Letters
TGIF Club suffers losses
Editor: In 1949 the TGIF Club was born on the second floor of the old Blackstone Café in downtown Mount Pleasant. We met every Friday afternoon to sing popular songs of the era, play shuffleboard, play the juke box, etc.
The host, chief organizer and secretary was Wally Town, Class of 1951. His records showed 97 regular members, mainly from the classes of 1950 through 1952.
In 1992 Wally retired from the Bay City Times and moved to Traverse City. He dug out the old list of TGIF-ers and embarked on organizing a reunion after 41 years. In 1993 the first reunion took place at the Beach Haus Motel.
This year about a month before the reunion, Wally passed away. His last wish was for the reunion to go forward as planned. We conducted a special tribute and spread his ashes over the grounds of the Beach Haus Motel.
The TGIF Club lost another member this year, Victor Sinclair, an Air Force veteran who also worked for the FBI and the CIA.Wally and Vic will be sorely missed and long remembered as true Chippewas.
On behalf of the TGIF Club,
Jerry Oehmke, ’51 • Clinton Township, Mich.
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Family legacy began in 1966
Editor: I am writing today with a story that began 41 years ago. My husband, Brian, and I met at CMU in 1966 and graduated in 1970.
We lived in Colorado, Illinois, South Dakota and finally Wisconsin before retiring to Traverse City, Mich. It wasn’t until our oldest son, Brett, decided he was going to CMU that the pages of time began to turn. The entire family was part of the trip to take Brett to Central – a six-hour drive from Milwaukee.
Brett graduated in 1998 and led the way for his sister and brother to follow in his footsteps, as he had followed in ours. Brooke graduated in 2004, and Heath graduated in 2007.
If someone were to ask me what I did in my life, my reply would be: “Put three children through Central Michigan University.” The 14 years of driving from Wisconsin in snow storms during Christmas break, football games, shopping at the CMU Bookstore, hauling their stuff into the dorms, the worries, tears, joys – all of it is priceless and a walk back in time for my husband and me.
Brooke told me on the day Heath graduated, “I am so proud of what we did.” We all are!
Bonita A. Leiteritz, ’70
Traverse City, Mich.
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Kudos for fall issue
Editor: As a parent of two CMU students, I want to share with you how much I enjoy reading your magazine. Your Fall 2008 issue was outstanding. Kudos to your staff!
Penny Boldrey • Alpena, Mich.
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Tri Sigs remember Niki Bye
Editor: In her article about Nikoline Bye and Camille Forster English in the fall issue of Centralight, the writer missed an important part of Niki’s Central connection. She was a highly regarded mathematics professor at Central for years and was the adviser of our sorority, Sigma Sigma Sigma. Many of us Tri Sigs have kept in contact with her for years; she is a special person and meant much to all of us.
Harriet (Horn) Clendenen, ’53 • San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Editor’s note: The letter below is in response to Mary Lu Yardley’s request in the Summer 2008 issue for stories about CMU couples who work together. Have a story of your own to tell? Call Yardley at (800) 358-6903 or e-mail her at alumni@cmich.edu.
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From fast food through retirement
Editor: We began our working together time even before leaving CMU in 1971. We worked at the Burger Chef at the corner of Preston and Mission where Arby’s now stands.
After a year or so of togetherness over hamburgers, we were off to Bad Axe Public Schools in 1971. Marcia began her teaching career in second grade and finished it there 32 years later. Jack taught fourth grade for two years before becoming an elementary principal in 1973. Over the next 30 years Jack was principal of the K-2 building, the 3-5 building or both. The years he was assigned to the K-2 building we worked in very close proximity. The years spent at the 3-5 building were also close as the buildings were only 100 yards apart.
Upon retiring in 2003 we relocated to Lake City and continued to work together building a log home on the Clam River. We plan to “team up” on future projects, as well as enjoy all the fun activities of retirement.
Jack, ’70 MA ’75, and Marcia Moore, ’71 • Lake City, Mich.
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Centralight wants to hear from you! We welcome all letters from readers. Tell us your thoughts about Centralight articles or about CMU in general.
Be sure to sign your letter with your full name and also include graduation year and degree, address and daytime phone number. Letters may be edited for space and clarity.
Mail letters to:
Centralight Letters
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West Hall
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, MI 48859
Letters also may be sent by fax to (989) 774-1098 or by e-mail to alumni@cmich.edu.
