Maurice “Morey” R. Yaklin

Morey Yaklin, age 80, of White Lake, Michigan passed away peacefully while surrounded by family on September 12, 2026.

Morey was born in Owosso Michigan in 1946 to Willie Mae Yaklin (Disspain) and Otto Nicholas Yaklin. Morey attended Saint Michael Catholic School in Maple Grove, Michigan, and credited his success in both college and life to the Dominican nun teachers there. Morey later graduated from the University of Michigan, earning Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Mechanical Engineering.

Morey’s motto was “always leave things better than you found them,” and he will be remembered for his tireless dedication to family, friends and church. For his wife of 58 years and “Angel,” he was a rock. For his children, he was the first person to turn to in an emergency and always available to help with homework or fix your car. Indeed, he knew how to fix almost anything and happily helped or shared his knowledge with family and countless neighbors and friends. For church, he volunteered as a lector from age 18 to 80, was a Minister of the Eucharist, and encouraged his children to participate as altar servers and singers.

Morey had a lifelong love of cars. Growing up on his parents’ farm, he learned from his father how to fix a tractor then began tuning up and racing “muscle cars” in high school. He worked for ten years as an Apprentice and Journeyman Toolmaker at the Chevrolet manufacturing center in Flint, Michigan while working his way through engineering school. Upon graduating, he took a job as an engineer at the Ford Research and Engineering Center in Dearborn, Michigan, a position he would happily hold for the next 34 years. One of the highlights of his life was attending the Bob Bondurant School of High-Performance Driving. After retirement, he bought and restored a Chevy Malibu, the model of the first muscle car he ever owned.

Morey also loved fitness and sports. In high school he played football and ran track and cross-country. As an adult he played racquet ball and volleyball while still finding time to coach his son’s club baseball teams for 12 years, but perhaps his favorite workout was “jogging” around the neighborhood, frequently picking up litter along the way. He made remarkable recoveries from two bouts of cancer, continuing to run and play sports for many years, and was particularly proud of administering the Thursday Night racquet ball club until the week of his death.

To our family, Morey was a role model and continued to be even in his final months. When his cancer metastasized this year, he was grateful for the additional years he had been granted and ready to meet his Maker. He was lucid, measured and extraordinarily patient throughout the process and continued to tell stories until only a few days before he passed.

Morey is preceded in death by his father, Otto Yaklin; his mother Willie Mae Yaklin, and his sister, Marie Davis.

He is survived by his wife, Verna Yaklin; children and their spouses, Saundra Yaklin & Mac Rogers, Deanne Yaklin & Nils Guttenplan, Sharla & Dan Buza, Eric & Kerry Yaklin and Amanda Yaklin & Becky Quinn; his grandchildren, Kira, Braden and Rease Buza, Yann and Lukas Guttenplan, and Milo Yaklin; and his chosen family, Theresa & Matt McKillop, Rick & Gigi Cikowski and their families.

Friends may visit the Lewis E. Wint & Son Funeral Home, Clarkston on Wednesday, September 16, 2026 from 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM. Rosary service will take place at 5:00 PM.

Funeral Mass to be held at St. Patrick Catholic Church, White Lake on Thursday, September 17, 2026 at 11:00 AM with visiting and eulogy beginning at 10:00 AM.

Private cemetery service to take place at St. Michael's Cemetery, 18195 Lincoln Road, New Lothrop, MI 48460 on Friday, September 18, 2026 at 1:00 PM. No procession; meet at cemetery at 1:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Patrick Catholic Church, White Lake.

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