Norm "Lefty" Panganis

Norman Lefty Panganis, 75, of Mt. Pleasant, passed away unexpectedly, Saturday, April 9, 2016, at McLaren Central Michigan. A Funeral Mass for Lefty will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 13, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Father Don Henkes as Celebrant. A luncheon will immediately follow at Charles R. Lux Family Funeral Home. The family will receive family and friends at Charles R. Lux Family Funeral Home on Tuesday from 4-8 p.m. Visitation will continue at the church on Wednesday one hour prior to Mass. Memorial contributions may be made to the wishes of the family. Envelopes are available at the funeral home. Lefty was born Nov. 23, 1940, in Detroit, son of the late Anthony and Carol (Kipitz) Panganis. A graduate of St. Andrews Catholic High School in Allen Park, he received his bachelors degree in teaching from Central Michigan University. While in college he met Carol White, whom he would marry. Together they had four children, Jamie, Steve, Norman Scott and Jill. He taught for a total of 18 years at Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart, Coleman, and after moving to Escanaba in 1966, continued teaching at St. Joseph School and Escanaba High School. Throughout his teaching career he was a coach for various sports including basketball, tennis, football, and wrestling which his team won a State Championship while in Escanaba. After his teaching career, he worked for Federal Oil for a number of years before starting his own business, Namron Investments. He retired from Consumers Power where he leased land for them over a period of 15 years. He was a member of Sacred Heart Parish and also belonged to the Elks Club, Moose Lodge, Eagles Club, MOGA, and Pleasant Investors Stock Club. He was an avid hunter and fisher and belonged to the Safari Club International. Lefty is survived by three children, Jamie (Brad) Brandt of Escanaba, Steve (Kristin) Panganis of Williamston, and Jill Panganis-Cotter of Beal City; seven grandchildren, Andy and Jeny Brandt, Madelyn, Chasen, and Olivia Panganis, and Noah and Nathan Cotter; his significant other, Lorraine Redmond of Harrison; two brothers, Robert (Geraldine) Panganis of Livonia and Gerald (Geraldine) Panganis of Allen Park; several nieces and nephews; and special aunt, Lorraine (Norbert) Junewick of Comstock Park. He was preceded in death by his parents; infant son, Norman Scott in 1967; and mother of his children, Carol Panganis in 2005.