John G Tarrant

John Griffith Tarrant passed away peacefully on October 9, 2025 at Meadow Brook with his family by his side. He was born in Saginaw, MI on March 29, 1931 to William and Blanche (Griffith) Tarrant. He grew up in Saginaw and graduated from Arthur Hill High School in 1949. He joined the Army in 1951 during the Korean War and served honorably as a 1st Lieutenant. He continued to serve in the Army Reserves as a Captain until 1964. In 1953, he enrolled at Michigan State University on the GI Bill. That’s where he met the love of his life, Mary Lou Hawley. They were married on September 3, 1955 and lived in married housing until John graduated in 1957 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism.

Following graduation, he was hired at a weekly newspaper in St. Louis, Michigan. He honed his skills at that paper serving in multiple roles, and learned a lot about the business. He left that job in 1958 when he was hired to sell advertising at the Grand Rapids Herald. During his career of 68 years in the newspaper business, John served in many different capacities but his true passion was always the weekly community newspaper. In his later career, he was the publisher of a large group of weekly newspapers in the downriver area of Detroit – the largest of these was the Wyandotte News Herald.

He managed that group of newspapers until 1987 when he decided he wanted an even bigger challenge – to own and operate his own newspaper. He found a group of weekly newspapers for sale in Bellaire, MI. He convinced his wife, two daughters and son-in-law to move up north and join him in this family venture. At that time the group consisted of the Antrim County News, Leader and Kalkaskian and the Penny Stretcher. As the years went by, he added the Torch and Torch Printing in Central Lake and The Town Meeting in Elk Rapids.

John decided later he wanted to retire so the family sold the business to a large newspaper group. The new company, more interested in increasing profits and cutting expenses, shut down the papers. Filling the void, John started The Bellaire Review in 2003 which became The Antrim Review. Always keeping in mind his belief that people can get their national and state news from anywhere but local community news comes from your local newspaper.

John loved northern Michigan. He served on the board of the Bellaire Chamber of Commerce for many years and was a long-time member of the Bellaire Rotary Club. He also served on many other various boards in the area.

He enjoyed traveling with his wife, working in his yard, reading, writing and spending time with his family at their cottage on Lake Huron.

John was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Ellsworth and William; sisters Florence and Arlene and his wife of 66 years, Mary Lou.

He will be greatly missed by his two daughters Patricia (Jeffrey) Hallberg and Jacqueline Tarrant; two granddaughters Whitney (Nick Faust) Hallberg, Kristen (Darrek) Meadows and his great-granddaughter Violet Meadows.

A Service honoring his memory will be held at 1:00 pm Monday, Oct. 20 at Church in the Hills, 6401 Shanty Creek Rd., Bellaire, Pastor David Ramage officiating. Visitation will begin at 11:30 am. And there will be a luncheon immediately following the service.

If interested in honoring John’s memory, the family asks that you make a donation to The American Heart Association or The Glaucoma Foundation.

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