trustees Archives - Community Foundation of Marquette County

We Remember: Charles P. “Snook” Smith and June Schaefer

The Community Foundation would like to remember Charles P. “Snook” Smith, a longtime Ishpeming resident who passed away on December 27, 2022 at the age of 94. A husband, dad, grandpa and great grandpa,
Charles leaves behind “a legacy of songs, stories, memories and love.”
He served his country in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and as a postal carrier in the U.S. Postal Service.

Charles graduated from Ishpeming High School in 1945 and was a lifelong Hematite fan. A talented athlete, Charles played basketball for the Republic Shooting Stars. He exercised every day and enjoyed hunting, skiing, and riding his bike into his 90s. In 2006, Charles and his wife Lois established the Charles and Lois Smith IHS Sports Endowment at the Community Foundation to support the sports program at Ishpeming High School.

The Community Foundation also remembers June Marie Schaefer, 77,
who passed away in December 2022, in Escanaba. June grew up on a farm in Arnheim (Baraga County) and lived in the Upper Peninsula most of her life. She was an educator “who excelled in her profession and
made a difference in so many lives.” One of her notable achievements was founding the U.P. Special Olympics in 1970, driven by her belief that all children have a desire for healthy competition.

June’s career focused on serving students with special needs. She
served as the Director of Special Education for the Marquette-Alger ISD from 1974-1995, and oversaw services for students with special needs in
12 local districts. June was also the Superintendent of the Marquette-Alger Regional Educational Service Agency (Maresa)from 1995 through 2007. She later taught graduate level classes as an assistant professor in the School of Education at Northern Michigan University. June received many honors, including being inducted into the Special Olympics Hall of Fame in 1997, and being recognized as the Michigan Association of School Administrator’s Superintendent of the Year in 2007.

The Community Foundation administers the Fred & June Schaefer Legacy Fund for Persons with Special Needs, established in 2001.

Anthony and Edmark Join Community Foundation Board of Trustees

The Foundation is pleased to welcome Gail Anthony and Shannon Edmark to its Board of Trustees.

Gail Anthony joins the board as an honorary trustee. Anthony served as CEO of the Community Foundation for eight years, retiring in December 2020. She has served the Marquette County community for more than four decades through her work in finance, higher education, hospitality and philanthropy in a variety
of positions. Gail’s tenure in the Community Foundation included growing its assets, expanding its grant programs, and developing a professional staff to further its mission and impact. Anthony said, “It is truly an honor to join the CFMC Board as an honorary member! I’m glad to help promote the incredible work of the Foundation in our community!”

Shannon Edmark, a longtime resident of Ishpeming, will also serve as a trustee. Edmark helpedstart the WIC program at the Marquette County Health Department, where she worked for eight years before making the decision to be a stay-at-home mom to raise her three sons. “During that time, I realized the importance and satisfaction of giving back to the community that has given my family so much,” Edmark said. Her contributions to the community included volunteering at her sons’ schools, the Westwood High School Booster Club and at Christ The King Lutheran Church. Edmark added, “I love working with the youth and community on the west end of Marquette County. I first served on
the Greater Ishpeming Area Community Fund Board in February of 2001, and I have been the Ishpeming Fund’s YAC (Youth Advisory Council) advisor since October of 2002. I look forward to working with the Community Foundation of Marquette County Board and staff and supporting them as we address the needs of our community and help the community invest in the future of Marquette County.”Zosia Eppensteiner, Community Foundation CEO said, “We are thrilled to have Gail and Shannon join the Board of Trustees. They are both great advocates for their communities, especially youth in philanthropy. Both Shannon and Gail also bring a strong commitment to community service along with a deep understanding of the Community Foundation’s work.”

Eslinger and Gonstead join Board of Trustees

The Community Foundation of Marquette County is honored to announce that Robert Eslinger and Marcia Gonstead have joined its Board of Trustees for three-year terms.

Eslinger recently retired from Northern Michigan University where he served as the Dean of the College of Technology and Occupational Sciences, Associate Vice President for Workforce and Economic Development, and co-founded the idea incubator Invent@NMU. He has been active in the Marquette County and Upper Peninsula workforce and economic development issues for more than two decades.

“I am passionate about our community and the Upper Peninsula, and I know firsthand how non-profit organizations together with public and private institutions contribute to community development,” Eslinger said. “We’re in this together.”

Gonstead has been an active volunteer in the Upper Peninsula for more than 20 years, and has served on the boards of the Noquemanon Trail Network and the Yellow Dog Watershed, and on the marketing committee of the Big Bay Stewardship Council. She and her husband Sven launched the Big Bay summer concert series in 2018 in Powell Township. She also devotes her time to the Big Bay Fall Fest, the Big Bay Pathway, the Honey Bear Classic, and other causes and organizations.

“After years of serving on boards and volunteering one realizes the vast web of resources needed by each and every organization.” Gonstead said. “I am honored to have a seat on the Foundation Board of Trustees that brings those resources together because ‘together’ is the way we can make the most impact.”