Obituaries

Paula Lue (Bentley) Garries, age 72, of St. Ignace, Michigan, died at McLaren Northern Michigan Hospital on January 16, 2023. She was born on August 1, 1950, in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, to Ralph Kidder and Reta Marie (Cannon) Bentley.

Paula had a twin sister, Pam and Paula was also called Lue. At the age of nine, she began working in her family restaurant business, Bentley’s Café, by washing dishes. At the age of 13, she was baptized at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in St. Ignace on May 3, 1964. In 1968, she graduated from LaSalle High School in St. Ignace. Afterward, she attended Central Michigan University and graduated in December 1972, with a Bachelor of Science in physical education. After college, she moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, and lived with her sister, Penny, and family, while she taught at Ottawa Hills Schools in Grand Rapids from 1972 to 1973. She won four physical education awards and one general business award. After teaching for a year, she returned to St. Ignace and worked in her parent’s restaurant as a cook for several years. After her father’s death in 1991, she was managing the restaurant for a few years until her nephew took over the business. Afterward, she began working for The Galley restaurant as a cook and retired in 2016. At the age of 49, Paula married Pat Garries. They were married at the Mackinac County Courthouse in St. Ignace on October 13, 1999.

Paula is survived by her sons, Brent (Becky Windecker) Garries, and Kevin Garries; six grandchildren, Kandice (Cory) Killingbeck, Brooke Garries, Brandon Garries, Kaitlyn (Boris) Misic, Tyler (Natasha) Garries, and Austin (Isabelle) Garries; five great-grandchildren, Harper, Alivia, Jillian Jean, Maja, and Melina; brother, Michael (Cindy) Garries of St. Ignace, brother-in-law, Richard (Jean) Bentley of St. Ignace; and sisters-in-law, Pamela Bentley of Wyoming, Michigan, and Penny (Duane) Kaminsky of Sparta, Michigan.

Paula is preceded in death by her parents, Ralph and Reta Bentley; husband, Patrick Eugene Garries; and brother-in-law, Jerry Garries.

Galer Dodson Funeral Homes & Cremation in St. Ignace, Michigan, is serving the family. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.galerfuneralhomes.com.