Legends flight pages by Eric

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2014

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WHITEHALL, OAKRIDGE SET FOR WMC CLASH

‘BABY KATE’ CASE APPEAL SOUGHT

FRUITLAND TOWNSHIP

TODAY’S MUST-READS

Veteran looks forward to Legends Flight, but his heart is heavy with sorrow

Marine in mourning

NORTON SHORES

Snowplow drivers sharpen skills at Roadeo

By Dillon Davis

ddavis11@mlive.com

The snowplows were out in full force Wednesday in Norton Shores although there’s no snow on the ground. Several hundred people took part in the American Public Works Association (APWA) Midwest Michigan Branch 2014 Snowplow Roadeo and Equipment Show at the Norton Shores DPW building, 1174 E. Mount Garfield Road. The majority in attendance were on hand for the event’s snowplow competition, which challenged 31 two-person teams to an obstacle course behind the DPW building. Details, A3

Warren Tibbitts’ lip continually quivers, and his hands fidget down the end of the armrest as he sits in a striped chair in the living room of his Fruitland Township home. The home is on a private one-lane road bordering White Lake, a residence guarded by a ceramic white poodle. His home is decorated with mementos of a lifetime. On a bookshelf behind him, a copy of Tom Brokaw’s “The Greatest Generation” and John Grogan’s “Marley and Me,” are among yearbooks, family photos and a few odds and ends. The coffee table has a scrapbook from his time in the Marines and the pins his wife, Beverly, and he would wear to military reunions. On the wall next to his bedroom is a portrait of Beverly, her short blond hair and bright teeth illuminated by the sunlight reflecting off the lake. She would have been 82 last month. He’s yearning for her badly today, as he does every day. Still, this week is a special one for the one-time combat corpsman who served with the Marines during World War II. He flew out of Muskegon this morning as part of a Legends Flight. The trip is a locally coordinated effort, put together by a volunteer committee and paid for by donations, to take surviving veterans of Muskegon, Ottawa and Oceana counties to the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C. Veterans boarded a 162-seat aircraft chartered out of Muskegon for a day trip. “These brave men and women have already paid more than

MUSKEGON

CMH eﬀorts merit $1.6 million grant

Two years ago, Community Mental Health Services of Muskegon County pursued funds that would allow it to integrate physical and mental health care services for some of the region’s most vulnerable patients. The agency’s efforts came to fruition recently when the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded the public provider with a Primary and Behavioral Health Care Integration Grant worth $1.6 million. Details, A5

World War II Marine veteran Warren Tibbitts, 89, of Fruitland Township, is among more than 90 Muskegon-area World War II veterans to participate today in the West Michigan’s Legends Flight for a daylong visit to Washington, D.C. (Ken Stevens/MLive.com) MORE INSIDE Planning vital to successful Legends Flight, A9

their share,” Legends Flight committee chairman Steve Allen said in March. “With the passing of time, we have started to take them for granted. This is a way for everybody in West Michigan to remember them and honor their brave service.” It’s an opportunity of redemption for Tibbitts, who said he returned home from World War II shortly after New Year’s Day 1946 after much of the pomp and circumstance for America’s war veterans was over.

“I was in the South Pacific during the war from 1944-46. By the time I got back to the states, the war had been over for four months, so I came back to no celebrating,” he said. “This trip I’m making with these guys, these are my guys. This is kind of taking the place of missing the festivities after the war. I’m looking forward to that.” WAR AND PEACE

Herbert Warren Tibbitts was born and raised in Millinocket, Maine, a small town whose lifeblood flowed through a now defunct paper plant, not unlike Muskegon. During the war, “Doc,” as he

was known during his service, spent time in New Caledonia, Guadalcanal, Russell Islands — a “terrible, terrible area,” he recalls — as well as Saipan and Guam before the invasion of Japan, completed by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He doesn’t like to talk about his time in the military much, other than recalling how “gung ho” he was to join in his youth. There are some funny stories, ones he enjoys sharing at Veteran’s Day Mass at Lebanon Lutheran Church in Whitehall. But aside from that, his SEE VETERAN, A2

Asian bighead carp swim in an exhibit at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium. (AP Files) NORTON SHORES

ALLEGAN COUNTY

Asian carp DNA unnerves experts Nobody is completely sure what the discovery of Asian carp DNA in the Kalamazoo River means. But whether it turns out to be inadvertent contamination or the actual presence of the non-native fish, biologists, conservationists and politicians agree on this: It’s a wakeup call to a potentially devastating invasion. Details, A8

DAILY QUOTE

“

It’s a start.”

