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An Unexpected Moment

Barbara Fitzgerald Lally, class of 1952, passed away July 31, 2017. Click on this link for her obituary.

Junior (J.D.) Piar, brother of Doug Piar and husband of Frances Moore Piar, died July 19, 2017. His obituary follows....

Junior JD Piar, 86, of Highway M-35, Negaunee Township, went home to be with the Lord Wednesday morning, July 19, 2017, with Kelly, Heidi and Betty by his side and under the care of hospice in Negaunee Township.

JD was born Dec. 22, 1930, in West Branch to Luella (Preston) and George Piar Jr. He enlisted in the Army in December 1951, serving during the Korean War as an MP in Frankfort, Germany, until January 1953. JD met Frances Mae Moore in West Branch and they married July 25, 1953. After marrying, JD owned and drove dump trucks for 14 years, including hauling dirt for building the roads leading to the Mackinac Bridge. After moving to Marquette County in 1963, JD and Frances started acquiring paving equipment and established Custom Asphalt Paving in 1965, which they owned and operated as a team for 25 years until retiring in 1990.

Mr. Piar was strong in faith and was a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church, Marquette. He was a member of the Peninsula Pathfinders Snowmobile Club and made snowmobile trips across the country from the U.P. to Yellowstone in 1972 and from the U.P. to Maine in 1973. JD was a charter member of the Hiawathaland Snowmobile Club and was a longtime member, serving many years as president and trail boss. JD was a lifetime member of the Gold Wing Road Riders Association and a member of the Wally Byam Caravan Club International Airstream Club, Leader Tractor Club, U.P. Steam & Gas Engine Association and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3165, Negaunee. JD, Frances and Kelly took an extended trip from the U.P. to Alaska on their Gold Wing motorcycles in 1990, including 200 miles of gravel road, camping along the way. JD and Frances later traveled to the Panama Canal with the Airstream Club. He loved to travel, snowmobile, motorcycle, and camp across country with both his late wife and son, Kelly. JD never liked to travel the same road twice and loved to create his own adventures.

Surviving are his son, Kelly Alan Piar and his wife Heidi of Chicago; two grandchildren, Madison Alena and JD Evan Piar and their mother, Amy Piar; three step-grandchildren, Lexi, Sabrina and Gabbi Seaman; his brother, Douglas (Linda) Piar; several nieces and nephews; and companion, Betty Kinnunen.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Elaine Piar; a brother, Eugene Piar; his wife, Frances, on April 24, 2015; and their daughter, DeanAnn Piar, on Dec. 7, 1971.

Don Lehman, Class of 1964, passed away August 1, 2017. Click on this link for his obituary.

Bob Turow, Class of 1958, passed away July 17, 2017. Please click on this link for his obituary.

Carol Jean VanSickle Bragg, class of 1956, passed away on July 10, 2017 in Westland, Michigan. Click on this link for her obituary.

Marie Louise Parmentier Boren, Class of 1955, passed away June 13, 2017. No obituary is available at this time.

Leo Drabek, Class of 1951, passed away June 5, 2017. Click on this link for his obituary.