Beatrice "Bea" V. (Mertz) Skaggs

Beatrice Skaggs, age 93, of The Brook in Cheboygan passed away on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 at Cheboygan Hospice House after a short illness.

Beatrice was born September 14, 1929 in Rogers City, Michigan to Louis and Katherine (Kaszubowski) Mertz, the youngest of four daughters. 

On June 6, 1953 she married James Skaggs at St. Monica Catholic Church in Afton, Michigan.  They were married for 62 years before his passing in January 2015.  They raised beef cattle on their farm in Afton.  Beatrice worked at the Cheboygan Kroger store for over 20 years then worked for the US Postal Service as a rural mail carrier for 10 years.  She enjoyed gardening, camping, fishing, volunteering at Larson Hall, and playing cards and games with family and friends.

She is survived by her five children:  Robert of Atlanta, MI, Michael of Afton, MI, David (Dana) of Rosebud, SD, Mary Crusoe (Steve) of Cheboygan, MI, and Mark (Lori) of Menominee, MI.  She is also survived by 11 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband James, sisters Elizabeth (Betty) Fournier, Sister Marian Mertz, RSM, and Catherine (Katie) Schaedig, and her daughter-in-law Carol Skaggs.

Visitation will be Sunday, April 2, at the Nordman-Christian Funeral Home from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00p.m. with a Vigil service at 7:00p.m. followed by a sharing of memories.  The Mass of Christian Burial will be Monday, April 3, at 11:00a.m. at St. Mary/ St. Charles Catholic Church in Cheboygan, with Father Duane Wachowiak presiding.  There is no visitation at the church prior to the funeral mass.  Interment will be at Oak Hill Cemetery in Benton Township at a later date.

Her family is grateful for the wonderful and compassionate care she received at McLaren Northern Michigan Hospital in Cheboygan and Petoskey, Bay Bluffs in Harbor Springs, and Cheboygan Hospice House during her final days. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to Bishop Baraga Catholic School in Cheboygan, or to The Priests of the Sacred Heart in Hales Corners, Wisconsin. 

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