Steps for Planning Ahead
We understand how difficult it is to plan funeral services, so our staff is available to help you in any way that we can. Please call us and we will walk you through every step of planning, and we will offer choices to make the services just right for your family. To help you understand the process, here are some of the steps you can choose to do ahead of time:
Funeral Planning
☐ Fill out basic pre-arrangement information sheet. 15-20 minutes, no charge. This provides the basic information we need to write obituaries and fill out the death certificates. It gives us some information about the type of services you want. Click here to download the Pre-Arrangement form
☐ Fill out funeral service information sheet. 10-15 minutes, no charge. This provides information about the funeral / memorial service you would like: who should lead it, type of music, readings, etc. Click here to download the Funeral Service Information Sheet
☐ Itemize funeral goods and services. 30-60 minutes with funeral home staff, usually at the funeral home, no charge. You choose the goods and services you want, and we will create an itemized funeral bill so you can know the anticipated costs. This is an estimate only, but lets you make many of the decisions in advance, and guides us and your family as to your wishes.
☐ Pre-pay your funeral invoice. 15-30 minutes with funeral home staff. After itemizing the services you want (see previous choice), you may pay for the funeral in one lump sum, or in payments, and lock in the prices for your funeral bill. This saves your family from worrying about paying for your funeral.
Memorial Planning
☐ Choose your cemetery marker. 30-60 minutes, cost vary greatly. You may choose the type of stone or gravemarker you want, and lay out the exact design for your stone. You may wish to save the information until after the death, or have the stone cut and delivered.
☐ Plan a memory slideshow. 30-60 minutes, $95. Choose 30-70 photos to be put into a slideshow that can be played at the visitation and/or funeral. You may put sticky notes on back to indicate an order to the photos if you wish, or to label slides. You may choose to narrate the photos in your voice.
☐ Write a letter to your loved ones. No cost, time will vary greatly. You may write a letter to your spouse or children to be read and re-read after your death. It could be read publicly, or just given to those you choose after your death. We will be happy to file it with your pre-arrangement. Please put in sealed envelope with the name of the recipient on the outside.
of Chelsea, Michigan, formerly of Albion, Michigan, passed away on Friday, December 26, 2025, at Silver Maples of Chelsea, at the age of 92. She was known throughout her life for her kindness and compassion, her dedication to family and community, her love of life and love of music, her wit, her endless optimism, and perhaps most of all, her smile.
of Dexter, Michigan, age 78, went to be with the Lord on Friday, February 20, 2026, at the University of Michigan Hospital. She was born December 11, 1947, in Detroit, Michigan. Rosemary graduated from Waterford Kettering High School in 1967. She then earned her Associate's Degree in Culinary Arts from Washtenaw Community College and her Bachelor's Degree from Eastern Michigan University in Early Childhood Education. Rosemary was a Deacon at Knox Presbyterian Church in Ann Arbor, and a member of the Dexter Senior Center where she enjoyed playing Mahjong. She also enjoyed hiking, reading, painting, drawing and herb gardening.
Roy Neil Petsch of Ann Arbor, Michigan, age 92, went to be with the Lord, peacefully, Monday, March 16, 2026, at Chelsea Retirement Community in Kresge. He was born October 2, 1933, in Pinckney, Michigan, the son of Adolph Ronald and Ruth Dottie (Leffler) Petsch.
of Ann Arbor, Michigan, formerly of Chelsea, and Knoxville, Tennessee, age 46, passed away Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at U of M Hospital due to cancer. He was born August 27, 1979, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the son of Rick & Mary Ann (Staebler) Rickerman. Mike graduated from Chelsea High School, class of 1998. He was a bullfighter and pick up man for the Professional Bull Riders Association and Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. He loved horses and did horseshoeing. Mike owned his own trucking business, “MJR Trucking” in Ann Arbor.
Michael Vincent Spade, age 54, of New Hudson, Michigan, formerly of Chelsea, went home to heaven peacefully on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at Henry Ford Hospital in Novi. 
Judy Anne Johnson of Stockbridge, Michigan, formerly of Canton, and Jackson, age 82, passed away peacefully Monday, March 2, 2026, surrounded by her family. She was born November 6, 1943, in Dexter, Michigan, the daughter of Charles A. and Florence M. (Broesamle) Briston.