Seere L. Nordine

BRUCE CROSSING, Mich. - Seere L. Nordine, 93, passed peacefully in her sleep on May 2, 2015.

Seere was born on Jan. 25, 1922, to Finnish immigrants Charles and Aliina Huhtala on the North Baltimore Road in Bruce Crossing, where she has was a lifelong resident.

She attended the one-room North Baltimore School through eighth grade and graduated from Ewen High School in 1939.

In 1940, she graduated from Suomi College with a two-year degree in business (which she completed in one year), while working full-time. She continued her education at the age of 50 when she received an Associate Degree from Gogebic Community College.

In the fall of 1941, she met Thomas Nordine at a dance at the Neuman Grove, south of Bruce Crossing. They were married on Nov. 3, 1942, and were married for over 72 years. The two of them have been in business for themselves since the early 1940s, first in the logging business and later in the grocery business.

Seere worked as a butcher, baker and pasty maker, as well as doing all the bookkeeping for all their businesses while raising six children. She was still doing the bookkeeping prior to her illness last August. Pretty amazing.

She spent her spare time golfing, gardening, reading, playing cards, and doing numerous crafts such as stained glass, macrame and needlepoint.

She got great satisfaction from "skunking" her children, grandchildren and friend, Mary Ann, at cribbage.

Her children and grandchildren would fight over her homemade jams and Christmas cookies. On Sundays, in the summertime, you'd more than likely find her at Marion Lake or Bond Lake with her lawn chair in the water while she read a book and soaked up the sun.

Her travels were far and wide. She visited 49 of the 50 states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. She snorkeled, went for glider rides, bartered with vendors in Mexico, did research on prairie dogs, downhill and cross country skied and was serenaded by a gondolier in Venice, Italy.

Her favorite trip was a week-long whitewater rafting trip through the Grand Canyon with two of her sisters and two of her sons. She laughed about how it took her over a week to get all of the sand washed off her body.

She holds the world's record for the shortest Caribbean cruise. She was on the ship for 26 minutes when she had to be rushed to the hospital after being injured by a malfunctioning senior scooter.

The door to her home was always open to everyone. There was always enough for supper or a spare bed for anyone who happened to drop in. Once during a snowstorm, 23 kids spent the night at the house.

She had a great sense of humor and a mischievous side. When her blue eyes twinkled, you knew she had something up her sleeve. She was known for her generosity and selflessness, as she always put others' needs in front of hers. She loved unconditionally and never passed judgment on others.

Throughout the years, she was a member of the Henry Holappa VFW Post 9345 women's auxiliary, the Eastern Star, Big Spruce Golf Course and a friend of Bill W's for almost 50 years.

Seere is survived by Thomas, her husband of 72 years; her sons, David, Jeffrey (Jean) and C. Todd, of Bruce Crossing, and D. Terry (Dawn), of Phelps, Wis .; and her daughter, Connie (Sam) Schlabach, of Guerneville, Calif.

Her grandchildren include Jade (Jason) Svoke, Jacey (Brandon) Terpstra, Jed Nordine, Zachary and Alina Schlabach, and TJ Nordine; plus great-grandchildren Samantha, Myles, Sydney, Mason and Christian. She is also survived by her sister, Elvi Niemi; sister-in-law, Bertha Huhtala; and daughter-in-law, Jane LeGaualt.

She was preceded in death by her son, Daniel (Digger) Nordine.

Visitation is on Wednesday, May 6, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Cane Funeral Home, Bruce Crossing Chapel, followed by a time to share Seere stories and music at Twilly's until 10 p.m.

The funeral service will be held on Thursday, May 7, at 11 a.m. at Cane Funeral Home, Bruce Crossing Chapel. Friends may also call at the funeral home on Thursday morning, one hour prior to the start of the service.

A luncheon to follow after the service at Twilly's. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Sonco Ambulance Service, Bruce Crossing.

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." - John 13:34.