Non-Profit Hospice Foundation
Most Hospice organizations depend on generous donations of time, money and compassionate care. During our four decades of service, we have benefited from countless hours of volunteer service and contributions of financial support, unused medical supplies, and equipment. What makes our non-profit foundation unique, however, is that 100% of all donated monies go directly back to Hospice patients and their families. No donated funds ever go towards operating costs or overhead. Our Board of Directors (described below) are the wonderful people responsible for overseeing the U.P. Hospice Foundation and the dispersal of donated funds to Hospice patients. Their mission is to support the Living Philosophy of our Hospice. The Make-a-Memory Program is one of the ways this is accomplished.
Click Here to read some of the beautiful examples of the Make-A-Memory program.
Make A Memory
Hospice Foundation
Cindy Nyquist, RN
President and FounderCindy Nyquist, RN
President-U.P. Hospice Foundation
Cindy is the Founder of the non-profit U.P. Hospice Foundation; and U.P. Home Health & Hospice. Cindy introduced the Philosophy of Hospice to the Upper Peninsula in 1973. Cindy recognized that this philosophy was desperately needed to provide the necessary care to individuals and their families diagnosed with a Life-Limiting Diagnosis. Hospice care became a life-long vocation for Cindy and she has inspired many to join this worthy goal. Cindy continues to be a local, regional, and national expert and presenter regarding Hospice and Palliative Care. You may still find her meeting personally with families when they are making the decision about whether Hospice and Palliative care is the best choice for them. She regularly shares, with anyone who will listen, that Hospice is about LIVING and 
.
Dave Aro
Executive DirectorDave Aro
Executive Director-U.P. Hospice Foundation
Dave has been the Executive Director of the UP Hospice Foundation since April of 2013 in a volunteer capacity. Dave began his work career in 1990 with UP Home Health & Hospice after graduating from Michigan Tech University, and worked into the CEO position with Professional Rehabilitation Services & Management (an affiliate of UPHHH) following that position until 1998 when he began working with Bell Hospital. Dave worked up to be the Vice President of Operations at Bell Hospital, overseeing all rehabilitation services and physician clinics, along with the Bell Foundation and other areas until leaving in 2012. Dave and several partners started Superior Rehabilitation & Professional Services then Active Physical Therapy in Ishpeming and Negaunee, which has grown into a nearly 50 employee venture as of the end of 2015. Dave’s involvement in the community includes being the 2015-16 Leader of the Marquette County Ambassadors, Officer of the Lake Superior Community Partnership, Vice Chair of the Ishpeming DDA, and many years of involvement in Kiwanis.
Jesse Bell
President-Bell FinancialJesse Bell
President Bell Financial
Jesse is a lifelong resident of the Upper Peninsula, educated at Northern Michigan University wherehe earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Personal Finance. He has been working in the financial services industry since 1996 and has been President of Bell Financial since 2001, where he and his team provide investment management and financial planning services to organizations and families. Jesse's commitment to the upper Michigan community is reflected in his volunteer activities which include: Officer of the Lake Superior Community Partnership, past Leader of the Marquette County Ambassadors, past Chairman of the Ishpeming Downtown Development Authority, and past Chairman of the Great Lakes Center for Youth Development board of directors. Jesse enjoys many of the outdoor recreation opportunities afforded to Yoopers: cross country skiing, mountain biking, backcountry snowmobiling, family camping and his current passion, dual-sport motorcycling. He also spends some time in his wood shop where he does woodturning and cabinetmaking. Jesse lives in Marquette with his wife, Christina, and their four children.
Neal Crothers
Retired-CEO of Assisted Living FacilitesNeal Crothers
Retired-CEO of Assisted Living Facilities
Neal is a 1985 graduate of Northern Michigan University where he received his degree in Communications and Business. After living and working downstate, he and his wife Carolyn moved back to Marquette in 1990 where they raised their two children Maija and Mitchel. Neal retired after 22 years in the pharmaceutical industry and finishing his career, most recently, as the Executive Director at Brookridge Heights Assisted Living. Neal and Carolyn are both enjoying retirement. Neal is an active member at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Superiorland Kiwanis, and the U.P. Sports camp board. Neal and Carolyn both love to travel, volunteer time, and spend time with family.
Jack Frost
Senior Vice President – Range Bank, N.A.Jack Frost
Senior Vice President – Range Bank, N.A.
Jack is a graduate of Western Michigan University and has worked in the financial services industry for 24 years. Jack currently leads the Trust & Wealth Management Department at Range Bank. Jack, his wife Kim, and their family moved to the UP in 2001. They live on a family farm in Skandia with their four children and 30+ animals. In addition to raising and selling livestock through the family farm, Jack volunteers with many organizations in the community, including: Marquette County 4H, Marquette DDA, The Rotary Club of Marquette, The Marquette Rotary Foundation, Marquette County Habitat for Humanity, Evergreen Award, Marquette Junior Hockey, and Marquette Public Schools. Jack and Kim participated, as Dancers, in Dancing With Our Stars two times. They personally used U.P. Home Health & Hospice (UPHHH) for Kim’s father. Jack commented, “The people who work for UPHHH are truly angels. We don’t know what we would have done without them. I am proud to support UPPHH and the Hospice Foundation.”
Jeremy Hanson
Funeral Director/Owner Swanson-Lundquist Funeral HomeJeremy Hansen
Funeral Director/Owner Fassbender-Swanson-Hansen Funeral Home & Cremation Services
Jeremy is a 1998 graduate of Wayne State University where he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Mortuary Science, Summa Cum Laude. He is the owner of Fassbender-Swanson-Hansen Funeral Home & Cremation Services. Jeremy currently serves as the District 10 President for Michigan Funeral Directors Association. He is also a member of the Marquette General Hospital Pastoral Advisory Committee, Marquette Noon Kiwanis Club, Downtown Development Authority, Upper Peninsula Family Solutions. Hansen currently resides in Marquette.
