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Sebewa Recollector
THE SEBEWA RECOLLECTOR, Historical Newsletter from Sebewa (Sebewa Township, Ionia County, Michigan); June 2012, Volume 47, Number 6. Submitted with written permission of Author Grayden D. Slowins: Front page photo: SEBEWA HIGH SCHOOL 4-H Sewing Class about 1939-1940. Left to Right: Dorothy Stemler, Mary Lou Benschoter, Florence Erdman, Ilene Darling, Pearl Piercefield, Betty Brown, Frieda Huizenga. OBITUARIES: Will Thorp, Mrs. Joseph Lawless, Ed.Townsend, Wilbur R. Darling, George Gunn, William B. Fuller, John High, John R. Petrie, James A. Carroll. “VOICES FROM THE PAST” & “THOUGHTS WHILE STROLLING ON KENT STREET” Gathered from back issues of PORTLAND REVIEW & OBSERVER”: June 4, 1959: Will Pohl of Portland is the proud grandfather of four sets of twins, and three of those sets have been born in the last nine months. First of the twins were born five years ago to Mr. & Mrs. Linus Pohl, who now live near Fowler. Parents of the other sets are Mr. & Mrs. Alfred P. (Anna Pohl) Thelen, Mr. & Mrs. Marvin (Janet Pohl) Fedewa, and Mr. & Mrs. Joseph A. (Mary Pohl) Simon. (A fifth set, born to Burton & Marian Barton Brown, were grandchildren of Rose Barton Pohl, Will Pohl’s second wife, and thus Will’s step-grandchildren.) Gerritt VanPolen recently received a newspaper from his brother Cornelius Van Polen who is an engineer in Ankara, Turkey. The reason it was sent was because it contained pictures of St. Mary’s church fire in Westphalia, MI, USA. In Westphalia Alfred & Hilary Snitgen are clearing out a wooded building extending west from their store. It is to be torn down, after having stood for nearly 90 years. It has been used as a warehouse, and every spring large qualities of wool are stored there. Other arrangements are being made for the wool. (A couple issues back we reported a similar fate for Clifton Peake’s wool warehouse across from Leik Brother’s Garage in Portland.) Bill Willemin, employed by GM in Lansing, and his wife (Elaine (Bugsey) Spohn) will enjoy summer weekends at Crystal Lake, as they have bought a cottage from Dr. & Mrs. W. H. McBride. (Close to Mr. & Mrs. William (Beth) Bills, former residents of Portland; she was longtime treasurer of Crystal Township). On Decoration Day (Memorial Day) John Webber came into a Portland restaurant. Mr. & Mrs. Webber drove down from Menomonee Falls, WI, to Lansing the day before. (Another city in Wisconsin is spelled Menomonie, and the city in Michigan of same name is spelled Menominee!) John was born and raised in Portland, his parents are buried here and he visits Portland each Decoration Day. (John’s parents are Lorenzo & Dora A. Stone Webber, his grandparents were John A. & Mary E. Mason Webber. Senior Lorenzo was the oldest brother of the Webbers who founded banks in Lyons and Ionia. He and his son John A. founded L. Webber & Son Bank, later called Webber State Savings Bank, in Portland. They are buried in Elmira, NY.) June 4, 1919: On June 23 the Pere Marquette Railroad will restore two morning trains through Portland which were canceled some time ago. The first will leave Portland for Grand Ledge at about 2:00 A.M. and will return about 11:00 A.M. Will Thorp died at his home in Sebewa Township Saturday. He was 38 years old and leaves a wife and four children. Frank Pryer, prominent Danby farmer, last week underwent a nasal operation in Ann Arbor. June 4, 1939: Graduating from Portland High School Friday are: Wayne Adgate, Melbern Barber, Richard Beard, Wayne Brown, George Burns, Richard Derby, Donald Knuth, Philip Koelzer, Mark Lehman, Charles Manning, Richard Morse, Edwin Owen, Leland Pierce,Blanchard Rice, Fred Rowe, Jr., Dwaine Sandborn, Max Sandborn, Jerry Smith, Marvin Thrasher, LaVern Weisenberg, George Yonker, Clarence Van Sickle, Ruth Barnard, Dorothy Bishop, Marguerite Burger, Nona Ruth Cooper, Mary Curry, Elizabeth Davidson, June Graft, Geraldine Hoenicke, Donna Belle Hunt, Patricia Jarvis, Janet Kilvington, Margaret Kerr, Marjorie Keusch, Ellen McClung, Madeline Myers, Frances Riker, Nora Rocka, Ruth Rowe, June Sandborn, Marguerite Schaefer, Florence