MUSKEGON COUNTY TREASURER TONY MOULATSIOTIS, ON A GROWING FUND TO ELIMINATE CITY BLIGHT. DETAILS, A3

INDEX

Advice.......... A13 Classiﬁed......A15

Redevelopment at old Kmart site stalls 10 years after closure By Michelle D. Anderson

manders6@mlive.com

Norton Shores residents have called it an eyesore, a source of frustration and even a potential site for a busy downtown district. Either way, the plaza that once housed a Kmart store and other retailers and service shops has remained mostly empty for 10 years. The Kmart location at 3530 Henry St. closed in summer 2004. The department store’s parent company, then known as Kmart Holding Corp., had emerged from bankruptcy just a year earlier. Months after the store’s demise, Norton Shores officials changed

Comics ........... C7 Local............... A3

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the site’s zoning from the strictly commercial C-2 general retail category to planned unit development. Planning commissioners and council members hoped the move would spur activity by giving developers more flexibility, allowing them to create a mixeduse establishment that could include retail, office and residential space. But nothing substantial has come to fruition. Norton Shores City Planner Rob Bilkie said the city in recent years hasn’t received many inquiries about using the plaza’s anchor,

Obituaries....... A9 Opinion.........A12

The former Kmart store, near the Norton Avenue and Henry Street intersection in Norton Shores, has remained mostly unoccupied since Kmart pulled out in 2004. (Ken Stevens/MLive.com) SEE KMART, A8

Sports.............B1 Stocks...........A11

TV ................... C6 Weather........A14

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ENDLESS LOVE

Tibbitts met Beverly on a blind date. Bev was a widow after losing her first husband to a heart attack, and Tibbitts was a man searching for a new sense of purpose in. Following a brief courtship, the two were married July 3, 1985. Tibbitts retired as a teacher in Jackson and moved to Whitehall to be with Bev, a Muskegon High School graduate, to begin life anew. They traveled to Alaska and Germany and took cruises to exotic areas off the coast of Florida. The two were known for taking weekly trips to the local golf course. He even remembers Bev’s favorite club within 100 yards of the hole — a 13 wood, now known in his world as “Bev’s club.” As the years passed, Tibbitts sensed his health was in decline and was terrified to leave his beloved Bev alone. He purchased a white poodle they named Buffy. The most memorable story of Buffy’s life was one that involved it running off before being found days later 10 miles from their home. Tibbitts intended their sweet dog would fill the hole Warren expected to leave, until Buffy fell ill and had to be put down. Buffy was replaced by a black poodle, Shadow, who has been known to follow Tibbitts around the house, fulfilling its name.

Warren Tibbitts, who returned to the U.S. from active duty in 1946, missed out on the earlier celebrations at the end of World War II. He says his late wife, Bev, would have enjoyed the Legends Flight he is on today. (Ken Stevens/MLive.com)

Bev died on a Monday. Her obituary said it was peaceful, but in matters of life and death, one is never prepared. Tibbitts’ loss was swift and complete, and the house is full of reminders of her. It’s a hurt he lives with every day. There’s the picture of her cuddling Shadow next to their bed. His eyes well up as he holds it, yet it’s the last thing he looks at before sleeps each night. It’s still nowhere close to her warm embrace and her gaze. “I’m always looking around for her,” he said. “What do I do now, you know? I just think of her all the time. I’ll never get over it, never. I don’t care

about even finding anybody. “There’s nobody that could ever replace her, nobody.” It has taken his mind to a dark place where he contemplated taking his own life, empathizing with those who have committed suicide. But he knows that’s not what Bev would want. Not from her sweet Warren, not even now. “It just feels, the best I can describe it, it’s just a downer,” he explained. “There’s no need of being around, no need of living. I know that she wouldn’t want it that way.” WHAT LIES AHEAD

His family largely is

what he has left now. There are Bev’s sons, Jeff, Rick and Greg, and his daughters, Sharmon and Sharon — his eldest, Cheryl, died of cancer several years ago. Many of his closest friends he met during the war also have died, with those remaining serving as his golfing buddies — he reportedly shot a 102 on Monday — and a support system when he attends reunions. He has the dog, Shadow. The dog is well loved, and the corner of Tibbitts’ living room is littered with dog toys of every shape and color. But even on the trip, close to two years since she died, Bev is with

Tibbitts all the time. He knows if she still was alive, the two would be gearing up this week for the Legends Flight to D.C. And, in many ways, she still will be. “Oh, she would love it,” he exclaimed. “She might go with me.” Down the driveway and back into the street, the last sight of his house is of his yellow shutters, his eyes peering back in the window and a ceramic white poodle on his porch, keeping him safe against what lies ahead. What that might be, he doesn’t quite know. But he remains a kind man with a big house and a broken heart, a loss he will carry as long as he lives.

