Elaine Marie Lufkin

wife of Tom, loving mother of seven children, and grandmother to nineteen grandchildren,

passed away suddenly while receiving loving care at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City,

Michigan at the age of 79. She was surrounded by her loving family.

Elaine Marie Lufkin was born on October 27,1941 to Theodore and Dorothy Koski in Detroit,

Michigan. As the oldest of six, she helped her father run Koski Pharmacy and helped her mother

with her younger siblings. She was a devoted daughter and sister.

Elaine Marie met Tom on the bus at frosh camp during her first year at Wayne State University.

The pair were rarely apart after that day. She married Tom shortly after graduation from

pharmacy school on September 2, 1963. Tom and Elaine spent their lives growing a business, a

family, and their communities. Tom and Elaine were forever in love. Elaine enjoyed walking on

the sandy beaches of Lake Michigan, swimming elegant strokes in Bright Lake, and visiting her

children, and, when possible, Europe. Her grandchildren will remember her open kitchen and

open heart. Elaine was a gentle spirit and mother to all.

Elaine’s greatest joy was taking care of others and encouraging all in her humble, quiet way.

She was a committed pharmacist who always served others before herself. She was an active

churchgoer at Saint Daniel Church in Clarkston, Saint Patrick church in Grand Haven, and St.

Philip Neri in Empire. While she worked tirelessly for social justice around the globe, one of her

favorite projects was working on the Giving Tree–often organizing the distribution of hundreds of

gifts to children in need.

She is survived by her loving husband Tom with whom she devoted her life to loving and raising

her children. She will continue to be loved by her oldest son Christopher, daughter Anne

(Riaño), daughter Susan (Faulkner), son Michael, son Robert, daughter Mary (Hoelscher), and

daughter Bridget (Nicholson). She loved equally the spouses of her children: Nancy Ann Pierce,

Camilo Riaño, Ermal Faulkner, Erin Hawkinson, Shelly (Sackett) Lufkin, Matt Hoelscher, and

Stephen Nicholson. Even more incredibly she adored all of her beautiful grandbabies; Hannah,

Jack, and Maura Lufkin; María Camila, Sebastián, and Pablo Riaño; Nicholas and Benjamin

Faulkner; Theo and Helina Lufkin; Olivia, Maggie, and June Lufkin; Charles, August, and Ruby

Hoelscher; and Elena, Tobias, and Joshua Nicholson. She is survived by three sisters and her

brother: Mary (Birnbryer), Catherine (Schmidt), Judy (Martin), and Joseph Koski. She is

preceded in death by her brother David. She was a devoted and loving daughter and sister.

A full celebration of Elaine’s life will be planned for this summer. The family will hold a private

funeral mass at St. Philip Neri in Empire. In lieu of flowers please make a memorial contribution

to Elaine’s favorite charities; The Southern Poverty Law Center (splcenter.org) or Catholic

Relief Service(crs.org) and above all, live her legacy of loving one another unconditionally.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.covelltraversecity.com for the Lufkin family.