Obituaries

Ann Mary (Krapf) Eitrem, age 89, of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, passed away on August 21, 2025, at the Ball Hospice House in Sault Ste. Marie. She was born on April 8, 1936, in Providence, Rhode Island, to Theodore and Anna (Mayne) Krapf.

Ann attended the Blessed Sacrament Elementary School and then graduated from Mount Pleasant High School. She went to work in the Advertising Dept. for the largest department store in Rhode Island after graduating where she met her soon-to-be husband, Lee W. Eitrem. They were married shortly after in St. Teresa’s Roman Catholic Church on September 28, 1957. After they married, they travelled to Hollywood, California and a few months later they returned to Sault Ste. Marie, MI. Ann and Lee settled into an apartment and she started working at the Soo Evening News in the Advertising Department where she remained until they started their family. During the crucial childbearing years, Ann would be a stay-at-home Mom, where she would take great pleasure in caring for her four children. There wasn’t anything more fulfilling to her than when she would hold and rock her infant children to sleep; she loved cuddling with her babies. Ann became quite the homemaker, she would make homemade bread, pizza, cinnamon rolls, baking soda biscuits, jam, jelly, pickles, soups, chili, spaghetti sauce and so much more as her children grew up, they would rush home from school wondering what’s for supper because they always knew whatever it was, it was going to be good!

As the years passed, and her children became self-reliant Ann decided she wanted to return to the work force in order to afford the more modern conveniences for her home and the extras for her children so she applied for a position at the Chippewa County Health Department where she was hired in the EPSDT Program Secretary and then through the years was promoted to the Administrative Secretary for the Nursing Director for the Department Agency. She loved her job and enjoyed the camaraderie with all whom she worked with during her twenty years before retiring in 1995. The long-lasting friendships made with her colleagues were heartwarming; they became family to her.
Prior to Ann retiring she and Lee cleared their waterfront lot on the North shore of Sugar Island and then had their retirement home built and then they started enjoying their retirement years wintering away to Mexico, Alabama, and Florida. She loved to shop, read a great novel or autobiography, visit new and old friends and frequent their favorite restaurants wherever they were together.

Ann leaves behind her sons, Mark and Scott Eitrem, both of Sugar Island; and her daughter, Leanne (Eitrem) Marlow of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada; and her brother, Theodore Krapf; and her grandchildren, Amanda LaPonsie, Cody Eitrem, Sarah Eitrem, and Elliot Marlow; and several nieces and nephews.

Ann was predeceased by her loving husband, Lee W. Eitrem; her daughter, Alana ‘Chicky’ Eitrem; parents, Theodore and Anna (Mayne) Krapf; and her brother, Joseph Krapf.

Public visitation will be held on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, at Holy Name of Mary Church on Portage Ave., Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, from 9:30 A.M till 11:00. Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 AM with Father Al Mott as Celebrant. A Luncheon will follow.

Final Resting place will be Riverside Cemetery, in Sault Ste. Marie.

In lieu of flowers the family kindly suggests memorials be sent to Lake Superior State University Foundation, 650 W. Easterday Ave., Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783 to the Alana ‘Chicky’ Eitrem Endowment Fund or to the Hospice of the EUP, 308 W. 12th Avenue, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783 in Ann’s Memory.