BENZIE COUNTY

Mom who tried to kill autistic daughter sentenced Kelli Stapleton to spend 10-22 years in prison By John Tunison

jtunison@mlive.com

A mother who tried to kill herself and her violent, autistic daughter by carbon monoxide poisoning has been sentenced to 10 to 22 years in prison. Kelli Stapleton, 46, was sentenced Wednesday following a three-day hearing

in Benzie County Circuit Court. Stapleton earlier pleaded guilty to first-degree child abuse. Benzie County Prosecutor Sara Swanson issued the following statement: “My office strives to protect our most vulnerable victims,” she said. “In this case, Isabelle’s autism did not mean she deserved less protection. Her life has value, and she deserves

justice for the attempt on her life. The right outcome was achieved in this case. The defendant was sentenced as recommended by our state’s sentencing guidelines, and justice was obtained for Isabelle.” Stapleton’s case has gained national attention. She recently was featured on “The Dr. Phil Show.” The case pitted those who believe Stapleton was overwhelmed by her 14-year-old daughter Issy’s

autism, and those who believed she just wanted to be rid of the troubled girl. Stapleton on Sept. 3, 2013, lit charcoal grills in a van on a supposed camping trip. She said it was an attempt to end both of their lives because she was at

her “wit’s end.” A Benzie County sheriff’s deputy discovered the mother and daughter, however, and rescued them from the van. Isabelle, who goes by Issy, was in a coma for several days but recovered.

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OBITUARIES LIST THURSDAY, OCT. 9, 2014 Obituaries are on Page A9. For more information, go to MLive. com.

DIETZ Diana L., 55, of Muskegon (The Sytsema Chapel - Sytsema Funeral Homes, Inc. ) GAUSE Mattie GUNDY SR. Joe L., 85, of Muskegon (Clock Funeral Home)

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SEAMAN Jeannette, 97, of Fremont (Fields McKinley Funeral Home) STONE Sara K., 32, of St. Mary’s Cemetery (Sytsema Funeral Homes, Inc.) TEJCHMA JEREMY D., 28, of Muskegon (The Lee Chapel - Sytsema Funeral Homes, Inc. )

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service in the military appears an uncomfortable subject, and his hands grew increasingly shaky as the topic was broached. However, he does recall the first expedition back in his home country. “We got on base, and another one of the funny things, they gave us all night liberty,” he said. “We don’t have any Marine uniforms, we just have fatigues. So they gave us liberty and out in San Diego we go. And the first place we went into was a drug store to get milkshakes.” Once he returned from the war, he attempted to regain his life. He graduated from Springfield (Mass.) College in 1952, began teaching government and coaching baseball at Jackson High School in 1956 and later

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earned a master’s degree from Michigan State University in 1962. He was a teacher and lover of life, but there was always something missing. And then he met Bev.

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Veteran

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2014

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HIGH SCHOOL SPORT S / B1

OAKRIDGE FENDS OFF WHITEHALL TODAY’S MUST-READS MICHIGAN HONORS

Deadline Monday to honor WWII vets in Chronicle

For the past five months, MLive has collected the names and stories of living World War II veterans from Michigan. So far, more than 3,000 men and women have been added to the list, from those who served on the front lines as combat troops, to those who drove trucks, flew airplanes and aided to the wounded. We will continue to take entries for a searchable online list. But Monday is the deadline if you want your vet’s name to appear in a tribute section later this year in the Muskegon Chronicle. Online, go to bit.ly/mlive-veterans to submit the name and information of a living World War II veteran. If you have questions about the project or getting a name of a living veteran into the database, please contact Fritz Klug at fklug@mlive.com or 269370-0584. See full coverage of the Michigan Honors project at bit.ly/MichiganHonors.

LOCAL / A3

PUMPKIN ROLL ROCKS MONTAGUE

WEST MICHIGAN

Legends Flight takes World War II vets to view national memorials, enjoy patriotic homecoming

A date which will live in memory

NORTON SHORES

Kmart vacant despite hopes, future plans

It’s been 44 years since Norton Shores approved the Kmart Plaza development on Henry Street and a decade since the shopping center’s anchor closed its doors amid dwindling sales. Today, the shopping center remains largely vacant, in need of new tenants or redevelopment. We offer a look at the plaza’s beginnings, past and potential future. Details, A11