Schalow, Leolyn Scheurer, Mae Rose Schuller, Rena Selden, Harriet Smith, Lillian Sumner, Mary Thomson, Alice Wheeler, Valliere Winter and Dorothy Zerfas. Dan M. Watson was elected chairman of Ionia County Republicans. Officers elected by the Portland Methodist Missionary Society were: President, Mrs. Robert (Blanche) Brooks, Vice Presidents: Miss Carrie Martin, Mrs. James Plumb and Mrs. Will (Grace A.) McClelland. June16, 1949: Fire destroyed the farm home of Mr. & Mrs. John Meyers, located east of Portland on Looking Glass Avenue. This was the former Joseph Owen place. Ralph Summers, former Portland resident now living on the west coast, has offered to sell the township a parcel of land running south from the cemetery to the river road (Okemos Road) and east to Charlotte Highway, for the sum of $3,500. It contains between 30 and 40 acres and will allow for the expansion of the cemetery, which is fast reaching its capacity. A special election of the cemetery must be held on August 8 to authorize the township board to make the purchase, which will be financed by a special tax levy of one mill for two years. Fred Shindorf’s gas station, located on US-16 three miles west of Portland, was again broken into early last Friday morning. Three quart containers of oil and three cartons of cigarettes were taken. Four youths from the Muskegon area were apprehended and signed statements admitting they stopped at the station when their car needed oil. When they could not purchase oil elsewhere in the area, they broke in. They were found asleep in their car about 15 miles west. Two were picked up by Muskegon County authorities and the other two were given lodging accommodations in Ionia County Jail. A recent issue of Michigan Tradesman carried pictures of one of the Salant & Salant factories in Tennessee. At one time this firm occupied the former Ramsey-Alton building here with a shirt factory, and employed several hundred women. It was back in the Depression days and they furnished about the only factory employment in town. They have more than a dozen large plants in Tennessee. (A new building was built by the Village of Portland in the same area, with Federal funding, and occupied by Barley-Earhart Corporation beginning about 1938.) July 28, 1949: Mrs. Joseph Lawless, 85, passed away yesterday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Lawrence Dark, in Grand Rapids. Mrs. Lawless’ maiden name was Elizabeth Fitzpatrick, and she was born in Canada, coming to the vicinity of Hubbardston as a small child. She was married to Joseph Lawless for 61 years, and he died 10 years ago. (They last lived in a small house on Green Street, and their last farm home was the forty acres on Goodwin Road in Orange Township later owned by Roy & Ann Wright. Prior to that their farm was on David Highway next to John Lawless, Sr., and that farm became the Arthur Gregory place.) She was an active member of St. Patrick’s Church and Altar Society. She also was a charter member of the Orange Thimble Club. Five Children survive: Nicholas Lawless, John Lawless, Jr., Francis Lawless, Mrs. Lawrence Dark and Mrs. James O’Conner. There are also two sisters, Mrs. John Lawless, Sr., and Mrs. Charles Wright, and two brothers, John and James Fitzpatrick, Sr. of Hubbardston. There are 24 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren. On Kent Street we meet David Blanchard up from Florida for a brief stay, going from Portland to that town and lived there for many years before going to Florida, where Mrs. Blanchard died last winter. For many years they operated a farm south of Portland near the Darr School. At another time he was associated with his father, Emory Blanchard, in the furniture and undertaking business. After their father’s death, he and Chester operated under the firm name Blanchard Brothers. All of this was long ago and he has been a Florida resident for a long time. Ed S. Townsend, 84, died Sunday at his home on Kelsey Highway hill just south of the Ionia golf course. Mr. Townsend was born March 19, 1865, on the farm a mile south later owned by Myron Badder. HE was married August 31, 1892, to