Theron Melvin Kanine

     Theron Melvin "Mel" Kanine, Jr., age 83, of St. Louis, MI, passed away Friday, October 10, 2025, at Covenant Hospital-Harrison Campus, Saginaw, MI.
     A Memorial Service will be held at St. Louis Church of Christ, St. Louis, MI, at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, October 25, 2025, with Dr. Keith J. Wise and Pastor Jut Daron officiating. Burial will take place at Emerson Township Cemetery. Visitation will be held Friday, October 24, 2025, from 2-8 P.M. with the family present from 2-4 & 6-8 P.M. at St. Louis Church of Christ.
     Mel was born in Chelsea, MI on July 22, 1942, the son of Theron Melvin and Edith Alma (Hart) Kanine. Mel graduated from St. Louis High School with the class of 1960. Mel married Karen Kay Quidort on September 16, 1961, at the St. Louis Church of Christ. They enjoyed 64 years of marriage.
     Mel worked at Detroiter Mobile Homes until he started working full-time at Quidort Sales and Services in 1964. He and Karen took over the business in 1981. He retired from the business in 2015, at the age of 73. Not only was Mel the community small engine mechanic, he was also a friend that many would stop by Quidort’s just to visit. After he left the shop, people continued to find him at his home to have their chainsaw chains sharpened.
     Mel and Karen bought their home in 1961, added on to it in 1969, and raised their family of 4 there. It is still their home. Though not financially rich, he was rich in family and love. The family of six would take trips to the UP visiting family, hunting, driving the back roads, and finding places to fish. The well-packed car made camping trips to the Muskegon River as well as to New York.
     Mel enjoyed hunting, trapping, and fishing. He and Karen would often take their vacations bear hunting in the UP, which conveniently coordinated with their anniversary. Mel had fond memories of Bear Camp. His bear “Suzy” is still mounted in the house. Mel raised hunting dogs, mostly black and tans and beagles. For many years, it was part of the holiday tradition to rabbit hunt in the UP over the Christmas/New Year’s break. Many of the beagle pups he raised were purchased by others state wide.
     As a young man, he would cover multiple miles a day through the woods carrying his 30-30 deer hunting. In recent years, he hunted more from his shack. He enjoyed being out in the woods. Mel would take the family sucker spearing, smelt dipping, ice fishing and other fishing trips. Often these trips would result in someone getting wet. Mel was a farmer at heart. For many years, he raised his own cattle. He used his old Farmall H to cut and bale hay. Somehow it became a family and friends adventure. Not only did he sell chainsaws, he also cut and split his own firewood. From old McCullochs, to Partners and then Husquavarnas, Mel was the area's best chainsaw expert.
     Mel was blessed with family. His family grew from four children to twelve grandchildren to twenty-three great grandchildren. He enjoyed giving rides through the woods, first with the garden tractor and trailer and later with the Kawasaki Mule. Mel and Karen enjoyed having all of the family together at their home. From pancakes after church to holidays, the family grew until their house could hardly hold them all. Mel enjoyed spending time at the cabin in the UP. He and Karen would spend the day driving the wildlife loops at Seney National Wildlife Refuge. They enjoyed photographing the wildlife and scenes. Mel loved driving about the country with his pickup and camper. They would pack up their “turtle shell” and would spend the day making their way from one campground to the next.
     He is survived by his wife Karen Kanine of St. Louis, MI; his children: Vicki and James Monroe of St. Louis MI; Annette and Matthew Elder III of St. Louis, MI; David and Shada (Biabani) Kanine of St.Louis, MI; and Tonya and Chris Grupp of Garrett, IN; his grandchildren: Lindsey and Pong Wara, Zachary and Emily Monroe, Corey and Allie Monroe, Casey and Danny Buegar, Matthew (MH) Elder IV, Katelind and Sean Haak, Hannah and David Morch, Melanie Kanine, Evan Goodell, Tara Goodell, Tiffany and AJ Diaz, and Christopher II and Tasia Grupp. He is also survived by great-grandchildren: Benjamin and Samuel Wara, Winter Monroe, Maeve and Keeley Monroe, Amaya, Layla and Kaya Buegar, Matthew Elder V, Leo, Elliot and Sophia Haak, Grace and James Morch, Olivia Walters, Inez Diaz, Kallum and Oliver Watson, Darius and Lucian Diaz, Christopher III, Timothy and Skyler Grupp. He is also survived by his brother Robert and Leila Vinson, and his sisters: Joyce Wrisley and Myrna Welch and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents.
     In lieu of flowers, Memorials/Donations may be made to: Mel’s Granddaughter Lindsey Monroe’s English tutoring mission in Thailand made payable to St. Louis Church of Christ, 1075 W. Monroe Rd. St. Louis MI, 48880. Designate it for PEACE English Friends or Seney National Wildlife Refuge https://friendsofseney.org/online-donation/. Online condolences may be made at www.smithfamilyfuneralhomes.com. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes, St. Louis, Michigan.