James MacLaren

A memorial service for former Eastern Upper Peninsula resident,
James D. “Jim” MacLaren, 77, who passed away April 25, 2013,
will be conducted at 11:00 a.m Saturday, May 4th at
Transfiguration Episcopal Church, 8119 Highway M68, Indian River,
with The Reverend James E. Harrison officiating. Cremation has taken place.

Jim was born February 22, 1936 at War Memorial Hospital in Sault Ste. Marie
to Edward and Mary Ann “Mayme” (Casey) MacLaren, Active in sports, drama,
and music, Jim graduated from Sault High School in the Class of 1954. He served
in the United States Navy from 1954 through 1958 as a Fire Control Technician,
was a member of the U.S. Navy Bluejacket Choir at Great Lakes, Illinois, and
played on several basketball and baseball teams while in the service.

Following his service time, Jim attended Northem Michigan University and
Michigan Tech-Soo Branch (now Lake Superior State University), He served as the
Housing Director at LSSU before becoming the Sports Director at WSOO Radio in
the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was also a professional musician for many years.

He served as the Assistant Parks and Recreation Director for the City of
Sault Ste. Marie from 1972 to 1979. He was instrumental in re-organizing the
Sault Senior Hockey Association in the 1970s and was very active in the
Sault Little League Baseball, Sault Peewee Hockey Association and the
Sault Amateur Hockey Association. He also served on the Board of Directors
of the Sault Junior AB@ Indians in the N.O.H.A.

Jim became the Sports Editor of the Sault Evening News in 1981, where he received
many accolades for his dedication and outstanding service. He moved to Arizona
where he served as an auditor for U-Haul of Arizona before becoming the
Managing Editor of the Parker Pioneer in Parker, Arizona, and later the
San Carlos Editor of the Arizona Silver Belt in Globe, Arizona.

He returned to the Sault Ste. Marie area and served as the Parks and Recreation
Director of Kinross Charter Township for a number of years before becoming the
Editor, Publisher and Owner, of The Community Voice, with his wife, Barbara, in
1992. They closed The Community Voice in 2007 and in 2008 retired to
Indian River.

Jim was a Life Member of the AMVETS and a member of American Legion Post 122,
Wolverine. He was a long-time choir member of First United Presbyterian Church
in Sault Ste. Marie.

He is survived by:
his wife, Barbara, whom he married in 1991;
three stepsons, Duane (Donna) Maki of Bala, Ontario;
Bruce (Lori) Maki of Traverse City;
David (Dannielle) Maki of Buchanan;
two nephews, Stephen (Jennifer) MacLaren of Rapid River, and
Casey (Shauna) MacLaren of Sault Ste. Marie;
one niece, Sharon MacLaren of Port Charlotte, Florida;
five step-grandchildren;
two step-great-grandchildren;
two grandnephews; and
one grandniece as well as by several great-grandnieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by:
his parents, Edward D. and Mary Ann MacLaren; by
his step-mother, Eva F. MacLaren; and by
three brothers, Thomas Duncan MacLaren, Edward Benjamin MacLaren and
Robert MacLaren.

Interment with military honors will be held in his beloved U.P. at 11:00 a.m.,
Saturday, May 18, at Holy Family Catholic Cemetery, M129 and 15 Mile Road,
followed with a celebration of Jim’s life at the Kinross Recreation Center,
43 Woodlake, Kincheloc, Michigan. The Rev. David Henderson, retired,
will officiate.

Memorials may be directed to Bay Cliff Health Camp, PO Box 310,
Big Bay, Michigan 49808, in his memory.

Beck Funeral Home of Rogers City assisted the family with arrangements.