Sara Ida Goodrich, of Portland, who survives, as does a son, Ray, and granddaughter, Mrs. Charles Lang. Nieces and nephews in this area are: Mrs. George Allen and Mrs. Beatrice Shindorf of Portland, Mrs. Earl Reed of Lake Odessa, and Ross Townsend of Eagle. Mr. Townsend owned and operated many acres of land and was a stock buyer for 63 years, bringing in many feeder cattle and lambs from the west and shipping many finished livestock to market. He was also active in politics. (A slightly fictionalized story of the Townsend family in Ionia County was titled CLAY ACRES, and caused quite a stir when published. Ed’s farm had been named “CLAY ACRES STOCK FARM” by the Kelsey family.) Glen Wyman Lewis, son of Charles & Mertie Wyman Lewis, and formerly of Portland, stopped in for a short visit. He is herdsman at the Gotfredson Farms at Grass Lake, MI, which consists of 1600 acres and 300 registered Brown Swiss Cows. This herd was started eight years ago with only 28 head. Glen is proud of the production records of his cows and enjoys his work a lot. He showed us a picture from a Jackson newspaper, which shows him by one of his cows. She is nine years old, freshened in May, and gives a ten-gallon can full each day. July 28, 1949: Beginning Monday, August 1, 1949, Mason Barrus & Sons Garage will be open 24 hours a day for repair work, wrecker service, greasing, oil change, vehicle storage! Portland’s first village By-Laws went beyond governing the public life of cattle and swine. They plainly stated certain taboos in regard to the villagers’ recreation, indicating that life had its trials, even in the “Good old days”. In 1869 By-law 21 said: “It shall not be lawful for any person or persons to fly a kite or play at any game of ball, or any sport with a ball, within forty rods of the upper bridge over the Grand River in said village. By-law 24 stated: “It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to sell or give away at any time or cause or permit to be sold or given away to any drunkard, minor or apprentice any spirituous or fermented liquors within the corporate limits.” Apparently there were certain restraints regarding the time a citizen of Portland could keep his conventional date with the tub. By-law 31 said: “It shall not be lawful for any person to bathe within the corporate limits of said village from the time of sunrise till one hour after sunset.” By-law 36 regulated business hours and gave certain privileges to pharmacists and coffin makers: “All shops, saloons, groceries and other places of business shall be closed at ten o’clock on Saturday night each week, provided however, that drug stores may be opened at any hour during the day or night for the purpose of preparing prescriptions for physicians or selling medicine for the sick, and cabinet shops for the purpose of making and trimming coffins.” Just as a precaution against a revolt or an overzealous Fourth of July, By-law 18 stated: “It shall not be lawful for any person or persons to have or keep or suffer to be kept or deposited in any building of place within the corporate limits of said village, except in a magazine kept for that purpose, a greater quantity of gun powder than 25 pounds and the same shall be kept in canisters with a secure tin cover and not to contain more than ten pounds of powder in each canister.” July 28, 1929: With very little remodeling necessary, the former residence of William Gibbs, (father of Louis Gibbs, grandfather of Lloyd Gibbs and Mildred Gibbs of Eagle,) located within a block of Kent Street, is to become a hospital. (This home was built as the residence of William R. Churchill, grandfather of Mrs. Frances Reynolds and Mrs. Herbert Schafer, Sr., but within our memory has always been a funeral home. W. R. Churchill operated a general store across the street in a building that preceded the Masonic Temple, which also housed the U. S. Post Office in our youth.) July 28, 1949: Beginning Monday, August 1, 1949, Mason Barrus & Sons Garage will be open 24 hours a day for repair work, wrecker service, oil change, vehicle storage! Portland’s first village By-laws went beyond governing the