We've met some new people over the summer, some from the Brevort Lake Association meeting a couple of weeks ago. The Caroffino family, Bill and Marty and Dave and Jami, shared a picnic table with us, and were great dinner companions. Bill is an Evangelical Free minister and Marty is a retired registered nurse doing medical transcription from their home. Their son, Dave, has an extensive knowledge of the fisheries, game, and environment, having a doctorate in that field, and he will be working in Charlevoix at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. He will specifically be working with Great Lakes Tribal Treaties and sports fishermen, as he is a fish biologist. Jami, their daughter-in-law, is associated with Northern Michigan Regional Hospital in Petoskey. The family has a cottage on Brevort Lake.

Dave Movalson Jr. celebrated his birthday at home with his parents and Joe Stewart, Lorie Quigley, Charlie Movalson, and Andy Movalson Saturday, August 9.

On a walk on Shore Road, I met Gordon Knight and his daughter, Kathryn, of Clarkston. She is visiting her parents, Gordon and Pat Knight of Wildwood Lane.

Sue and Bill Kanour were Friday morning callers, as were Joe Matelski and Mort Becker.

The Gustafson family has been enjoying their annual summer gatherings with cookouts and rides in the woods for picking blueberries. Pastor Tari and Hannah Stage- Harvey joined Joyce Gustafson and Sharon Smith Thursday for picking berries.

I observed Joe Chalmers doing his part to conserve gas as he biked up to the Rogers farm for eggs, and it was starting to sprinkle. Way to go, Joe.

Gordon Knight is downstate attending an Episcopal Church camp this week, where he is a lay leader.

Jamica Diamond shared some of her hollyhock plants with Anne Anderson and me. They are all planted and doing well.

Anne Andersen and Lynne and Roger VanDok have left for their homes; Anne to Bemidji, Minnesota, and the VanDoks to Denver, Colorado, with truck and car filled to the brim with frozen and canned blueberries.

Horst and Ingrid Daemmrich entertained Lorie Quigley, Joe Stewart, and Dave and me for dinner Wednesday evening.

Pega and John Kennedy's grandchildren, Allen and Danielle, spent a few days this week with them on Wildwood Lane. Their mother, Chrissy Becker, and brother, Jacob, are preparing the family for a move back to Cheboygan.

Owen and Barb Jorgensen sailed to Mackinac Island this week with Mike and Melanie Jorgensen and family. Mike has the boat at the St. Ignace Marina.

Minnie Gustafson will be celebrating her 90th birthday Tuesday, August 26. This would be an opportunity to send a card to her at Gulf Coast Village, 1331 Santa Barbara Boulevard, #149, Cape Coral, Florida 33991.

Happy birthday to Bing Binger August 26, and Belinda Lamb August 28.

The local businesses have been relatively busy, despite the price of gas.

Get well wishes to Mary Weiss as she deals with health issues. Rebecca Weiss will be coming home from Wyoming, where she has been working this summer and will be attending college at Black Hills University. Jake will be back at Alma College this year after a busy summer at the marina.

Bob Flora's family arrived for Bob's memorial, which was Saturday, August 16. They include Mike and Judy Flora and family from Homer, Alaska, Maria and Hank Boots and family of Denver, Colorado, Kot and Larry Granahan and family of Iowa City, Iowa, Margie Flora of California, Sue and Bill Kanour and family of Hawaii, and Anne Flora Ryan and John Ryan of Tecumseh. Some of the grandchildren live in other parts of the country.

More than 80 friends, neighbors, and family gathered at the fellowship hall at Trinity Lutheran Church in the village of Brevort Saturday to bid a fond and bittersweet farewell to the late Bob Flora. A montage of old and new pictures of Bob and Margaret's life, and their family, was continuously shown. Many memories were shared, and stories told. Faces lit up with smiles and some tears were shed.

After the gathering broke up, some of the family went upstairs to the church sanctuary. Mike Flora sat in a pew with his arm around the urn of Bob's ashes. Nothing much was said as we sat in quiet contemplation.

The family has a book of letters from many acquaintances recounting his many acts of generosity, helpfulness, and concern of others.

Sunday was family time for all of the Flora kids, their spouses, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren - one being fourth generation, Rocco Luigi Flora, who is 14 months old. The Alaskan grandsons secured a sailboat from Lorie Quigley, and sailed it from Brevort proper to the Flora home mile and a half away. The boat has been a great source of recreation for these Alaskan fishermen and their cousins. As the weather cooperated, swimming and sunbathing were the order of the day.

Sunday was reserved for the traditional Italian spaghetti and meatball dinner using the old family recipe. Tracy, Dave, Jr., Dave and I, along with Gio, Betty, and Crystal Giordani, friends from Iowa, joined the family for dinner and more stories. Later, Bob's ashes were scattered in Lake Michigan by his family and friends. As the sun went down, a luminary was lighted and protected from the wind by a cylinder of parchment paper signed by all present, placed on a small water craft designed by Mr. Flora's sonin law, Bill Kanour, and set afloat in Lake Michigan by eight hardy swimmers. We watched as it floated east and then disappeared from sight. A bonfire burned as we gathered around, toasting Bob with Gio's wine. We watched the fireworks set off by the grandchildren.

One has to wonder if this wonderful family will ever again congregate in the late summer on the shores of Lake Michigan to think of their lives with Margaret and Bob Flora, two extraordinary people who passed through our lives here in the village. It was a great privilege to have known them.