By Tony Wittkowski twittkow@mlive.com

s the plane that was carrying 94 World War II veterans descended, the crowd below grew eager. As part of the Muskegon-based Legends Flight, a select few members of the greatest generation were given the opportunity to fly to Washington, D.C., where they visited the national monument that was created for their contributions in the war. Both the young and the old assembled by the thousands Thursday at the Muskegon County Airport to welcome home the veterans in a fashion similar to their sendoff that took place more than 15 hours earlier. “I could not believe my eyes,” Sid Holwerda said in response to the parade-like atmosphere. The 92-year-old, who served with the Air Force from 1942-45, said the month leading up to the Legends Flight went by fast. “The crowd was fantastic. It was a great end to a great day.” SEE MEMORY, A2

MORE INSIDE See vignettes of local veterans: Milo Anderson, A2 Stanley Jastrzembski, A3 Ken McKinnon, A4 Raymond and Lillian Remus, A7

Above, National Fire Academy members salute World War II veteran Francis Baker, 93, of Norton Shores, as he walks with his son, James Baker, 60, of Twin Lake, Thursday as they leave Arlington National Cemetery. Below, Dan Mulder, 64, left, and his father, World War II Army Air Corps veteran Paul Mulder, 89, both of New Era, visit the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Thursday as part of the Legends Flight. (Ken Stevens/MLive.com)

DAILY QUOTE It has been my honor and “pleasure to serve the city of

Norton Shores with the men and women of this agency. I am proud of the many achievements we’ve made during this time.”

NORTON SHORES POLICE CHIEF DAN SHAW, WHO IS RETIRING NOV. 14. DETAILS, A3

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Obituaries.......D7 Opinion........... E1

Real Estate..... F8 Sports.............B1

Transportation G1 Travel ............F11

TV ......Diversions Weather..........D4

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A2 / SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2014 / MUSKEGON CHRONICLE

Local&More LEGENDS FLIGHT: MILO ANDERSON LAKETOWN TOWNSHIP

Support during trip overwhelms vet

Statewide

“We sure saw a lot of stuff. It’s the first time I had a police escort take me around town. We spent a lot of time behind the sirens.” Anderson, a 1942 graduate of Fremont High School, grew up in Fremont and came to Muskegon to enlist in 1942. He served in the U.S. Army Air Forces, predecessor of the U.S. Air Force. As a right wing gunner with the rank of staff sergeant, Anderson was part of the 10-member crew of a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber. His crew served first in the Eighth Air Force based in England, flying bombing missions over Germany and elsewhere in Nazi-occupied Europe. Later, Anderson’s crew was transferred to Italy, where they flew out of the Foggia Airfield Complex. He remembers the crew having to live in tents in Italy after being accustomed to Quonset huts in England. Anderson survived 50 combat missions before his 1945 discharge, he said. Most of the crew he served

with made it through the war, but they lost a ballturret gunner on one mission, he said. They had their share of close calls. “Probably more airplanes went down from anti-aircraft guns than they did by the enemy fighters, actually,” he recalled. “A lot of times, you know, the air’s solid black with antiaircraft. A couple missions were extra rough.” He recalls one when their B-17 had two of its four engines shot out at the

same time. “We couldn’t keep up with the squad and headed for (neutral) Switzerland, prepared to bail out or whatever. But we got one of the engines going, so we made it back to England and landed at an RAF (Royal Air Force) base.” He suffered some lasting physical effects from his service. The early B-17s, Anderson said, had no windows for wing gunners — just openings to the oftenfrigid air. “It got pretty cold without any windows,” he

Memory

OBITUARIES LIST SUNDAY, OCT. 12, 2014

CONTINUED FROM A1

Obituaries begin on Page D7. For more information, go to MLive. com.

When the plane turned to head toward the crowd, fire trucks sprayed a stream of water over both sides of the plane, creating a temporary oasis for its passengers. Veterans exited the plane in bunches, then were led past the Patriot Guard Riders and other veteran groups that stood at attention in two columns while holding American flags. The camera flashes and high-pitched whistles intensified as the veterans walked in step to “God Bless America,” played by the Reeths-Puffer High School marching band from inside the tarmac. “It’s been a long day for these warriors,” said Mike Myers, a ride captain for the Patriot Guard Riders. “We think it’s an honor to be here this evening to give them that grand welcome home that they may or may not have had when they came back from the war.” Behind the flag line were the families who held large, poster-sized portraits of their veteran from when they were in the service. In attendance was Muskegon resident Rob Pomeroy, who was waiting with a poster that had both the name and picture of