public life of cattle and swine. They plainly stated certain taboos in regard to the villagers’ recreation, indicating that life had its trials, even in the “Good old days.” In 1869 By-law 21 said: “It shall not be lawful for any person or persons to fly a kite or play at any game of ball, or any sport with a ball, within forty rods of the upper bridge over the Grand River in said village.” By-law 24 stated: “It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to sell or give away at any time or cause or permit to be sold or given away to any drunkard, minor or apprentice any spirituous or fermented liquors within the corporate limits.” Apparently there were certain restraints regarding the time a citizen of Portland could keep his conventional date with the tub. By-law 31 said: “It shall not be lawful for any person to bathe within the corporate limits of said village from the time of sunrise till one hour after sunset.” By-law 36 regulated business hours and gave certain privileges to pharmacists and coffin makers: “All shops, saloons, groceries and other places of business shall be closed at ten o’clock on Saturday night each week, provided however, that drug stores may be opened at any hour during the day or night for purpose of preparing prescriptions for physicians or selling medicine for the sick, and cabinet shops for the purpose of making and trimming coffins.” Just as a precaution against a revolt or an overzealous Fourth of July, By-law 18 stated: It shall not be lawful for any person or persons to have or keep or suffer to be kept or deposited in any building or place within the corporate limits of said village, except in a magazine kept for that purpose, a greater quantity of gun powder than 25 pounds and the same shall be kept in canisters with a secure tin cover and not to contain more than ten pounds of powder in each canister.” July 28, 1929: With very little remodeling necessary, the former residence of William Gibbs, (father of Louis Gibbs, grandfather of Lloyd Gibb and Mildred Briggs of Eagle,) located within a block of Kent Street, is to become a hospital. (This home was built as the residence of William R. Churchill, grandfather of Mrs. Frances Reynolds and Mrs. Herbert Schafer, Sr., but within our memory has always been a funeral home. W. R. Churchill operated a general store across the street in a building that preceded the Masonic Temple, which also housed the U. S. Post Office in our youth.) July 28, 1909: Dennis Farrell of Sebewa Township lost his house and contents by fire; the insurance adjuster put the loss at $573. Dennis was the father of Dennis Farrell, Sr., and the house was on a forty acre farm on the south side of Goodemoot Road, later part of the Issi & Ida Fletcher farm, now the Larry & Dawn Brearley farm. August 11, 1949; Wilbur R. Darling, 83, died at his home in Portland Village. He is survived by his widow, the former Pearl Warren, and daughters, Mrs. Forest Thurston of St. Johns and Mrs. Elden McLachlan of Evart. Mr. Darling was the son of Ephraim R. Darling & Melissa F. Eddy Darling, and was born on the family homestead in Orange Township, on which he farmed for many years. Then they lived in Mecosta County for a few years, and have lived in the Village of Portland for the past 25 years. (The family farm was located just east of the Eli Coleman farm, later Riley Sandborn farm, and originally consisted of 160 acres more or less, settled by Theodore Rice Darling & Mary Clarissa Selden Darling in 1844. Ephraim Darling was their oldest son. The land was split up in various chunks among various family members over the years, and eventually most of it became part of the Whitlock family farm. Geneva Whitlock married Howard Kneale and passed it along to her descendants.) Portland Township election officials believe a record was set in Monday’s vote, which was called to decide the matter of purchase of land for addition to the township cemetery. In Precinct No. 1 a total of 132 votes were cast, and not a one was in opposition to the proposition, indicating 100 percent agreement, which is hard to find on any subject. In Precinct No. 2 the result