Keweenaw Report Your Source for Local News and Sports
As received from the Erickson Crowley Peterson Funeral Home:
Lenore I. Seymour, 91, a resident of the Calumet Housing Commission in Calumet, passed away on Saturday December 2, 2023.
She was born on June 10, 1932 in Calumet Twp, a daughter of William and Martha Palosaari Backstrom. She graduated from the Calumet High School with the June Class of 1950. She really completed her classes in January 1950 because of the half-year schooling. She took typing and shorthand and taking the commercial courses. She attended Suomi College and was honored to sing in the A Cappella choir after passing a voice test.
She married S/Sgt William “Bill” Seymour of Watertown, NY who was stationed at the Calumet Air Force Station located in Keweenaw County where he was a radar operator. They were married on December 29, 1956 at her family home on Union St in Raymbaultown, the same night her mother passed away at the Calumet Public Hospital with pancreatic cancer.
They lived in Laurium while he was stationed at the base from 1956 to 1959. In April 1959 daughter Cheryl was born at the Calumet Public Hospital in Laurium, MI. In 1959 Bill re-upped into the Air Force in Tripoli Libya North Africa when he left for Africa in December 1959. She stayed in the states for him to find housing and she left for Africa moving in March 1960. They lived off base while Bill was stationed at the base. In January 1961, daughter Terri was born at the Wheelus Air Force Base Hospital and they lived there ‘til December 1961. Bill was honorably discharged from the Air Force and they left Africa for the states and landed at the Air Force Base in Charleston, South Carolina before leaving for Watertown, N.Y.
She was preceded in death by her parents, infant brother Martin, brother Carl “Scuppy” Backstrom and her husband Bill Seymour.
She is survived by:
daughter Cheryl Seymour of Elbridge, NY
Terri (James) Ganter of Clayton, NY
Sons: Shawn (Laura Cordts) Seymour of Potsdam, NY
Scott (Angela) Seymour of Liverpool, NY
Grandchildren: Jeremy (Jenny) Ganter, Matthew (Katie) Ganter, Nicholas Seymour, Ryan Seymour, Madilynn Seymour, and Braden Seymour.
Great grandchildren: Marley Ganter, twins Avery and Emerson Ganter, and Freddie Ganter
Brother: John (Carole) Backstrom of Tucson, AZ
Aunt Bertha Backstrom of the Florida Location and a dear friend Joanne (Nordstrom) Wetzel of Daytona Beach, FL, along with numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and many friends.
She worked at various jobs, and she loved working as a waitress for her uncles Carl (Mary) and Arthur Palosaari who started the Parkside Restaurant and Bakery on Fifth Street. She worked as a secretary for the King Ins who had offices on the corner of Sixth and Oak Street. While in Watertown, NY she worked as a ward clerk at the Samaritan-Keep Nursing Home. She really enjoyed helping Mrs. Toth at the “Free” store at the end of Fifth Street.
She was a charter member of the Laurium Apostolic Lutheran Church in Laurium. Cremation has taken place and she will be buried in the family plot at the Lake View Cemetery next to her brother Carl “Scuppy” Backstrom.
A memorial service will be held in the early summer.
Online condolences for the family may be left at www.ericksoncrowleypeterson.com
The Erickson Crowley Peterson Funeral Home in Calumet is assisting the family with the arrangements.