BISHOP Judith G., 75, of Muskegon (Sytsema Funueral Homes Inc. — The Sytsema Chapel) BOMGAARS L. Vivian, 94, of The Lee Chapel (Sytsema Funeral Homes Inc.) BURR Violet E., 99, of Grand Haven, formerly of Muskegon (Pachesny-Jend) CARLSTON Suzanne, 79, of Rochester Hills (Clock Funeral Home) CIHOS Raymond DURGAN LISA A., 53, of Norton Shores (The Lee Chapel — Sytsema Funeral Homes, Inc. ) FRISBIE Sandra (Sandy), (Richard H. Keenan Funeral Home) HANNA Irene (Hegedus), 86, of Grand Haven (VanZantwick Bartels Kammeraad Funeral Home) RUSSELL Mr. Scott J., 90, of Montague (Clock Funeral Home of White Lake Inc.) SHIRLEY Robert L. VIDETICH Wanda, 80, of Hesperia (Clock Funeral Home — Muskegon) WEBB Jewel M. WHITE Margaret “Muggs”, 90, of North Muskegon (Martinson Funeral Home of Suttons Bay) WOOCK Norma, 90, of Muskegon (Clock Funeral Home) PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED, SATURDAY, OCT. 11, 2014

SWANSON Frederick J.

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World War II Air Force veteran Milo Anderson, 90, of Laketon Township, is reﬂected in the Korean War Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. (Ken Stevens/MLive.com)

CORRECTION Burlington Coat Factory did not occupy space in the former Hardy-Herpolsheimer department store in downtown Muskegon. A story published Sept. 21 contained incorrect information.

said, resulting in frozen fingers. “That’s become some problem over the years. But the later ones, they had windows in them, so that kept the frostbite down.” Seventy years later, Anderson was amazed at the warmth and enthusiasm at the reception the veterans got everywhere they went on Legends Flight day. “I’m thankful that I’m still able to do it,” Anderson said. “It was a little struggle, but I was thankful I did it.”

Legends Flight members are greeted at Muskegon County Airport by family and friends in a welcome home celebration after the daylong trip to Washington, D.C. (Ken Stevens/ MLive.com)

his grandfather on it. Having fought in Afghanistan and Iraq, Pomeroy is one part of his family’s three generations who have served their country. Pomeroy said he still is influenced by his grandfather, Morton Clark, who served from 1944-46. “He’s a great man and always has been,” Pomeroy said. “It’s a wonderful thing he did for our country. He’s one of the top heroes in my life.” The voyage began when the chartered Boeing 737 took off from the Muskegon County Airport at 6:15 a.m. The plane landed at Ronald Reagan International Airport at 7:33 a.m., where passengers were greeted by clear skies in the nation’s capital. With a police escort, three buses loaded with veterans left the airport and proceeded to cut through the commuter traffic. Their first stop was the Air Force Memorial, where a speech was given along with the singing of the national them. Next, the group of veterans left for the World War II Memorial with U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga in tow. One of the favored portions of the World War II Memorial

At left, George Struebing, 66, of Cedar City, Utah, thanks veteran Anthony Pavlich, 91, of Muskegon Township, after Pavlich signed a book adding to the total of veteran signatures Struebing has collected. “I don’t care if you ﬁxed pancakes in the service, you are my hero,” he told Pavlich. Cynthia Whiteman, of Laketon Township, helped transport her father around at the memorials.

among the group was the Michigan monument. Afterward, the members of the Legends Flight arrived at Arlington National Cemetery, where they paid their respects to the soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice. There, they would witness the Changing of the Guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. To wrap up the tour, veterans then visited the Vietnam and Korea Memorials, as well as the Marine Corps Monument.

Unlike some aboard the plane, Montague resident and WWII veteran Dick Hoos has been to Washington before. However, this time around was different for him, as were the people around him who made it special. “What was really thrilling was seeing all the people line up in the airport and at every place we went to,” Hoos said. “I was amazed how everyone showed their appreciation and gave us a great deal of praise.”

HONORING OUR SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN

Mlive Media Group offers a 20% discount on veteran obituaries.

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Milo Anderson felt overwhelmed — in a good way — by all the attention that came with Muskegon’s Legends Flight of World War II veterans to Washington, D.C. Everywhere the 90-yearold Laketon Township resident and his fellow war vets went in the nation’s capital, “everybody was thanking us and all that stuff,” Anderson said Friday. “It was kind of emotional and overwhelming. “And we come back and there was more of it,” Anderson said. “Holy mackerel, after 70 years ... it was kind of unusual to have that kind of support for the contribution of a group of guys

that just were in the midst of a conflict in different sections of the military. “Everywhere you went, there was all kinds of support, at Reagan International, then our airport, people hollering and giving all kinds of thanks. That’s so unreal. That’s the first time that’s ever happened.” Anderson, an Army Air Forces veteran of the European theater in 1943-45, was one of 94 Muskegon-area World War II vets flown to Washington on Thursday. With a police escort, the group toured the World War II Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and other war memorials. For Anderson, the day was both exhausting and exhilarating. “It was a little struggle ... a good workout,” said Anderson, who uses a walker to get around. “I got up about 2:30 (a.m.), by the time I hit the sack it was after 11 (p.m.). For me, it was quite a workout with the walker.