was almost unanimous, only four votes having been cast against the purchase. There were 81 votes cast in that precinct and one was spoiled. The land to be bought is a parcel of more than 30 acres, a part of the old Jed Briggs farm, and now owned by Ralph Summers, of California. He offered the plot to the township for $3,500. The late J. H. (Jed) Briggs owned this land as part of his dairy farm, and he operated a milk route in the village for many years. The price is considered fair and the residents of the township are fortunate to have this opportunity. Carl A. Smith, who has been in charge of the Stiles & Company stock yards in Portland for the past nine years, announced the purchase of the Ionia Livestock Auction Company, which has operated at Ionia for the past 15 years. The change in ownership takes place Monday, August 15, and on that day the new owners’ first livestock sale will take place there. There will be sales every Monday at 2:00 PM, with Arthur Peterson of Trufant as auctioneer, and the company will maintain a six-day market for buying livestock on orders. The Stiles & Company yards in Portland came under the direction of the Michigan Livestock Exchange a couple weeks ago, and Mr. Smith’s resignation here becomes effective Saturday of this week. He will continue to reside in Portland, driving to and from Ionia. Associated with Mr. Smith in purchase of the Ionia property are Emil Harges and Lee Swafford, both of Battle Creek. The oldest resident of Sebewa Township passed away at his home Monday. He was George Gunn, 87, who moved to Sebewa Township in 1865, having been born in Lenawee County, April 29, 1862. A daughter, Mrs. Beulah (Asa) Cassel of Traverse City, survives, also a sister, Miss Ella Gunn, of Sebewa. There is one grandson, Kenneth Cassel and a great-grandson, Larry Cassel, both of Lansing. Funeral services were held from the Sebewa Center Methodist Church, of which he was a charter member. Burial in East Sebewa Cemetery. August 11, 1929: While watching village employees set an electric light pole near his home Saturday, Thomas J. Lockwood, 81, suffered injuries which may force him to remain in bed for several weeks. The pole fell to the sidewalk and rolled over his ankle, breaking a small bone in it. (Nowadays he would not be kept in bed for several weeks, to heal properly and be rehabilitated. We believe Thomas J. Lockwood was the grandfather or great-grandfather of John Lockwood and Ruth French.) With his new “combine”, a machine that cuts the standing wheat and threshes it at one and the same time, Edward Manning Jr. has nearly finished his harvest. (The combine replaced the soon-disappearing grain binder and threshing machine, but due to World War II shortages, the combine did not come into common usage until after the war. Because of labor shortages for threshing crews, any combine available from 1943onward, was busy every day of harvest season.) John Rumfield, residing south of Sebewa Corners, in Danby Township, continues quite ill. William B. Fuller died at the home of his son, Ira Fuller, on Elm Street north of Bridge Street in Portland. (These men were the grandfather and father of Miss Francellia Fuller, Mrs. Addie Kinney and others.) This leads us to a recently rediscovered list of families who were tenants on the Frank & Stella Pryer farm in Section 3, Danby Township, at 9934 East Grand River Avenue, Portland, MI: Willard & Addie Kinney -- parents of Basil Kinney Frank Smith & wife -- parents of Elmer Smith and Bessie Peabody Harry Kirkham & wife -- parents of Lestus (Turkey) Kirkham Joe & Alice Bliss -- son of Eugene & Sarah Bliss in Sebewa Cem. Carl & Alice Smith -- parents of Howard, Bob, Lois, etc. Jim & Minnie Bazan -- once tenants at Alton Gunn’s in Sebewa Richard & Gladys Miles -- parents of Duane, David,etc. Roy Bradley & wife -- once tenants on Zeke Downing’s in Sebewa Peter Pohl & Isadore Schrauben -- first to not live on the farm Lewis Ingraham & wife – residents for a while USDA Soil Bank –acreage reserve – 1958-1975 Dale & Ruth Petrie and Dave & Jody Cassel – 1975 to present. Elias York, of Sebewa, thinks it is no misfortune because