MYRA C. ELLICO's Obituary
MYRA C. ELLICO,88, passed away peacefully, with her family by her side, on Tuesday morning, December 29, 2009. She was born to the late Edna (Sibilsky) and John B. Harrington in Hancock, Michigan on August 15, 1921. She attended L'Anse High School and Michigan Tech. In her youth, she enjoyed visiting with her grandmother, Mary Sibilsky of Hancock during the summer months. She married Thomas Leemon on May 13, 1942 in St. Louis, MO. She and Tom briefly lived in California prior to returning to L'Anse where Tom owned and operated Leemon's Department Store, along with his brother Dick Leemon. They raised their five children together until Thomas Leemon preceded her in death in August, 1970. Myra then became involved in Leemon's Department Sore management until 1972.
In 1972 Myra married Patrick Ellico of L'Anse, Michigan and they became partners in the building and operation of the Shrine Gift Shop located next to the Bishop Baraga Shrine. Patrick Ellico preceded her in death in November of 1997. Myra resided in L'Anse and remained very involved in her community, especially Sacred Heart Church until November of 2005 at which time she moved to Colorado to be closer to her daughters following some health issues. She resided at The Heritage Club in Denver, where she enjoyed her bible study group, exercise, Active Minds lecture series, going to the movies, restaurants, and spending time with her family and new found friends. Myra was an avid reader who frequented the library often. She was able to return to L'Anse on numerous occasions, most recently this past summer, where she attended her brother Jerry's 80th birthday celebration and was able to visit with her family and many of her life long friends. Being able to live independently was very important to Myra and her family is grateful that she lived a very full and independent life up until the time of her death.
In addition to her husbands, Myra was preceded in death by a daughter, Monica Noble and a grandson, Thomas Herrala. She is survived by her sons Richard Leemon of Baraga, MI., Timothy (Patty) Leemon of Marinette, WI., and her daughters Debra (Brad) Tonkin of Arvada, Colorado and Sandra (Peter) Burg of Greenwood Village, Colorado as well as five granddaughters, four grandsons and four great granddaughters and numerous nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her siblings Earl Harrington of L'Anse, Lois (Felix) Mickus of Sun City West, AZ., Jerry Harrington of Skanee and Betty (Jack) Reid of Hendersonville, NC and L'Anse.
A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated at 11 a.m. on Thursday, January 7, 2010 from Sacred Heart Catholic Church, L”Anse with Father Janusz Romanek, celebrant. Following the Mass, friends were invited to join the family for fellowship and a luncheon in the Harrington Gathering Room, located at the funeral chapel. Spring interment will take place in the L'Anse Evergreen Cemetery. The family received friends from 6 until 8 p.m. on Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at the Reid Funeral Service and Chapel, L'Anse and at the church on Thursday from 10 a.m. until the time of the Mass. A parish rosary was conducted at the funeral chapel Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, memorials in Mrs. Ellico's honor may be directed to the charity of your choice.
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