John Eli Makela, 76, of 604 Croix St., Negaunee, died on May 5, 2018 at the Marquette County Medical Care Facility with his loving family by his side. John was born on October 14, 1941 to Eli and Taimi (Sayring) Makela and grew up in Palmer and Negaunee.

He graduated from Negaunee High School in 1959 and attended Northern Michigan University for one year before marrying Kathleen Juidici and starting a family. John was employed as an inventory coordinator at the Empire Mine until 1980 and then began his second career as a corrections officer at the Marquette Branch Prison. He worked there for a decade until he retired due to medical reasons.

In the 1960’s and 70’s John was an active member of the Richmond Township Fire Department and served as a volunteer for the Township on the Board of Review and assisted with elections. Later he was involved with the Negaunee Rod and Gun Club and the Negaunee Elks, serving as an officer and business manager for both of those organizations.

John’s friends and family will always remember and admire him for his problem solving skills and his ability to fix or build almost anything. He was the brains behind many construction and renovation projects and he was a respectably good carpenter. John was also an outdoorsman who loved to hunt and fish and his favorite place was his hunting camp on the Missouri Road. He enjoyed nothing better than being at camp with his sons and grandsons.

John is survived by his four children: Connie (Mark) Heinlein, Diane (Dale) Tincknell, David (Laurie) Makela, and Alan (Brenda) Makela; his sister, Linda (Larry) Dillman; brother, Paul (Amy) Makela; seven grandchildren: Lindsey (Ryan) Reichel, Lisa Tincknell, Allyson (Bryan) Solander, Megan (Colin Pugh) Heinlein, Michelle Makela, Zachary Makela and Mark Makela; and five great-grandchildren: Ayla, Arya and Nora Reichel, and August and Margo Solander. John also had a close relationship with his step-grandsons, Dustin and Hunter Wertanen; his nephew, Paul Dillman; niece, Tanya (Dillman) Johnson; his ex-wife, Kathleen Fredrickson; and his beloved service dog companion, Beezer.

A celebration of John’s life will be held on Thursday, May 10th from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Negaunee Elks. The family will hold a private celebration later this summer when all of John’s family can return home to say goodbye. Cards and condolences can be sent to the Makela family at 604 Croix Street, Negaunee, Michigan.

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