his family of six children happened to be all girls. They have always been a great help to him and it is a no uncommon sight to see them out working in the fields. Even the four-year-old helps on some things. (After Elias died, some of the girls did housework in the Webber Mansion in Portland to pay their tuition, board and room for high school. Elias York’s widow is remarried and gave birth to a son, James Storey. (This reminds us of the predicament of King Henry VIII of England and his efforts to produce a healthy son and heir. Alas! The problem is often not with the queens, but with the sire himself?) September 1, 1929: John High, well known resident of Danby Township, died at the Ionia County Poor Farm a few days ago and was buried in the cemetery on the County Farm. (Sad to say, he was not buried in East Sebewa Cemetery. The original one-acre plat of this cemetery came from the farm homesteaded by John’s father, Jacob C. High. The second acre was added onto the west end, from the farm and sawmill yard of Jacob Collingham. The third acre on the east end came from what had been part of the High farm, but now belonged to Clyde & Opal Thuma. John’s farm was on the Danby side of Keefer Highway and his house stood just north of the new house later owned by Vaughn & Janet Evans Carter. John’s brother, Welcome J. High, got the old homestead and was the father of Portland baker, Harry High. The third brother, George High, had also owned the farm where John lived, but moved up town on the Danby side. He was the father of Nellie High, who married Dr. Fred Morse, a medical doctor in Sebewa, Sunfield, and Lake Odessa. Their son, Dr. George L. Morse, was a dentist in Lake Odessa.) October 5, 1950: DeWayne Budd stops in to pay us a call and look up some news items of long ago in Review files. Mr. Budd worked on the Review for 10 years back in the early 1900s. For many years he has been on the Lima News, in Lima, OH. (The home of Lima Locomotive Works, where Ephram Shay’s Steam Locomotives, and their successors, were built. We saw the factory a few years ago, while passing through that town, but have no idea what they do now.) Mrs. Budd is the former Dana Frost, sister of Harriett Stegenga, daughter of the late Charles & Harriett Smith Frost from Goodwin Road, north of Portland. October 5, 1930: Answering a call for aid, eight men members of the Portland Fire Department made the run to Ionia with the fire truck in 26 minutes early Saturday morning. There was a dense fog at the time and the trip was not devoid of danger. The First Methodist Church, oldest edifice of its kind in the city, was burning. October 5, 1910: The following Portland students will attend the U of M this year: Leon Lockwood, Charles Gilden, Glenn Mattews, Wilbur Robinson, Nicholas Lawless, Roy Pryer, Eri Olmstead, Ernest Willemin and Edith Bandfield. Edward Fineis has sold his interest in the Portland Hardware Company to Charles L. Crane, of Clinton, MI. Merritt S. Allen, of Lake City, has called for officials of this county to testify in a lawsuit growing out of the bonding of the High School District in Sebewa & Danby Townships for improvements on the schoolhouse. He was a member of the school board at the time these improvements were made. March 9, 1930: A matter that has been discussed in Portland during the last month was settled at the polls last week, when the Consumers Power Company gas franchise was ratified by voters in both village and township, as did Sebewa, Danby and Orange Townships for the electric franchise. March 9, 1930: A safe bet as to who will be nominated for Supervisor of Portland Township in the Republican caucus next Saturday would be Charles W. Waring. (Formerly of Sebewa Township, the Warings had a farm later owned by Joe & Eleanor Schnabel and now by Brian & Sue Pinkston.) It is conceded that Frank Linebaugh, present Supervisor, will be re-nominated by unanimous vote at the Democrat caucus. The past few days have been favorable for maple syrup makers and there has been a good run of sap. Among those who usually make syrup are Lewis Gibbs, Willard Murphy, Robert Warner, J. Almer Gibbs, John