Lillian Bijou Revord
(May 22, 1907 - July 1, 2008)
 

Munising

Lillian B. Revord, age 101, of 300 W. City Park Drive, Munising, died on Tuesday evening, July 1, 2008 at the Tendercare Health Center in Munising. She was born in Stittsville, Michigan on May 22, 1907 to Ralph and Frances (Clark) Thornton. At the age of eleven, her family moved to the logging camps on Grand Island. Her father was a teamster and her mother took care of the laundry, cooking, and cleaning for the loggers. Lillian attended Wm. G. Mather High School and on November 15, 1924, she and Orville Joseph Revord eloped in a snowstorm in a borrowed car. Lillian was a homemaker and raised their five children. She was a gifted artist and was the first Munising artist hired and the last to leave the Munising Woodenware. Her specialties included the design of the ivy pattern, working with apples, apple blossoms, and strawberries. Lillian initialed her painting of the bowls because she didn’t want to be accused of sloppy work. After the close of the Woodenware, she was the telephone operator for the Munising Telephone Company for many years and she was also a Den Mother for the Scouts. Lillian was an active member of the Methodist Church in Munising where she served as the Church’s librarian and was the editor of the newsletter. She and her dear friend Addie Disbrow collaborated in writing a column titled “The Owls Corner” for the newsletter. She was a founding member and officer for the Art Club in Munising. Lillian and John Evans illustrated “Who Were Those People” and the Park Service commissioned her to do some paintings of the National Lakeshore. She was self taught and worked with many mediums including, oil and water paints, pastels, pen, and charcoal. For her family, she authored a booklet of her life with Orville titled “Never Let it Be Said.” Lillian was also a wonderful cook.

She is survived by three children – Orville (Marion) Revord of Port St. Lucie, FL, Joanne (Charles) Elkert of Morganton, NC, and Raoul Revord of Wetmore; daughters-in-law – Darlene “Dolly” Revord and Ruth Revord; grandchildren and grandchildren-in-law – Georgette (Bill), Craig, Janice, Rocky (Patty), Vicky (William), Phyllis (Nicholas), Colleen (Brian), Paul David (Lynn), Iris (Joe), Sheila (Dan), (Dave), William “Bill” (Pam), (Sheryl), Lisa (John), and Nicole (Eric); 36 great-grandchildren; twenty great-great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. Lillian was preceded in death by her parents; husband - Orville on October 8, 1990; sons – Wilfred James Revord and Jerome Clark Revord; grandchildren – Jacquelyn Feldhusen, Dean Elkhert, and Gregory Revord; great-grandson – Adam Revord; brothers – Clark, Richard, and Guy Thornton; and sisters – Kathleen White, Zeph Bancroft, and Beona Thornton.

All of Lillian’s services will be held on Monday, July 7, 2008. Visitation will be held at the Bowerman Funeral Home from 9:00 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. Lillian’s funeral service will be conducted by Pastor Gary Stevens at 11:00 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Munising. Interment will be at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Munising.

Submitted by Char Livermore