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Luigi Guidi

Name: Visitation
Start: 03/23/2023 04:00 PM
End: 03/23/2023 06:00 PM
Location: Mortensen Funeral Home

January 11, 1939 — March 15, 2023

Charlevoix

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Past Services

Visitation

Mortensen Funeral Homes Charlevoix Location

Thursday, March 23, 2023

4:00 - 6:00 pm (Eastern time)

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Funeral Mass

Saint Mary's Church

Friday, March 24, 2023

Starts at 11:00 am (Eastern time)

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Luigi Guidi

Luigi Guidi, 84, of Charlevoix, passed away on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at his home surrounded by family. Luigi was born in San Marino on January 11, 1939 to Umberto and Caterina (Moroni) Guidi. When he was only 5 years old, his father died. He left school after third grade to go to work for a blacksmith and provide for his mother and younger brother.

He immigrated to Detroit when he was 18 years old, joining an uncle and cousins who were already there. In 1963 he married Elsa Chemello, and they moved from Detroit to Northville the following year. He worked in the construction trades for most of his life, mostly doing masonry work. His work brought him up to northern Michigan, and he decided he wanted to move up permanently and leave city life behind. In 1974, he and Elsa, their toddler daughter Lisa, and his mother-in-law Bernardina made the move up north. Within a few years, he went into business for himself, establishing "San Marino Construction." He worked on many homes, chimneys, fireplaces, basements, and tile. Some of the work he was most proud of was special work he did for Virginia Olsen, one house in particular on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Division Street on the north side of Charlevoix that was featured in many architectural magazines, TV shows, and Charlevoix historical books. He considered himself an artist with his work.

After his retirement, he especially enjoyed fishing summer mornings with his buddy Dick Way, his mornings in the coffee shop in Atwood with his buddies year-round, and weekly winter card games with some Norwood friends. He was an avid skeet shooter, until the Elk Rapids club closed, as well as an avid hunter and fisherman. He enjoyed mushroom hunting and apple picking, and generally having outdoor fun with his many friends. He enjoyed "playing" with his tractors on his property and tending to his grape vines and making his homemade wine. He also enjoyed tinkering in his barn and basement, metal working, wood working, and blacksmithing, including the making of his many cannons. He enjoyed good food, good wine, and cocktails (particularly manhattans).

When he was told of his terminal prognosis and his final weeks to live, he said he was not sad. He had a good, long life, and he was happy with the life he had. He truly enjoyed his life in northern Michigan.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Elsa; his daughter Lisa and son-in-law Randy Zipp, and his grandkids Camella and Logan who he was immensely proud of; his brother Corrado in San Marino and his wife Teresina and their kids Roberta, Rosita, Paola, and Roberto and his grand-nieces Maddelena, Eleonora, Caterina and Teresa; his cousin Bertino and his wife Anna, and many cousins and extended family in San Marino and the Detroit metro area; and many, many friends. He was preceded in death by his father in 1944 and his mother in 2000.

A funeral mass will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 24, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Charlevoix. Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 23 at the Charlevoix Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes. He will be laid to rest in Norwood Cemetery in the spring of 2023.

Arrangements are in the care of the Charlevoix Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes. Please sign his online guestbook at www.mortensenfuneralhomes.com

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