Raglin, Arden McCormack, Charles Brooks, Fred VanAmburg, William McCausey, Ben Garfield and Bert Lincicome. Henry Leik has sold his half interest in what is known as the Mike Moriarty farm near Knox schoolhouse, to his brother Jerry, and has gone to Detroit to take a course in auto mechanics at a trade school. The boys were joint owners of the farm, which consists of 80 acres. When Charles T. Lockwood, former postmaster, stepped into the post office lobby Wednesday morning, he was invited inside, where rural carriers were assembled, and was presented with a fountain pen and pencil, both gold mounted, as a testimonial of regard. At this week’s meeting of the school board, it was decided by unanimous vote to tender Fred J. Williams, Superintendent, a contract for next year, at a salary of $2,500, which is an increase of $100 over this year. March 9, 1910: A team owned by Peter Fineis, local drayman, engaged in a lively runaway near the Pere Marquette Railroad depot. Leo Trierweiler, formerly employed by Peter Fineis, is now in the draying business for himself. Joe Williams has purchased 160 acres of the Pence family land in Danby Township. Danby Townshipis arranging for a vote on the proposition to bond for $9,000 for the purpose of building a bridge over the Grand River at the Turner Ford. John R. Petrie, former resident of Sebewa Township, died at Coleman, MI. (He was brought back for burial in East Sebewa Cemetery, with his wife, Elsie, who died in 1895.) A local automobile Club has been organized. E. D. Woodbury is President; Fred J. Mauren Sr., secretary; Dr. F. W. Martin, Treasurer. Signs directing autoists to Portland will be placed in conspicuous places on the highways of this part of the state. Frank Erdman has purchased Barton Bros meat market.
March 9, 1950: Coral K. Karker has been in the shoe repair business in Portland a little over 14 years. He purchased the shop from Clark Budd, January 1, 1936. Born in Locke Township, Ingham Co, Coral learned the trade in a shoe factory in Lansing. RECENT DEATH: James A. Carroll, 75, born in Grand Ledge, September 1, 1936, died March 25, 2012, widower of Linda Diane Meyers Carroll, father of Troy (Linda) Carroll, Todd Carroll and Chad Carroll, grandfather of Shelby, Dylan and Amber Carroll, brother of Kaye Lefke, son of Floyd & Lucille Hawkins Carroll. Jim was a veteran of the U. S. Navy, and retired from General Motors after 32 years of service. He was a volunteer on the Portland Fire Department for 10 years. He was preceded in death by his father, Floyd, wife, Linda in 2001, and brother-in-law, Dennis Lefke. His mother survives at age 95. His wife, Linda is descended from the pioneer Meyers family of Sebewa, Odessa and Woodland Townships, whose earliest members are buried in the Meyers Cemetery in the little triangle of ground cut off by Eaton Highway, M-50 and Velte Road, just over into Woodland Township, Barry County. Funeral service by Dr. Marilyn V. Danielson, burial in East Sebewa Cemetery, memorials to Multiple Sclerosis Association. FINAL THOUGHTS: A female lawyer friend sometimes says, “Ninety five percent of those in my profession give the rest of us a bad name! It strikes us that the same is true with journalists, who often spin the facts to prove their agenda, and then can’t own up to their biases. A couple years ago another local attorney wrote to this editor to cancel his newsletter and complain because he thought we disrespected Al Gore. We have long realized that no-one is totally impartial, especially if they announce they are impartial. It is best to realize we all see the various sides of an issue as either Right or Wrong. The British drive on the “wrong” side of the street. (Left in English = Sinister in Latin!) No offense intended to left-handed people. FROM: Grayden D. Slowins, Editor THE SEBEWA RECOLLECTOR 702 Clark Crossing, SE Grand Rapids, MI 49506-3300 Note from lib: 6 ISSUES OF SEBEWA RECOLLECTOR will cost at least $6.00 per year. Please submit your request and check to Grayden D. Slowins; address above. Thank you muchly!
Last update October 20, 2021 |
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