Saturday, June 14, 2025 at 4:50 PM

Sign in

Articles

Robert Jr. Whitall

Robert Jr. Whitall

Robert Jr. Whitall, April 14, 1948 - April 25, 2024, acclaimed blues music magazine publisher, photographer, artist and historian Robert Wood Whitall, Jr. of Glen Arbor, MI passed away April 25, 2024 at the age of 76. Better known as Robert Jr. or Junior, he was born on April 14, 1948, in Ambler, Pennsylvania. A direct descendent of the founders of Whitall Tatum, one of the first glass factories in the United States, Robert’s family relocated to Michigan during his high school years. During the Vietnam War he served in the Army then studied at Eastern Michigan University upon his discharge. A videographer in Detroit during the early rock and roll and punk rock era, Whitall established Detroit Blues Magazine with former Creem Magazine founder Charles Auringer in 1995. At the urging of Buddy Guy, the scope was changed from regional to international and rebranded as Big City Rhythm & Blues Magazine. The magazine has won many awards including the coveted Keeping the Blues Alive award from The Blues Foundation in 1998 and has been actively ‘keeping the blues alive’ to this day. In 2017 Junior was the recipient of a kidney donated by his wife affectionately known as Sugar, whom he married at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park on 9/11/1999. A lover of all things New Orleans, Whitall has been attending the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival for the past 39 years that began when he was a driver for the late renowned activist John Sinclair, manager of the MC5. He and Sugar also sailed on over 40 Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruises. A champion of unknown and underappreciated musicians, he was friend, confidante, promoter and adviser to some of the greatest musicians and personalities who crossed his path within his lifetime, a list too numerous to mention. To this end, Junior and Sugar started a non-profit, Gimme Five, that assisted musicians and music-related individuals during times of need. He was also famous for his ‘intoxicatingly delicious’ cookies – Cooper Snaps – that were craved by his celebrity musical family. In spite of declining health over the past decade and a half, Robert Jr. began work as an artist in 2010 during extended hospital stays in Detroit, influenced by Frida Kahlo. His first art exhibit was at the New Orleans Museum of Art during the 2011 Jazz & Heritage Festival. Since that honor, his unique, musician-inspired artwork has been exhibited at various museums and venues around the country. 07/17/2024 05:06 PM

Baumberger Services Set

Baumberger Services Set

Graveside services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 20 at Leelanau Township Cemetery in Northport for Carl E. 07/17/2024 05:06 PM

Reincke Services Set

Reincke Services Set

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. with visitation one hour prior at 10:00 a.m. at Keswick United Methodist Church on Saturday, July 20 for Marjorie L. Reincke, 84, of Traverse City, who died June 15, 2024. 07/17/2024 05:06 PM

MacLachlan Services Set

MacLachlan Services Set

Patricia A. MacLachlan, 79, of Glen Lake passed away on June 1st, 2024, at her home. A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 26th at Fresh Wind Community Church in Interlochen. Arrangements are with the Martinson Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Leelanau. 07/17/2024 05:06 PM

Annette C. Popp

Annette C. Popp

LAKE LEELANAU – Annette Christine Popp, 83, of Lake Leelanau, passed away Monday, July 1, 2024 at home with her family at her side. Annette was born October 6, 1940 in Detroit the daughter of Clifford and Fern (Schuster) LeRoux. 07/17/2024 05:06 PM

Wild strawberries, which frequents the southern lower peninsula and form colonies and ground covers, prefer to grow in drier, open, sunny areas. It naturally occurs in woods and clearings, as well as along roadsides and in fields. Enterprise photo by Meakalia Previch-Liu

Wild strawberries

Wild strawberries, which frequents the southern lower peninsula and form colonies and ground covers, prefer to grow in drier, open, sunny areas. It naturally occurs in woods and clearings, as well as along roadsides and in fields. 07/17/2024 05:06 PM

COMING EVENTS

Organizations wishing to have their public events listed in this calendar can email [email protected] or call The Enterprise, 256-9827, before 5 p.m. Friday. 07/17/2024 05:06 PM

The Glen Arbor Art Association’s annual Plein Air painting event is set for Aug. 3 and 4. Enterprise photo by Brian Frieberger

Plein Air painters inspired by nature

The unmatched beauty of Leelanau County, from sand dunes to the Great Lake and everything in between, attracts artists from around the country for three principal art events every summer. In Northport and Glen Arbor, artists and visitors alike have the unique opportunity to experience the magic of plein air painting, while the Suttons Bay Art Festival boasts all types of art from ceramic pieces to paintings and even clothing items. 07/17/2024 05:06 PM

Glen Lake Middle School student Samuel Feeney is pictured with Connor McCaw in the background during a recent Glen Arbor Art Center (GAAC) monthly class. The new partnership between LIFT and GAAC gives students at Glen Lake Middle School the chance to take various art classes. Courtesy pho...

GAAC partners with LIFT to offer classes to G-L students

Thanks to a new and unique partnership, Glen Lake Middle School students will have the chance to take monthly art classes at Glen Arbor Arts Center (GAAC) for the next year. GAAC is partnering with the local nonprofit youth program LIFT to offer these art classes made possible by a generous donation from the Glen Lake Women’s Club. 07/17/2024 05:06 PM

Thank you

To the editor: In this day and age, it is all too infrequent that a company providing a service will exceed their customer’s expectations. The steering cable on my 46-year-old Boston Whaler broke on the Tuesday before July 4th. 07/17/2024 05:06 PM

Great turnout for Genuine Leelanau

Great turnout for Genuine Leelanau

To the editor: Genuine Leelanau is a small non-profit organization started in 1983. We work to improve the well being of Leelanau County’s children, individuals and families. 07/17/2024 05:06 PM

4th on the 45th

4th on the 45th

To the editor: The Leland Chamber of Commerce wants to thank all who participated and supported the Leland 4th of July celebrations. For those that raised the funds, and those that donated, making the fireworks on the 3rd a possibility, the show was called by many one of the best ever seen in Leland. 07/17/2024 05:06 PM

1

...

226

227

228

229

230

231

232

...