Bill Ivey, an influential folklorist, cultural policy leader, and advocate for the arts who served as chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts under President Bill Clinton, passed away on Nov. 7, 2025. He was 81. Born Sept. 6, 1944, in Detroit, Michigan, Ivey dedicated his life to ...

John Edwin O’Connor of Powell, Tennessee, passed away on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, following a brief illness. He was born on May 15, 1943, the son of the late Edwin J. O’Connor and the late Helen (Scanlon) O’Connor. He attended Hancock Central High School in Hancock and then graduated ...

HANCOCK — John Paul Goraczniak, 62, of Hancock, passed away at his residence on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. He was born on Oct. 20, 1963, to the late Paul and Joyce Goraczniak in Laurium. He attended Calumet Schools and later was employed by as a baker for Thurner's Bakery in Calumet and then ...

FREDA — Mary L. Kaufman, 74, a resident of Freda, passed away at her home on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025. The Memorial Chapel Funeral & Cremation Service - Hancock Chapel is assisting the family with the arrangements which will be announced at a later time.

Robert Hill, age 79, a resident of Ontonagon, passed away on Friday Nov. 21, 2025, at the Baraga County Memorial Hospital. Full obituary will be published at a later date and funeral services will be held in the spring. The Erickson Crowley Peterson Funeral Home is assisting the family.

ISHPEMING — Thomas “Tom” Lee Erickson, age 49, of Ishpeming, passed away unexpectedly at his home on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025. Tom was born Aug. 11, 1976, in Eugene, Oregon, the son of Richard and Kathy (Howell) Erickson. He spent his childhood in the Eugene area and was known to many as ...