Curt William Sleeman

Curt grew up in Harvey, the son of Robert Sleeman and Janet Gentz. Despite losing his brother Jay and sister Lisa early in his life, his childhood was filled with laughter and fun with his sisters, cousins, and friends. He would go on to regale his own children with countless stories of time spent playing backyard baseball and football games with his buddies. Later in the evening at family gatherings – usually around a campfire or card table – the stories would shift to cover more daring adolescent shenanigans, innocent enough but hilarious all the same.

He graduated from Marquette Senior High School in 1972 and went to work with St. Onge & Sons building houses throughout the area. Don and Steve St. Onge in particular would become very close friends and golf buddies for life. He married Linda Luokkala of Negaunee on August 24, 1974, and they settled in the Briarwood neighborhood of Harvey. Summers were filled with softball and visits to his aunt and uncle’s camp in Sand River, and winters with snowmobiling and bowling with friends. He began work at SEMCO in the fall of 1978, where he quickly turned colleagues into friends and enjoyed his duties touring around town reading gas meters and supervising digs where the natural gas lines were nearby. The ultimate perk for someone with Curt’s positive disposition was the chance to engage in light and friendly conversation with everyone he saw, and his time at SEMCO provided endless opportunities to do just that until his retirement in 2014.

Curt’s biggest passion in life was spending time with his children, Brian, Chris, and Sarah. He and Linda provided them with a childhood filled with laughter and love, with countless happy memories from regular weekend camping trips across the UP (particularly Michigamme Shores and Van Riper) to baseball, skiing, snowboarding, soccer, and above all, golf. He was a regular fixture at Chocolay Downs (now NMU Golf Course), Gentz’s

Homestead Golf Course, and Marquette Golf Club, where he was a regular participant in leagues and tournaments with friends new and old. There were no strangers to Curt – only new friends to be made. His partners in the many league nights and scramble tournaments across the UP would often give him grief for how much time he spent chatting it up, rooting on, and making friends with their opponents – that’s just the kind of guy he was, and the way he lived his life.

Beyond the strong memories of fun with his immediate family, he was also an endlessly loving son to his parents, brother to his sisters Debbie (Denise) and Pam (Gilmore), and uncle to his many nieces and nephews. His children fondly recall regular weekend gatherings at the house on Fairbanks in Harvey, with his kids, nieces, and nephews playing games and running around outside while the adults gathered around a packed table for a game of smear. The kids never quite knew what was going on, but the volume of the conversation and laughter is something they’ll never forget. His love went to another level when he was also able to spend time with his grandchildren, Jayden, Callie, and Ashe.

In a world where it’s sometimes hard to escape negativity, Curt was a consistent beacon of light, positivity, and kindness. His days served as a constant reminder of the power of positivity, turning half-hour errands into two-hour journeys through his conversations with everyone. He was the guy cracking a joke with the cashier in the grocery store and idling on the road catching up with a friend as they tried to mow their lawn. It seemed he knew everyone everywhere he went, and they always left the conversation smiling despite whatever delay was now added to their day. His family takes comfort in the fact that he maintained his sunny demeanor and friendly, engaging way with people to the end.

Curt is survived by his children, Brian (Anna) Sleeman of West Bloomfield, MI, Chris Sleeman of Traverse City, MI and Sarah (Zevin) Sobczak of Marquette; grandchildren, Jayden Sleeman, Callie Sleeman and Ashe Sobczak; siblings, Debbie (David) Denise and Pam (Marc) Gilmore, all of Marquette; former wife, Linda Sleeman of Channing, MI; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Besides his parents, Curt was preceded in death by his siblings, Jay and Lisa Sleeman, and his in-laws, Bernard and Marguerite Luokkala.

Family will greet relatives and friends on Friday, November 17th from 12 p.m. until 2 p.m. at Canale-Tonella Funeral Home and Cremation Services. A celebration of Curt’s life will be held at 2 p.m. in the funeral home with a light reception to follow. Burial will take place in Holy Cross Cemetery in the spring of 2024.

His family would like to thank those who provided so much comfort, care, and joy in the last chapter of his life, especially UP Health System Home and Hospice and the entire team at Transition Assisted Living in Gladstone, particularly Ashley, who went above and beyond to be by his side and serve as a conduit to his family in his final hours.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Curt’s name to Transition Assisted Living, 128 Michigan Avenue, Gladstone, MI 49837.

Canale-Tonella Funeral Home and Cremation Services is assisting Curt’s family where memories and condolences may be shared at canalefuneral.com