Gustav Dan Hobohm

Gustav Dan Hobohm died peacefully at home on May 7, 2016. He will be missed by both family and friends for his quick wit and unexpected comments. Throughout his life Dan enjoyed hunting, fishing, skiing and most of all flying his small Cessna around northern Michigan. Dan was a life member of the West Branch Masonic Lodge and Shriner's Elf Khurafeh Temple in Saginaw, Michigan. Both were an important part of his life. He had a special place in his heart for the Shriner's mission of helping crippled and burned children.

Born June 27, 1924 in Grayling, Michigan to Gustav A. Hobohm and Marguerite E. (Carroll) Dan lived his entire life in West Branch. He graduated from West Branch High School in 1942 after which he drafted into the Army. Once in the army he volunteered for "a hazardous mission somewhere." This led him to be deployed behind enemy lines to northern Burma in the Asian theater. This volunteer group was to become known as the Merrill's Marauder’s. Their mission was to open the strategically important Ledo Road. In Burma, Dan with his beloved mule "Stonewall" at his side, served as a radio operator. While their mission was accomplished it took a great toll on the unit with less than 500 of the approximately 3,200 infantry men returning.

Upon discharge in November 1945 he enrolled in Michigan State University where he worked as both a policeman and a fireman for the East Lansing Police and Fire Department until his graduation in June of 1948. He promptly returned to West Branch to marry his college sweetheart, Jean Reid. Once in West Branch he took over the family business, a grocery store named Gus' Pantry which he owned and operated for the next 25 years. In 1973 he sold the family business to Glen Katz of Glen's Market. Following the sale he began developing the Plaza East Shopping Center around his grandfather's Carroll's barn (now Kue's Kafe). After a short retirement he had an encore career with Osceola Refining a job he truly enjoyed for the next ten years. In retirement Dan wintered in Rockport, Texas a special place where he felt relaxed and actually seemed to enjoy golfing. Here he made many lifelong friends and considered it his other West Branch.

Dan is survived by his wife of 68 years, Jean; two sons Robert G. (Kathleen Fuce) and Dan (Michael Gard); four grandchildren, Tai F. Petrillo (Nicholas), George H. Peet, Harley Dan Peet and Patrick R. Hobohm; one great grandchild Kase R. Petrillo and his special cousin Captain Jack T. Weir (Navy Retired). He was preceded in death by his daughter Debra Ann Hobohm.

The Hobohm family would like to acknowledge a very special person in Dan's life, Cynthia "Cindy" E. Lehman. She and Dan were best of friends and confidants. Her years of dedicated loving care and friendship were unparalleled for which Dan and our family will be forever grateful.

A Memorial Service will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church in West Branch on Friday, May 13, 2016 at 11:00 AM. Burial will follow at Brookside Cemetery with military honors.

As an expression of sympathy, friends should they so desire, may make contributions to one of the following charities or one of their own choosing.

Shriners Hospital for Children
2900 Rocky Point Drive
Tampa, Florida 33607
www.shrinershopitals.org/donate

American Cancer Society
P.O. Box 22478
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73123
www.cancer.org

Gustav D. Hobohm Merrill's Mauraders Endowment Fund
Providing scholarships for children of men and women
in the Armed Services.
76 Ashman Circle
Midland, Michigan 48640