Lillian M. Hainault

Born December 22, 1924, in Calumet, a daughter of Joseph and Roseanna (Stukel) Sever, Lillian was raised in Calumet and Phoenix, Michigan. She attended Calumet Central High School and later worked in Gary, Indiana. On returning from Gary, Indiana, Lillian met her future husband, Theodore Hainault, while working at the Parkside Restaurant in Calumet. Ted was recently honorably discharged from the service and on June 7, 1947, the couple was married at Sacred Heart Church in Calumet. Her working career continued with employments at the Fabric Department at JC Penney in Houghton, Gartners in Hancock, and later at the Twin City Style Shop in Hancock. Lillian was a talented seamstress and expert embroiderer, entering many of her projects at the Houghton County Fair where she garnered many blue ribbons. She shared her sewing talents by being a 4-H leader. She enjoyed all sports and was a fan of the Tigers and Red Wings. She was a member of the Portage Lake Golf Club where she played in the ladies golf league and was a senior club champion in 1980. She and Ted were also in bowling league together. In retirement, she and husband, Ted, enjoyed traveling and spent winters in Phoenix, Arizona. She was a devoted grandma who enjoyed her grandkids and great-grandkids and kept up on all their activities. She enjoyed every day of her life and many times danced her way through them. Her love of dancing developed from her first moments, in the 1930’s, tap dancing on the stage of the Calumet Theater and progressing to ballroom dancing with Ted. Lillian was a member of the Church of the Resurrection. For the past eight years, Lillian resided at Snowberry Heights and was a member of St. Peter Cathedral where she made many friends. Since April she attended St. Paul Catholic Church in Negaunee. Since last Fall, Lillian had been attending Lake Superior Life Care and Hospice Day Services, loving every minute she was there. Since April, Lillian resided with her daughter, Georgia, at the Dead River Basin where she spent much of the day on the deck enjoying the natural surroundings, often referring to it as “paradise”.

Survivors include her three children, David (Denise) Hainault of Colorado Springs, CO, Georgia (Rich) Riipi of Negaunee, and Sharon (Gary) Lange of Haslett MI; a son-in-law, Richard Buzinski of Rochester Hills, MI; 9 grandchildren, Linnea (Darrell Nummela) Riipi of Marquette, Sonja (Cal) Dellies of Harvey, Ryan (Sherida) Riipi, of Marquette, Jessie (Marissa) Lange of Akron OH, Jaclyn (Chad) Sayen of Portland, MI, Jeremy Lange of East Lansing, MI, Nick Buzinski of Oak Park, MI, Gabe (Steffanie) Buzinski of Denver, CO, and Christopher (Crystal) Hainault of Colorado Springs, CO; 17 great-grandchildren (each and every one of her grandkids and great-grandkids were her “favorites”); her siblings , Darrell (Margaret) Sever of Mud Lake, Leonore Gherna of Laurium and Darlene Harris of Laurium, and Kenneth (Joanne) Sever of Calumet; numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 60 years, Theodore, in 2007; a daughter, Beverly in 2013, brothers, George, Clyde, and Ardell; and a sister, Charlotte Tyler.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at the Church of the Resurrection, in Hancock, on Wednesday, October 2, 2019. Friends may call at the church beginning at 10:00 am until the time of mass at 11:00 am. A reception will follow. Interment will be made in Lakeside Cemetery, Hancock.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Lake Superior Life Care and Hospice (ADS – Adult Day Services) 914 W. Baraga Avenue, Marquette, MI 49855.

Fassbender Swanson Hansen Funeral and Cremation Services is serving the family, where condolences may be expressed online at fassbenderswansonhansen.com