Edwin J. “Ed” Weinfurter

Ed was born Oct. 14, 1931, in Kingsford, son of the late Edward and Viola (Beaulier) Weinfurter. He graduated from Kingsford High School in 1949 and was a lifelong resident of the area. Ed married Donna Hellman on Jan. 23, 1954, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Aurora.

He started working at Grede Foundry where he spent 11 years before going to the Niagara Paper Mill. After five years at the mill, Ed took a position as a truck driver with Champion Inc. where he was employed for 26 years, retiring in 1992. While at Champion, Ed received the Million Miles of Safe Driving Award.

He and his wife owned and operated Aurora Liquors from 1968 to 1975. Ed was a member of the John Deere Tractor Club and loved collecting and working on tractors in his shop. He always looked forward to time spent with his family.

He and Donna enjoyed traveling in their R.V. and spending winters in Florida. Ed was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed hunting, fishing, and the time he spent at camp with his boys.

Along with his wife of 67 years, Donna; he is survived by a son, Terry (Lori) Weinfurter of Aurora; a daughter, Jody (Dave) Bigalke of Niagara, Wis.; daughter-in-law, Michelle (Dean) Carlson of Iron Mountain; two brothers, Howard DeWayne (Pam) Weinfurter of Iron Mountain and Ronald (Joyce) Weinfurter of Breitung Township; a sister, Joyce (Peter) Quick of Milwaukee; three sisters-in-law, Elizabeth, Nora and Shirley Weinfurter; a brother-in-law, Bernard Mainville; seven grandchildren, Dan (Shara), Katie (Jade), Andrea (Tito), Sarah (Jayme), Adam (Victoria), Amanda (Kaupo) and Ashley (Dan); 14 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, Ed was preceded in death by a son, Randy Weinfurter; three brothers, Vernon, John “Ted” and Robert Weinfurter; a sister, Dorothy Mainville; a nephew, Steven Weinfurter; and his father and mother-in-law, Robert and Hazel Hellman.

Graveside services will be held in the spring at Homestead-Aurora Cemetery and will be announced.

Condolences to the family of Edwin “Ed” J. Weinfurter may be expressed online at www.ernashfuneralhomes.com.

The family has entrusted the Erickson-Rochon & Nash Funeral Home of Iron Mountain with the arrangements.