Sheltered Harbor Pet Memorials

Sheltered Harbor Pet Memorials is a veteran-owned small business that specializes in handcrafted pet memorial items. It is our goal to provide quality items to help remember and honor your beloved pets. Each item is handcrafted to be as unique as the pet it's made to memorialize.In 2020 the idea of Sheltered Harbor Pet Memorials was born, After 20 years in the military, Gordon wanted to do something fulfilling to complement his wife, Jessi’s business, Compassionate Pet Care of the U.P. where she does in-home veterinary nursing services. He saw a lack of locally made, personalized pet memorial items in the U.P. and felt the need to fill that void. Keeping with the local aspect, Sheltered Harbor Pet Memorials strives to keep as much of their materials sourced from the U.P. as possible.

Gordon runs Sheltered Harbor Pet Memorials’ day-to-day operations. You can most often find him in the shop engraving one-of-a-kind memorial items or completing the assembly and finishing of handcrafted wooden memorials. 

Gordon is a 20-year veteran of the United States Coast Guard where he was a Machinery Technician. Originally from Southeast Michigan, he enlisted in 2000. After basic training, he was stationed in Dollar Bay, MI, at STANT Portage. He met Jessi and fell in love with the UP. After transferring to Frankfort, MI, and Ketchikan, AK, he and Jessi returned to Marquette in 2011. Knowing that the UP would always be “home,” they put down roots in Negaunee. After another two transfers that would take him to Portsmouth, VA, and Newport, RI. He retired in 2021, having achieved the rank of Chief Machinery Technician (MKC/E7). In addition to Sheltered Harbor Pet Memorial, Gordon also owns Irontown Woodworker.

Jessi is the driving force behind ideas. She also completes the assembly of many of the laser-cut/engraved items for clients. Jessi has been a licensed veterinary technician (LVT) since 2008. She has lived most of her life in the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Michigan and she wouldn’t want to call any other place “Home”! She has lived in many other places due to Gordon’s 20-year military career in the United States Coast Guard. Additionally, Jessi owns Compassionate Pet Care of the Upper Peninsula. She is the first veterinary professional to be certified in animal hospice and palliative care in the entire Upper Peninsula of Michigan and is one of less than 100 veterinary technicians worldwide to be certified in this field. 

Jessi and Gordon have 3 daughters and their current pet family includes an 18 year old Manx cat named Fiona, a 1 year old Highlander cat named DJ Katnip, a 5 year old black lab mix named Musta (moose-tah) and six, 1 year old friendly chickens- Big Bon, Bertha, Chip, Hedwig, Penelope and Lucy.