Arthur J. Woelke

Arthur J. Woelke age 85, of Pigeon died peacefully, Tuesday morning, May 29, at Country Gardens, Pigeon.
He was born at the family home in Pigeon, December 4, 1927 to the late Otto and Christine (Baum) Woelke.

Arthur attended Cross Lutheran School and graduated from Pigeon High School in 1945. He attended Capital University in Columbus, Ohio; leaving the University to take employment with the U. S. Postal Service in Pigeon.
In 1953, he was recruited by Dr. C. A. Scheurer to become Administrator of Scheurer Hospital and Office Manager of the Pigeon Clinic. After almost thirty years with Scheurer Hospital, he was named Administrator of the Huron County Medical Care Facility, where he remained for thirteen years. In 1998 and again in 2000, he served as Interim Administrator of the Tuscola County Medical Care Facility in Caro. His 58 year career in Health care administration ended upon resigning as a Corporate Compliance Officer at the Lapeer County Medical Care Facility.

Art was a life-long member of Cross Lutheran Church, where he taught Sunday school, was in the choir and served several terms on the church council. He chaired the building committee for the new church in 1980 and the new school in 2000.
Throughout his lifetime he was active in his community. He was a member and past president of the Pigeon Rotary Club. He was a Boy Scout and 4-H leader, organized the community choir that presented The Messiah several years and directed high school and summer stock theatre during the 50’s. He was a charter member of the Pigeon Historical Society and served as secretary since 1998. In 2000 he was honored by the Historical Society of Michigan with an Award of Merit for his extensive collection of local historical documents, photographs, newspaper articles and artifacts now on display at the Pigeon Historical Museum.
In 1956 and 1959, he purchased acreage one mile south of Pigeon; built his home and began development of the neighborhood known as Camelot Woods. In 1974, he purchased the Moore bridge from its site on Caseville Road and the following year had it moved to its present location to open building lots on the west side of the Pigeon River.
He traveled extensively visiting forty-five countries on five continents. He has corresponded from time to time with over seventy-five persons in twenty-five countries, and continued the relationship with many of these friends until his death.

Surviving are three sisters; Beatrice (Betty) Orr of Livonia, Gertrude (Trudy) Schaefer of Valparaiso, IN, Marion (Jerry) Bramschreiber of Peyton, CO; sister-in-law, Connie Woelke of Millington; brother-in-law, Paul Leithart of Columbus, OH; long-time traveling companion,
Douglas VandenBerg of Grand Rapids; fifty nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews and a host of friends.
Preceding him in death was his twin brother, Theodore (Ted) and his sister, Mildred Leithart.

Funeral services will be conducted 2:00 PM Sunday, June 3, at Cross Lutheran Church, Pigeon. Rev. Timothy Leohrke, pastor will officiate with burial in the church cemetery.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 PM, Saturday at Champagne Funeral Chapel, Elkton and at the church Sunday after 12 noon.
Memorials, as symbols of sympathy, may be made to Cross Lutheran Building Fund.