Art Viens

Art was born May 2, 1936, son of the late Joseph and Albina (Goulette) Viens, and lived his entire life on Hamilton Avenue in Kingsford’s Ford Addition.

He graduated from Kingsford in 1954 and attended Michigan Tech University, receiving degrees in chemical engineering and engineering administration in 1959. He immediately went to work at Central Commercial, which became GAF, and spent 37 years as a foreman and Granule Plant Superintendent. The roofing granule plant in Pembine, Wis., was his heart and soul.

Art is survived by his beloved wife, Shirley; his sister, Kathleen (Bill) Counter; two brothers-in-law, Charles (Nancy) Gyselinck and Herb Jauquet; five nephews, Jim Counter, Mike Counter, Brian Gyselinck, Scott Jauquet and Craig Jauquet; three nieces, Laurie Counter, Lisa Counter, and Wendy Pearman; numerous cousins; and many friends, Mike and Nicole Lutz, Sue LeDuc, Mike and Mary Jo Momont, the girls of GAF: Lisa, Peggy Sue, Julie, Patrice, Trisha and Lynn, and the Edens family.

Along with his parents, Art is preceded in death by a sister-in-law, Patricia Jauquet; a nephew, Bill Counter; and his good friends, Rex Terwilliger and Roger LeDuc.

His retirement years included daily Mass, BK coffee, KHS athletics, and helping his wife clean the grounds at KHS.

During all his years, he was involved with Kingsford athletics. In high school he was the captain of the football team and No. 1 doubles on the tennis team that won the 1953 U.P. Tennis title. He was a two-year member of the National Honor Society and top 10% of his class.

After college he volunteered his time working KHS athletic events. He spent 21 years taking football stats, 44 years scoring basketball games, 35 years timing football games, and over 50 years working track meets. He set up the field events for the U.P track meet for over 25 years. As part of the four-man committee responsible for the general layout of the new Flivver Field, he helped design the pressbox in 1990.

He won a number of awards during his years: the KHS Booster Club Booster of the Year 1987, the KHS Booster Club Fan of the Year 2011, Jim Trethewey Distinguished Service Award in 2012 from the U.P Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association, second Honorary Captain — Kingsford Football in 2016, and Outstanding Booster — PTO Council in 1981, and was inducted into the Breitung Township Schools Achievement Hall of Fame in 2024.

A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 25, at St. Mary & St. Joseph Catholic Church in Iron Mountain. Father Janusz Romanek will offer the Mass of Christian Burial. Burial will be in Iron Mountain Cemetery Park.

Condolences may be expressed to the family of Art Viens online at www.ernashfuneralhome.com

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