-in-law, Paul Burns in 2018, parents; brothers, Alfred and Ernest; and sister, Elsie.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, at 11 a.m. at First Lutheran Church, 550 E. Shepherd St., Charlotte, MI 48813 with Rev. Mark Gawura officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will take place at Maple Hill Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to First Lutheran Church of Charlotte.
To view Dorothy’s obituary online or to leave a condolence for the family please visit www.burkhead-green-kilgo.com.
The family is being served by the Burkhead-Green-Kilgo Funeral Home.
Chester Binkowski
Chester O. Binkowski, age 80, of Charlotte peacefully passed away into the loving arms of his Savior on Monday, February 6, 2023. He was born September 26, 1942, in Charlotte the son of Martin and Anna (Poskarbiewicz) Binkowski. Chet graduated from Charlotte High School with the class of 1960. He then went on to work in the experimental engineering department at General Motors for 31 years. On December 7, 1991, he married Fay Maggard in Woodland. Chet had a passion for preparing magnificent food and baked goods. It was this passion that led him and Fay to open Fay’s Evelyn Bay in Charlotte. Together they enjoyed watching their business grow while serving the people of their hometown. Chet had a deep love for the land and was always a true farmer at heart. He enjoyed playing cards and working in his garden. Chet’s first love was always his family, and his grandchildren held a special place in his heart.
Chet is survived by his wife, Fay; children: Craig (Maureen “Moe”) Binkowski of Coldwater, Eric (Norma) Binkowski of Woodland, Steven (Michelle) Binkowski of White Lake, Erica (Omar) Limas of Olivet, Jessica Dunn of West Palm Beach, Florida; grandchildren: Clay (Alyssa) Binkowski, AJ (Nicole) Binkowski, Gretchen (Jody) Worona, Andrew (Jess Koah) Hinz, Allie (Bill) Hrit, Ikaika Binkowski, Anela Binkowski, Steven Binkowski, Michael Binkowski, Christina Binkowski, Isaac (Kathy) Nisse, Marquise (Isabel) Zendejas, Myia Limas, Grace Limas, Hayley McLeod, Chandler Morris; great grandchildren: Sophia, Lincoln, Dwayne, Shelby, Warren, Ashley, Natalie, Madison, Aiden, Ava, Ivy, Cairo, Elio; sisters-in-law: Joan Binkowski, Helen Binkowski; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and siblings: Elizabeth, Paul, Carl, Tom, Irene, Russell, Tony, and Shirley.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 11, 2023, at 2 p.m. at the Burkhead-Green-Kilgo Funeral Home with Pastors John Bailey and Steve Byrens officiating. The family will receive friends on Saturday from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the funeral home just prior to the service.
Those desiring may make contributions in Chet’s memory to Eaton Community Palliative Care 2675 S. Cochran Rd., Charlotte, MI 48813.
To view Chester’s obituary online or to leave a condolence for the family please visit www.burkhead-green-kilgo.com.
Kathy Isham
Kathy L. Isham, age 69, of Potterville, passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Sunday, February 5, 2023. She was born September 23, 1953, in Lansing the daughter of William and Valez (Howard) Foley. She graduated from Lansing Eastern High School. Kathy was a tremendous cook and candy maker. Her family was always eagerly awaiting her next culinary creation. She also worked countless hours in her garden. Her bountiful harvests were always properly preserved and canned for all to enjoy thorough the remainder of the year. Kathy was known for her unique sense of humor and it brought everyone together for many cherished memories.
Kathy is survived by her partner and best friend, Dan Clark; children: Raymond (Nicole) Ridge of Howell, Jason Ridge of Potterville, Danielle Clark of Potterville; grandchildren: Sean Ridge, Hollie Ridge, Tristan Ridge, Kayla Salek; and many friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
In keeping with Kathy’s wishes, cremation has taken place and no services will be held.
Those desiring may make contributions in Kathy’s memory to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital www.stjude.org.
To view Kathy’s obituary online or to leave a condolence for the family please visit www.burkhead-green-kilgo.com.
The family is being served by the Burkhead-Green-Kilgo Funeral Home.
Max W. Sampsel
Max W. Sampsel, a devoted family man, died on Monday February 6, 2023. Max 74, of Charlotte, was born on December 25, 1948, at the family home in Charlotte, the son of Lloyd and Viola (Hall) Sampsel. In 1966 Max married Nancy Woodbury and together they started their life. He worked as a machinist for Masterbuilt Products in Olivet where he retired in 2011. He loved anything with an engine; working on cars, riding motorcycles, and 4x4ing on the sand dunes and trails in Grayling. His other hobbies were deer hunting, camping, and helping anyone in need. His biggest enjoyment in life was his family especially his grandchildren.
Max is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Nancy; children, Anna (Luke) Hanson, Barbara (Mark) Wenger, Chad (Cheryl Norris) Sampsel; grandchildren, Ashley (Brian) Storh, Harry Osenbaugh Jr., Destiny (Slaid) Mead, Luke Hanson Jr., Bethany Williams, Sarah (Devaine Cowles) Wenger, Brandie (Andrew) Belen, Joshua (Amber Burhans) Wenger, Nathaniel Wenger, Brandon Sampsel, Raymond Sampsel, Brook, Britany, Dominik Sampsel, Jonah Proctor, Eddie Proctor, Maura Sampsel, Brianna Sampsel; great-grandchildren, Dakota, Lacey, Hanna, Wayne, Landan, Peyton, Kenny, Eddy, Trevor, Karlee, Malorie, Tyler, Denver, Paisley, Archer, Harper, Bentley, Shanell, Brandon Jr., and Arimina; siblings, Dennis (Sue) Lea, Pat Hynes, and Sue Thompson; cousins, Kathy Yeomans, and David Enquist. He was predeceased by his parents; infant grandson, Elijah Sampsel; and infant great-grandson, Brennin.
Friends are encouraged to support Max’s family by sharing memories on his Tribute Page at www.prayfuneral.com. The family is planning a Celebration of Life for the Spring of 2023. If desired, the family suggests memorial contributions to Pray Funeral Home to assist the family with funeral expenses. The family is in the care of Pray Funeral Home, Charlotte.