Nheena Ittner
Founder/Director-Upper Peninsula Children's MuseumNheena Ittner
Founder/Director-Upper Peninsula Children's Museum
Nheena is a University of Michigan graduate and was an art teacher downstate and in Ishpeming for many years, as well as a practicing artist. Nheena has two children who both live in Detroit. Her oldest is a resident working in Family Care and her youngest is a Grant Writer for the Detroit Music Hall. Her significant other, Neil Cumberlidge is a biology professor at NMU. They reside on Lakewood Lane. She is the proud owner of the world’s cutest dog, Daisy, a 3 1/2 lb. Chihuahua / Yorkie mix.
Kent Jenema
Retired-PharmacistKent Jenema
Retired-Pharmacist
Kent Graduated from Ferris State University in 1980 as a Registered Pharmacist. He moved to Marquette County from Marion Michigan in 1981 and has practiced pharmacy in Marquette County since. Kent purchased Peninsula Pharmacy in 1997 and is an active and involved pharmacy owner. His passion for pharmacy lies within the ability to care for individuals and be actively involved with hospice care. Kent is a member of the Michigan Pharmacy Association and National Community Pharmacy Association. He is an Avid outdoorsman and competitive mountain biker as well as Nordic Skier. He competes in many events throughout the year including Wisconsin Off Road Series mountain bike races, the Ore To Shore, the VASA ski race as well as the Noquemanon to name a few. Kent is one of only a small handful of people that have competed in every edition of the Ore-To-Shore mountain bike race.
Jackie Menhennick
mBank Senior Vice President, Mortgage & Consumer Lending ManagerJackie Menhennick
Retired Mortgage & Consumer Lending Manager
Bob Raica
Strategic Planning Consultant-U.P. Home Health & HospiceBob Raica
Strategic Planning Consultant-U.P. Home Health & Hospice
Bob is a Michigan native born in Detroit and raised in Munising. Bob graduated from Northern Michigan University in 1973 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Service and Sociology. Bob began employment with Marquette General hospital in 1979 where he held multiple management positions including 22 years as a Senior Administrator. He retired from MGH in 2008 and then worked for Excalibur Medical Imaging as Manager of the Professional Radiology Service until the hospital discontinued the company’s contract. He then joined U.P. Home Health & Hospice in 2011. Over the years he has been very active in the Marquette community serving as President of the areas Chamber of Commerce, past Leader of the Marquette County Ambassadors and several state organizations.
Gary L. Walker
Retired Prosecuting AttorneyGary L. Walker
Retired Prosecuting Attorney
Gary received his Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan in 1971. His Bachelor of Arts degree (Cum Laude) is from Michigan State University in 1968. Mr. Walker served as the Prosecuting Attorney for Marquette County, Michigan from 1974 until his retirement in December 2011, having been elected nine times. He was a member of the Board of Directors and past President of the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan. He also served as chairperson of the Prosecuting Attorneys Coordinating Council (PACC), a five member board that oversees the education and training of prosecutors in Michigan. Mr. Walker has testified in both Congress and the State Legislature on criminal justice issues and was a frequent presenter in state and national legal education conferences. Mr. Walker was recently successful in his campaign for Supervisor of Chocolay Township. In his spare time, Gary enjoys fly fishing and hunting.
Jan Wickstrom
Retired School TeacherJan Wickstrom
Retired School Teacher
Jan Wickstrom was born and raised in Morenci, MI and has spent every summer in Traverse City until 2015. Jan graduated in 1973 with a B.A. from Northern Michigan University and earned her teaching degree a year later. She taught 5th grade for 31 years, retiring 10 years ago in 2006. Jan is married to Don Wickstrom and has one son, two step-sons, and a baby girl grand-child on the way. Jan has personally used U.P. Home Health & Hospice for herself and her mother. Her mother was in Hospice with UPHH the remaining week of her life. Jan commented, “U.P. Home Health & Hospice made it so much easier on my mother and our family by being in their care. We are forever grateful to them and it is an honor to serve on the Hospice Foundation Board.”
Susan Wideman
Attorney/Owner Wideman Law Center P.C.Susan Wideman
Attorney/Owner-Wideman Law Center P.C.
Susan is the owner of the Wideman Law Center P.C., located in Marquette, Michigan. She began the process of building her elder law and disability rights practice in May of 2002, and currently serves over 2000 individuals and families throughout the Upper Peninsula and Northern Michigan. Susan has served on the Boards of several senior-focused and state and community service organizations including the Michigan Commission on Services to the Aging State Advisory Council on Aging , Marquette County Commission on Aging, the Marquette/Alger Alzheimer’s Association Wraparound Program, Marquette Noon Rotary, the Negaunee Township Planning Commission, the Negaunee School Board, and the Negaunee Community Fund. Ms. Wideman Schaible is a frequent presenter on Ask The Lawyers and the Channel 6 Money Report. Her articles on Elder Law and Estate Planning issues have appeared in the Marquette Mining Journal, Marquette Monthly, and Mature Citizen. She is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the Marquette County Bar Association, and the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys. Susan earned her law degree from The Thomas Cooley Law School, in Lansing, Michigan and her undergraduate degree in Design and Environmental Analysis from Cornell University, in Ithaca, N.Y. She and her family live in Negaunee Township, Michigan.
