Congratulations to Phil and Dolly Schneeberger on the birth of their first grandchild, Kinsey Madeline Larson, on January 23rd. She is the daughter of Scott and Sheree Larson of St. Paul.

Joe Cunningham

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Kevin Cunningham, on the death of his son, Joe Cunningham, a Madeline Island construction worker and volunteer firefighter. His funeral was held on January 6, 2003.
Obituaries

William Peet

Bill Peet, age 91, died at his daughter Elizabeth's home in California on November 4, 2002. Born in Minneapolis on September 221, 1911, Bill embraced life--especially the people in it--with real joy and affection. Bill and his wife Barbara, an artist and musician, started spending summers on the Island in 1949, staying at the Chateau Madeline and then buying their home next to the Old Mission Inn in 1952.
Sailing was one of the loves of his life. In 1956, Bill co-found the Apostle Islands' Yacht Club in Bayfield with Oscar Swee and John Pierpont. He was an excellent sailor and race his "Bird" and "Cadence" with gusto. He and Barbara often explored distant shores, sailing the 450-mile Trans-Superior Race twice, cruising to Isle Royale, Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie on their boat with assorted friends and kids included.
He was a graduate of Blake School and Amherst College and attended Harvard and U of MN Law Schools. Bill served in the U.s. Army during World War II achieving the rank of captain by the end of the war. He was a frequent walker in full dress uniform in the Island's 4th of July parade in recent years.
A pioneer in risk management consulting, Bill was a founder and first president of the Society of Risk Management Consultants. A man of political conscience, he was known for his independent thinking and his commitment to world peace and opposition to nuclear arms.
Preceded in death by his wife Barbara in 1987 and son Alex in 1997, he is survived by his son Bill (Libby), and daughters Elizabeth (Klaus) and Sarah (Michael), and 9 grandchildren. In recent years, he continued to enjoy life with his special friend Janet Nash.
An island memorial service is being planned for August 2 at 3 PM at the family home.

William Perkins O'Brien

Bill O'Brien, 80, died peacefully in his Tucson, Arizona home on December 20, 2002. He was born in St. Paul on September 26, 1922 to Gerald and Helen O'Brien. Bill graduated from St. Paul Central High School in 1940.
At the outbreak of World War II, he joined the Air Force, serving four years as a liaison pilot with the 159th Squadron in the Pacific Theatre. In 1947, he married Evelyn (Peachie) Currie of St. Paul.
Bill attended the University of Minnesota and graduated from the St. Paul College of Law.
In 1950, his 35-year legal career began when he joined the Cummins law firm in St. Paula. In 1961, Bill moved to Duluth, joining the law firm now known as Hanft and Fride, P.A.. Many of his proudest professional accomplishments occurred during this period. Bill was well regarded for his expertise in insurance negligence and litigation.
A devoted, life-long summer resident, Bill lived first in his parents' summer cottage followed by three other homes, one in town and two near Grant's Point. During his years in Duluth, Bill was able to enjoy the Island throughout the seasons, amking regular weekend visits to hunt deer and game in the fall, cross-country ski in the winter, and fish, boat, golf, play tennis and bulldoze his landscapes in the spring and summer months. Many of his closest friendships were with people he came to know on Madeline.
For more than 15 years, Bill was a board member of the ferry line and also maintained interests in the museum, the golf club and the tennis club.
In addition to Peachie, Bill is survived by three children, Nancie, Libby and Nick; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his sister, Sally Driscoll, but is survived by his other sisters, Susan Souchery and Geraldine Finneren and a brother, Dr. Gerald O'Brien.
A memorial service will be held on June 19, 2003 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, at 10 AM. It will be followed by a reception at Woods Manor. Those who knew and loved Bill are invited to share thoughts, memories and anecdotes that may brighten the occasion, either in person or by sending along something to show or tell. Please contact Peachie, Nancie, Libby or Nick.

Joe Cunningham

Joe Cunningham, 21, passed away on January 1, 2003 in the town of La Pointe. He was born November 26, 1981 in Ashland, the son of Kevin J. Cunningham and Joni Byrnes Campbell.
In 2000, he graduated from Drummond High School. He worked several jobs on Madeline island and also worked for Ashland Precision Products Corporation. He was a member of the volunteer Fire Department of La Pointe. Joseph enjoyed hunting, fishing, woodworking, four-wheeling, snowmobiling, going to basketball games, and spending time with his friends and family.
He is survived by his mother, Joni, his father, Kevin, two brothers, Jeffrey and Michael , grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins and special friends. A funeral was held January 6 at the Presbyterian-congregational Church in Ashland with Revs. Julie Burmeister and Marina Lachecki officiating. He was laid to rest in Greenwood Cemetery.

"Let us remember Joe,
a created child of God,
who had a heart of gold, a hand of support,
a body that protected and shielded,
a soul of kindness, a gentle man.
And let us turn our mourning into dancing." (Pastor Marina's funeral notes)

"Weeping may linger for the night,
But joy comes with the morning.
You have turned my mourning into dancing;
You have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy;
so that my soul may praise you and not be silent."

Psalm 30