Gene Joseph Couturier

Died March 17, 2024

SUTTONS BAY -Gene Joseph Couturier, 93, of Lake Leelanau, Michigan passed away peacefully on March 17, 2024.

He was born April 8, 1930, in Lake Leelanau, the son of Mady and Irvene (Belanger) Couturier.

Gene left home at the age of 15 and worked as a cook at Scotty’s Restaurant in Ann Arbor. From there he left for Montana to visit his brother John, decided to stay and work as a ranch hand, riding horses and corralling cattle. Gene joined the Marine Corps and served during the Korean Conflict as a driver for a chaplain colonel where he witnessed many brave men sacrifice their lives. Prayers brought him safely home, so he decided to help his parents by building a new house and homesteading the farm. Besides working at Alka Tool & Die, he devoted his life to taking care of his brother Albert who had been paralyzed in an accident in 1956. A few years later his father passed, and he then took on the additional responsibility of helping his mother raise his 3 younger siblings. Gene was a life-long member of the VFW 7731 - Little Finger Post Leelanau and Knights of Columbus.

Gene had a deep devotion to the Blessed Mother and his faithfulness to pray the rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy daily. He was a wealth of knowledge especially regarding his Catholic faith. He loved gardening, canning many fruits and vegetables, golfing with his brothers and nephews, morning coffee with family, along with playing cards.

Gene is survived by his siblings Dora ( John) Korson, Merle Forton, Gayle (Cindy) Couturier, and Dale Couturier, along with many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his brothers Elmer, Arthur, Raymond, John, Bernard, Donald, Father Albert Couturier, and Lavern; sisters Rita Priest, Bernice Shorter, and Joanne Schaub; brothersin- law Alfred Priest, Keith Shorter, Louis Forton, and David Schaub; and sister-inlaw Doris Couturier.

He will be greatly missed, but we are comforted by the fact that Gene has joined God, His Blessed Mother, and other cherished family members.

A special thanks to the employees at Medilodge of Leelanau and Munson Hospice for their comfort and gentle care, along with Deacon Martin Korson for his spiritual support.

Visitation honoring Gene will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on April 19, 2024, with the rosary to be prayed at 7:00 p.m. at The Martinson Funeral Home of Suttons Bay. The mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. with the family greeting friends at 10:00 a.m on April 20, 2024, at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Lake Leelanau.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed for mass intentions or Munson Hospice.

Please share condolences with the family at www.martinson.info.

Arrangements are with Martinson Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Leelanau.