Michigan’s Irene Bronner, Head of Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, Dies at 95

We have some sad news for Christmas fans in Michigan. Irene Bronner, the matriarch of Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, passed away Sunday (Oct. 16) at the age of 95.

According to her obituary, "Irene was an essential part of Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland, and also served on the Board of Directors and in many other roles. She was also greatly involved with the Wallace and Irene Bronner and Family Charitable Foundation." She was also a teacher at Frankenmuth Public Schools before to joining her husband Wally at the famed Frankenmuth store.

The Bronners were heavily involved with the Wallace and Irene Bronner and Family Charitable Foundation, which helps fund churches and Christian organizations for education, health and human services.

As for funeral and visitation information, according to the obituary, "Funeral service will take place on Saturday, October 22, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Lorenz Lutheran Church, 1030 W. Tuscola St. Rev. Bradley Hubbard will officiate and a private committal service will take place. Irene’s family will receive visitors at Cederberg Funeral Home of Frankenmuth, 590 N. Franklin St. on Friday from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider memorials to St. Lorenz Music Ministry, St. Lorenz Media Ministry, or a charity of donor's choice."

Summer is on the way, and that means it's about to be road trip season. I always enjoy driving around during the spring and summer months, discovering new towns around Michigan. Fall is a great time to road trip, too, because of the gorgeous colors. This state has so many beautiful small towns, which make for perfect stops during a long road trip.

So, how small are Michigan's tiniest dwellings? I actually looked up some data from the state of Michigan and discovered that many towns in Michigan have just a few hundred people. That's almost hard to imagine. Some examples are Addison at 597, Akron at 394 and Alba at 295. Now, that's really, really small.

When it comes to Michigan's quaint cities, I always enjoy South Haven. My uncle lives around that area, and I used to go there at lot as a kid. The beach town is right on the eastern shores of Lake Michigan, in the southwest part of the state. Its population is just over 4,000 residents, but it seems way bigger during the summer months, as it's a very popular tourist destination. Just thinking about South Haven's warm, sandy beaches is making me smile. If you head there, don't forget to check out South Haven's trademark red lighthouse.

Of course, South Haven is just the beginning when it comes to great places to visit. Read on for 40 small towns in Michigan that you need to visit this summer for a weekend getaway. You'll also find information on each town below with a link to that town's official website, so you can find more details about the best time to visit and how to get there.

https://www.munising.org/

https://www.travelmarquette.com/

https://www.traversecity.com/

https://www.michigan.org/city/holland

https://saultstemarie.com/

https://www.alpena.mi.us/

https://tawascity.org/

https://www.sjcity.com/

https://www.cityofharborsprings.com/

https://www.escanaba.org/

https://www.frankenmuth.org/

https://www.mackinacisland.org/

https://www.ci.northville.mi.us/

https://villageofontonagon.org/

https://www.michigan.org/city/paradise

https://www.copperharbor.org/

https://www.saugatuck.com/

https://www.southhaven.org/

https://petoskeyarea.com/

https://visitludington.com/

http://www.pentwater.org/

https://www.mytecumseh.org/

http://www.colonmichigan.org/

http://www.cityofboynecity.com/

https://www.michigan.org/city/caseville

https://portaustinarea.com/

https://www.easttawas.com/

https://stignace.com/

https://www.michigan.org/city/suttons-bay

https://www.newberrychamber.net/

http://www.cityofmarshall.com/

https://www.harrisvillemi.org/

https://www.frankfortmich.com/

https://villageofelberta.com/

https://elkrapids.org/

https://www.michigan.org/city/au-gres

https://www.rosecitymich.com/

https://www.gaylordmichigan.net/

https://menominee.us/