TRAVERSE CITY — John Clifford Antaya, 74, of Traverse City, passed away at his home on Sept. 4, 2010. John was born on April 1, 1936, to the late James and Ada (Peltier) Antaya in Flint. Formerly of Charlevoix, John moved to Traverse City in the mid-1990s, where he became a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church. John was a Master Electrician and a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) local union 498. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and golfing. John is survived by his brother, Bob (Joyce) Antaya, of Flint; sister, Maureen (Jim) Smith, of Swartz Creek; beloved mother of his seven children, Patricia Antaya; children, John (Mary Jo) Antaya, of Charlevoix, Timothy (Ann) Antaya, of Cambridge, Mass., Dianna Metiva, of Charlevoix, Dan (Lori) Antaya, of East Jordan, Renee Moore, of Valdosta, Ga., Rodney (Holly) Antaya, of Holland, and Amy (Jim) Dixon, of Ellsworth; 17 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and his cherished dog, Paulie. "God saw you getting tired and a cure was not to be, so he put his arms around you and whispered 'Come to Me.' With tearful eyes we watched you and saw you pass away, and although we love you dearly we could not make you stay. A golden heart stopped beating, hard working hands at rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us he only takes the best." Cremation has taken place by Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home. A memorial service celebrating John's life will take place at a later date. Please sign John's online guestbook at www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com to share your thoughts and condolences with the family.