Obituaries

Royanne Ruth Wonnacott, 81, passed peacefully in her sleep on June 10, 2025 of natural causes.

She was born on May 5, 1944, in Sault Ste. Marie, MI, to parents Roy William Wandler and Ruth Vanora (Black) Wandler.

Her mother passed away when Royanne was very young and she was raised by her Uncle Adolf and Aunt Bee Wandler. They resided on the St. Mary’s River and Royanne became a lifelong admirer and artist involving boats, lighthouses, freighters, and all else maritime. Her Father Roy worked on the freighters and Tugboats.

She graduated from Sault High School, Class of 1962, one of the few awarded honors for never missing a single day of school from first grade through graduation.

Royanne worked for an Insurance Company, Credit Union, Health Department, and finally worked at Lake Superior State University as the Secretary for the School of Business for many years before her retirement, so she could move to Arizona and marry her current husband, Dave Wonnacott, in 1991. After which she worked a few years at Arizona State University before retiring to open her business “Royanne’s Crafts, first in Arizona and later in California. She specialized in personal hand painted products and a specialty line of hand painted personal pins for ladies relative to holidays and special events, with the person’s name on the pin. Her pins were so popular she was frequently sold out.

When married to Dave she blended her two children with his two and helped raise his 9 yr old daughter Heather.

Royanne traveled extensively with Dave on business trips to many destinations in the USA and Hawaii.

She was an avid reader, reading 2-3 books a week, attending book sales wherever possible and brought Dave along to carry the books. A collector of autographs from performances attended, angels of all types, a good cook and baker, a collector of both 45 rpm records and LP’s. and made doll clothes for children all while listening to her 1950”s rock & roll music. She retired a second time in 2015, due to medical issues, but remained an artist and reader as well as a wonderful mother and wife.

She loved spending time at “the cabin” at Birch Point, near Brimley, MI. on Lake Superior.

Royanne was well known and made friends easily, spoke with a quick and dry sense of humor, and loved animals, both wild and domestic, and liked to play board games and cards.
She is survived by her husband, Dave Wonnacott, her daughter Mary (Hank) Hurt, son Michael (Amy) Hank, daughter Heather (Wonnacott) (Matt)Helm, and son Louis Wonnacott, as well as grandchildren Matt Hank and Jaime Hank, brothers Bill (Gloria) Wandler and Bobby Wandler, and Sister -in-law Beth Hancock.

Royanne is preceded in death by her Father Roy Wandler, Mother Ruth Wandler, and Step Mother Joan Wandler, Sisters-in-law Marion (Wonnacott) Osterhout and Linda (Wonnacott) Horton.

A Memorial service will take place on Friday, August 8th at 1:00 PM at Family Life Funeral Homes, 24549 S. M-129, Pickford, Michigan, with the burial immediately to follow at Cottle Cemetery in Pickford, Michigan.

If you wish to donate in her name in lieu of flowers, please donate to:
Shriners Hospital for Children: donate.lovetotherescue.org.

Family Life Funeral Homes, Pickford, Michigan assisted the family with arrangements. Condolences may be left to the family at www.familylifefh.com.