GSN-1310

jhausman@mlive.com

7113328-27

By John S. Hausman

MUSKEGON CHRONICLE / SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2014 / A3

Local “I don’t want to be known for it.”

NORTON SHORES

JAN ERKENBRAK, OF BLUE LAKE TOWNSHIP, WHO WON THE PUMPKIN PIE-EATING CONTEST AT PUMPKINFEST

Police chief retiring for new position By Heather Lynn Peters hpeters@mlive.com

Parents help their children Saturday roll a pumpkin down Dowling Street in Montague at the start of the Pumpkin Roll for ages 0-3 during Pumpkinfest. (Andraya Croft/MLive.com)

MONTAGUE

Good times roll at Pumpkinfest By Stephen Kloosterman

bumpers on both sides of the road to see whose pumpkin was in the lead, or if any of the rollers were headed That orange, round and cheerfulfor ramps set up along the hill. looking member of the squash Jan Erkenbrak, 54, of Blue Lake family was the motif Saturday for a Township, entered the pumpkin piepleasant fall festival in Montague. eating contest, swallowing all the A pumpkin-rolling contest, a pumpkin-pie eating contest, a pump- filling of a saucer-sized pie in 1 minute, 3 seconds. kin-seed spitting contest, a pump“When I was a kid, I entered a kin-painting contest, a pumpkincarving contest and a contest for the pancake-eating contest, but that was all quantity,” he said. largest pumpkin grown this season And he said he hoped not to win were all features of Pumpkinfest. the pie-eating contest. “I don’t want More than 800 people turned out for the festival’s signature event, the to be known for it.” Hart’s Dan Schaner entered two pumpkin roll. monstrous pumpkins from his hobby “Please keep your feet out of the road,” a man’s voice called out over a garden into the competition. The bigspeakerphone system as youngsters ger of the two weighed 176 pounds and took third place in the contest. and their parents started a heat of “I think a lot of it is the seed varipumpkins racing down Dowling ety you get; a lot of water and a little Hill. “Out of the road.” bit of fertilizer,” he said. “I started Spectators leaned over hay bale sklooste@mlive.com

them outdoors, first part of May.” He said he saves the seeds from his biggest pumpkins and plants them or gives them to friends. There were a few nonpumpkinrelated activities at the festival. A deputy and K-9 unit from the Muskegon County Sheriff’s office gave demonstrations. One shop offered face-painting for children. Dancers from Studio France School of Dance performed ballet scenes in the street. All of the activity was the result of a lot of planning and hard work, said White Lake Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Amy VanLoon. Staff and officials from the city of Montague started setting up the event in the early-morning hours. “It’s an event where community comes together, and many participate to make it happen,” she said.

LEGENDS FLIGHT: STANLEY JASTRZEMBSKI TWIN LAKE

Veteran thanks community for touching surprise By Stephen Kloosterman

Daniel Shaw, the longtime Norton Shores Police chief, is moving on. Shaw, 51, said he has announced his retirement, effective Nov. 14 from the department. He’s been in law enforcement for 30 years and served the city of Norton Shores for more than 10 years. Shaw said he has accepted a position with the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. as its regional program manager for the Great Lakes Region. He said he’s been honored to have served the city of Norton Shores over the years. “It has been my honor and pleasure to serve the city of Norton Shores with the men and women of this agency. I am proud of the many achievements we’ve made during this time — multiple International reaccreditation awards, Governor’s Traffic Safety Award, Michigan Chiefs of Police Excellence in Traffic Safety Awards, etc.,”

Shaw wrote in a statement to MLive/Muskegon Chronicle. “I am fortunate to be able to leave with the knowledge that the department has dedicated and professional personnel who are poised to successfully address future challenges.” For his new position, Shaw will work remotely from his home. Shaw was prominent in the news over the past year or so as his department has investigated the high-profile case of the missing Exxon gas station clerk, Jessica Heeringa. Heeringa disappeared April 26, 2013 and remains missing. The city is working on posting the soon-to-be vacant police chief position, said Gary Nelund, the city’s mayor, in a statement to MLive. “Dan has done a great job as chief and will be greatly missed and hard to replace,” Nelund said. City staff has “begun the recruitment and selection process,” he said. It is too soon to say whether an interim chief will be named, he said.

