Ellen Marie Navarre

Navarre, Ellen Marie
of Kalamazoo, Michigan
Formerly of Dearborn, MI Passed away Sunday, May 13, 2012 at Bronson Hospital. Age 92 years. Ellen was born April 19, 1920 in Detroit, MI, the daughter of the late Thomas and Ida Uuranen Chandler. She was married to and divorced Thomas B. Klock; he preceded her in death in 1972. She married Walter Navarre on June 20, 1953; he preceded her in death in 1992. She was proud to be from Detroit and had a great passion for Ford Motor Company. Ellen enjoyed skiing and gardening. In the early 1940's she developed the in-store record and music display marketing strategy for a major Detroit retailer that was the basis for retail music sales for the next 60 years. She loved to paint at Greenfield Village in Dearborn and taught water color painting at Henry Ford Community College in Dearborn. Her work is in a number of Dearborn collections. Her most repeated sayings were "Keep going" and "I love you more". Surviving are her son, Gary Navarre of Norway, MI; step-son, Richard Ola Mae Navarre of Englewood, FL; one granddaughter, Andrea Steve Houseman of Mattawan; and two great-grandchildren, Brynn and Brody Houseman both of Mattawan. Ellen was preceded in death by two sisters, Esther Chandler and Verna Tarnowski. Friends may visit with the family from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 31, 2012 at the Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Westside Chapel, 3926 S. 9th St. Memorials may be made to National Alliance for Mental Illness, 3803 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22203, Rose Arbor Hospice Residence or a charity of choice.