Obituaries

Lyle Painter of Curtis, Michigan passed peacefully on Friday, July 10, 2026 at home, surrounded by his children and grandchildren.

Lyle was born January 28, 1940 in Dearborn, Michigan to Clayton and Vira Painter. As a child, Lyle spent many summers with his sister Sheryl and parents in Curtis, fishing and enjoying the Manistique Lakes. After high school, Lyle enrolled at Western Michigan University where he studied history and education, and played the tuba in the WMU marching band. It was at WMU that he met Margery Schneider, an art student and talented cellist. Lyle and Margery quickly fell for one another and married on July 28, 1962. Ten months later, their first child, Elizabeth, was born in 1963. Their son Michael was born in 1966 and Stephen in 1971. After spending several years teaching middle/high school history and social studies, Lyle later earned his master’s degree in counseling at the University of Michigan.

Lyle held numerous jobs throughout his career: bagging groceries and retrieving shopping carts in Dearborn; working as a park ranger at state parks throughout the Upper Peninsula; and serving as a middle school counselor in Rudyard Area Schools. Most of Lyle’s career was dedicated to advocating for educators throughout the state of Michigan as he served as UNISERV director with the Michigan Education Association (MEA). Lyle’s work for the MEA was well-regarded, earning him national recognition and an invitation to the White House. After retiring in 1995, Lyle and Margery moved to Curtis, MI to design and renovate the Painter family home. Once retirement proved to be too quiet, Lyle later was later elected Portage Township supervisor and started a family-owned pest control business.

Lyle was an active member of the Curtis arts community, creating art pieces for the Art on the Lake festival, acting in local plays, and lip-syncing on stage as Elvis. When the Curtis winters started losing their appeal, Lyle and Margery became “snowbirds,” spending the winter months in Naples, Florida. Walking on the beach, photography, golfing, and catching up with dear friends were activities he looked forward to year-round.

Lyle will be remembered most for his kind heart, artistic spirit, and unwavering love for his friends and family.

Lyle is preceded in death by his dear sister Sheryl Leedy (Painter), brother-in-law Ken Leedy, sister-in-law Dotsy Fraker, and his beloved wife of 60 years, Margery (Marge) Painter. He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law Elizabeth and Mark Hayes of Curtis; son Michael Painter of Curtis; son Stephen (Stacey Allen) Painter of Curtis; grandchildren Abigail (Steven) Plominski of Grand Rapids, Benjamin Hayes of Marquette, and Erica (Eric) Painter of Okemos, MI. He is also survived by his brother- and sister-in-law Michael and Betsy Schneider of Spokane WA; brother- and sister-in-law William and Sharon Schneider of Denver, CO; brother-in-law Thomas Fraker of Arlington, VA; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Those wishing to honor Lyle’s memory are encouraged to make a donation to the Mariucci Family Beacon House, 200 S. Seventh Street, Marquette, MI 49855 or the Erickson Center for the Arts, P.O. Box 255, Curtis, Michigan 49820 or at www.ericksoncenter.org

A gathering of family and friends celebrating the life of Lyle will take place this fall of 2026, with a date and time to be announced.

Condolences may be shared at www.beaulieufuneralhome.com

Beaulieu Funeral Home in Newberry is assisting the family.