Norton Shores Police Chief Dan Shaw gives updated information about the Jessica Heeringa disappearance investigation at the police department on May 3, 2013. Shaw is retiring from the police department to become regional program manager for the Great Lakes region of the Commission of Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. (MLive.com ﬁles)

sklooste@mlive.com

Stanley Jastrzembski’s teenage years ran out while he fought in a theater of World War II action that’s now often forgotten. And when, as a man, he finally exited the war, it was after a quiet hospitalization. So on Thursday, when he traveled to Washington, D.C., to see the national World War II memorial — and returned to see hundreds of people at the Muskegon County Airport waving flags in the vets’ honor — he was truly touched. “It was very surprising,” he said. “I’ll remember that the rest of my life. I thank all of the people in the community. We appreciated going there and coming back.” Jastrzembski, 91, was one of 94 World War II veterans who traveled to Washington on the Legends Flight, a trip organized in Muskegon for veterans in the region. Jastrzembski had the distinct honor of having a few members of his division during the war accompany him to Washington. He and several friends from the Muskegon area had joined the Army after the Great Depression — the economy was a factor in their decisions to join. They were called up to serve after Pearl Harbor, and ended up fighting together in the 32nd Infantry, also known as the “Red Arrow” division, fighting entrenched Japanese troops on the mountainous South Pacific island of New Guinea. “When you signed up, you stayed til the duration,” said Stanley’s son, Mark Jastrzembski. The battles on that island didn’t

MUSKEGON

ATHENA Young Professional Leadership winner named By Brandon Champion

Collee was selected from a field of 16 canA Muskegon woman didates by a committee was awarded the made up of the region’s first ATHENA Young three chambers of comProfessional Leadership merce: The Chamber of Award. Commerce Grand Haven, Kris Collee, of Kids’ Spring Lake, Ferrysburg; Food Basket in Muskegon, the Muskegon Lakeshore received the award at Chamber of Commerce the 10th and the Michigan West Annual Coast Chamber of ATHENA Commerce, as well as Award several business leaders. luncheon According to the held at release, the ATHENA Trillium Young Professional Events recipient is an emerging in Spring leader who demonstrates Collee Lake on excellence, creativity and Tuesday. initiative in their business As program director of or profession and is 40 Kids’ Food Basket, Collee years old or younger with oversaw the Sack Supper a minimum of five years program, which provides professional experience. balanced lunches for Helen Zeerip, needy children. According president of Teddy’s to a news release, Collee’s Transport of Holland, team has provided more was the 2014 ATHENA than 600 children with award recipient and was nutritious lunches each also honored at the lunnight, increased voluncheon which was attendteerism and has created ed by more than 360 sustaining partnerships community and business in the community. leaders. bchampio@mlive.com

Mark Jastrzembski wheels his father, World War II veteran Stanley Jastrzembski, 91, of Twin Lake, past the Lincoln Memorial after visiting the Vietnam Memorial on Thursday in Washington, D.C. (Ken Stevens/MLive.com)

receive the attention that others did, Mark said. They were, however, recorded in the book, “Ghost Mountain Boys,” and Stanley and some of his friends from the division attended a book signing in 2007. But the book signing paled in comparison to what Stanley experienced Thursday. At one point, in Reagan International Airport, a crowd spontaneously burst into applause as the WWII veterans passed by. Mark, who also is a veteran of the Armed Forces, traveled with his father throughout the day as they stopped at the national World War II memorial and other memorials. “The thing that impressed him the most were these complete strangers,” Mark said. “There must have been 50 people,

complete strangers, (who) came near my dad and shook his hand.” On the flight home, the veterans were surprised with a “mail call” in which organizers passed out letters secretly written ahead of time by friends, family and entire classes of schoolchildren. Stanley said it reminded him of reading letters in the hospital at the end of the war. Upon arrival in Muskegon, Mark and his father struggled to guess at the number of people at the airport waving flags. Mark’s voice broke when he told how the sight affected both of them. “Seeing those flags,” he said. “Coming into Muskegon at the end of the long day and seeing the welcome-home ceremony ... That was it; that was it for me.”

A4 / SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2014 / MUSKEGON CHRONICLE

Legends Flight: Ray McKinnon

HONORING OUR SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN

World War II Navy veteran Ken McKinnon, 87, of Egelston Township, walks with his “guardian,” Donna Cullen-Benedict, of Whitehall, on Thursday at the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C. Cullen-Benedict’s father, Don Cullen, 89, of Montague, is another veteran who made the trip. (Ken Stevens/ MLive.com)

Your commemorative announcement will publish in print and online on Sunday, November 9, 2014.

