Keweenaw Report Your Source for Local News and Sports
As received from the O’Neill-Dennis Funeral Home:
Mabel I. Wakeham, 95, a long-time resident of Houghton, went to be with the Lord on Monday, May 17, 2021 at Canal View – Houghton County where she resided since March of 2020.
Mabel was born in Duluth, Minnesota on March 9, 1926 to the late Fred and Mary (Bryson) Eakin. As a child she grew up on Quincy Hill, Liminga, and then moved to Houghton when she was 16 years old. She attended schools in Redridge and later graduated from Houghton High School. She worked at the Kaleva Restaurant in Hancock, and Thompson’s Sporting Goods and Nelson’s Chocolate Shop in Houghton until her marriage. In later years she worked at Cypress Manor and then at Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity until her retirement as a cook.
She married Jack Wakeham on August 16, 1943. He preceded her in death on February 14, 2016. The couple lived in Houghton most of their married life.
Mabel was a longtime member of Grace United Methodist Church of Houghton.
Besides her parents and husband, she was also preceded in death by a daughter, Vicky, brothers William, John, and David, and sisters Elsie Louma and Dorothy Ylitalo.
She is survived by her sons Daniel (Donna) Wakeham of Houghton and Gary (Theresa) Wakeham of Lake Linden; a daughter Debra Manderfield of Iron Mountain; grandchildren Tim Wakeham, Sherry (Pat) Hughes, Jeffrey Wakeham, Robin Ghazale, and Michael (Karen Bray) Manderfield; great-grandchildren Cheyenne (Joe) Reiter, Travis Hughes, Dustin Provost and Mya Ghazale; siblings George (June) Eakin, Harold (Fran) Eakin, Fred Eakin, Lilly Wiitala, Verna Smith, and Lorette Laplander; and by many nieces, nephews, and other relatives.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M on Monday, May 24, 2021 at Grace United Methodist Church with Rev. Eric Falker of officiate. Burial will be at Forest Hill Cemetery in Houghton. Friends may call at the church for an hour before the services on Monday.
Her family would like to thank Dr. Bruce Trusock and the staff at Woodland Haven of Canal View Houghton County for their kind and compassionate care she received.
The O’Neill-Dennis Funeral Home in Hancock is in charge of the arrangements. To leave online condolences, please go to www.oneilldennisfh.com.
