Loretta June Sanborn

Loretta June Sanborn, a proud native of Bingham Township, was welcomed into Heaven on July 1, 2013. She was born on March 4, 1934 in Traverse City to Raymond and Elda (Hinshaw) Groesser. She was raised on the family farm and attended the one-room Bingham schoolhouse, later graduating from Traverse City Central and made many lifelong friends. She once held the title of Cherry Pie Queen of Leelanau County. Her first job was as a telephone operator for Michigan Bell and she later worked for a variety of local businesses, mostly in a bookkeeper role. She also owned and operated the Gingerbread gift shop where she sold homemade crafts, but she considered her most important job to be the raising of her four children and she devoted herself to it. Loretta married Harry Sanborn on August 29, 1975. Together they re-established their roots in Bingham on property that had been a part of the Groesser family farm. Over the years, she was an active supporter of township initiatives, including the restoration of the Bingham schoolhouse. Loretta was an extremely talented person with lots of interests including gardening, sewing, quilting, bird watching, genealogy, reading, jigsaw and crossword puzzles, and cheering for the Detroit Tigers. She was considered by many to be a master gardener before receiving her certificate. Her gardens were works of art. She often shared bouquets and plants with others. Her quilts and wall hangings are treasured by those lucky enough to have them. And the flannel nightgowns and “grammy jammies” that she made for so many people always make you feel like you are wearing a warm hug. Loretta is survived by her husband of 37 years, Harry, as well as her children, Lori (Mitch) Ware, Chuck Hunt, Stan Hunt and Lisa (Keith) Ferguson, step-children, Sue (Ted) Bready and Steve (Joellen) Sanborn, 12 grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, sisters Judy Petroskey and Marsha Walton, and many cousins, nieces and nephews who were extremely important to her. She was preceded in death by her parents, a grandson, Matt Ware, and her brother, Wayne Groesser. A celebration of Loretta’s life will be held on Friday, July 5, at 11:00am, at the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home in Traverse City. Graveside services will follow at Bingham Cemetery. Visitation hours will be Thursday, July 4, from 2:00pm to 4:00pm and Friday from 10:00am to 11:00am. Memorial contributions may be directed to the Rex Dobson Ruby Ellen Farm Foundation.

Loretta June Sanborn

March 4, 1934 - July 1, 2013