UNITED STATES AIRFORCE

EGELSTON TOWNSHIP

Dad signed teen up for Navy duty By Tony Wittkowski twittkow@mlive.com

Sr. Airman John Doe

July 2008-Present Deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom July 2011 - March 2012 Son of Mark and Debbie, Grand Rapids, MI

World War II Navy veteran Ken McKinnon, 87, of Egelston Township, smiles as he joins the more than 90 World War II veterans Thursday for the Legends Flight.

the ship. We ran out of food and fuel a few times.” After serving three years in the Navy, McKinnon returned to Michigan where he cycled in and out of different jobs. The workaholic changed his career on 10 separate occasions. At one point, McKinnon had gone into sales, worked with septic tanks, created a go-kart track, owned a trailer park, dabbled in the arcade business and opened up an ice cream store. “I can’t remember all the things I did,” he said. “I got tired of doing it and wanted to do something new, something different.” McKinnon was glad to see the capital. “I enjoyed the whole trip,” he said. “It was interesting and was something new for me to see.”

SP52666

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Step 1) Step 2) Step 3) Step 4)

Go to mlive.com/placead. Click on the “place your Veterans’ Day ad” button. Pick the newspaper in which you want your ad to appear. Choose “Veterans” as your ad category.

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It had been more than 20 years since Ken McKinnon stepped foot on an airplane. That changed Thursday when 87-yearold McKinnon, along with 93 other World War II veterans, boarded a plane set for Washington, D.C., on the Legends Flight. McKinnon’s journey toward the Navy started like many of the veterans on board the plane — he asked his father to enlist him. As a teenager, the Egelston Township resident grew up in Detroit. He weighed 98 pounds and was considering carpentry school when America entered the fight. “The war started when I was 16 years old,” McKinnon recalled. “I wasn’t doing so well in school and asked my dad to enlist me in the Navy. He said, ‘You know why I signed you up? Because I think you can take anything the Navy throws at you.’” In the Navy, he held no rank and was assigned to a World War I destroyer that had been beefed up for the war. On that ship, McKinnon traveled around the world. His first job was scraping paint off the boat. Once one of the commanding officers got wind that McKinnon had worked with food, he was moved to the galley. “I wasn’t really a cook, but I was an easy learner,” McKinnon said. “Whatever they were cooking, we took it down to the mess hall. They got to go by what they had on

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Rick Walunas Meat Cutter 33 years

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MUSKEGON CHRONICLE / SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2014 / A7

Legends Flight: Raymond and Lillian Remus NORTON SHORES

Husband and wife veterans call trip emotional, fabulous By John S. Hausman

jhausman@mlive.com

Raymond and Lillian Remus, of Norton Shores, were tired but happy Friday in the aftermath of their long day Thursday on Muskegon’s Legends Flight. MLive Muskegon Chronicle multimedia specialist Ken Stevens followed the couple throughout the day on the flights to and from Washington, D.C., and the multiple stops at veterans’ memorials around the nation’s capital. Both served in World War II. Ray Remus, 97, was a corporal in the Army with the 40th Combat Engineers, a support unit that served the Fifth and Seventh Armies. He served from 1941 to 1945 and saw service in North Africa, Sicily, the August 1944 invasion of southern France, and into Germany, working mostly as a mailman, he said. Although he didn’t

participate in combat, he didn’t leave the service unscathed: He contracted malaria while serving in France, he said. Lillian Remus, 95, was in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps through much of 1943, training in Daytona Beach, Florida. She said she left the corps at her father’s request when it was about to be incorporated into the Army as the Women’s Army Corps. On the Legends Flight trip, Ray Remus laid a wreath in a ceremony at the Air Force Memorial. “He got quite nervous, but he did good,” Lillian Remus said. “It was very emotional,” Ray Remus said of the day overall. “I met quite a few fellows that I had served with, so we had a very fine time.” Dan Weikel, curator of Muskegon’s USS LST-393 Veterans Museum, invited and accompanied the cou-

ple on the Legends Flight. He knows them from their volunteer work with the museum and landing ship, on which Ray Remus served during a trip from Naples, Italy, to Bizerte, Tunisia, in early 1944. Weikel had a wheelchair available for either of them who might need it, but neither did, Lillian said. With the aid of walker chairs, both made it through most of a fairly grueling schedule of memorial visits, with plenty of walking. “It was just fabulous,” Lillian Remus said of the day. “I don’t know how to explain it. When Dan called and asked if we could go, I said I would be very proud to go and very happy to go. “It was very emotional,” she said. “I felt good. I gave myself credit ... at least I didn’t start crying. People want to shake your hand and ask what you’d done or what Ray had done. “I would go again.”

World War II veterans Lillian Remus, 95, and her husband, Raymond Remus, 97, of Norton Shores, visit the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. on Thursday. He was an Army corporal with the 40th Combat Engineers and saw service inNorth Africa, Sicily, southern France and Germany. She was in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps through much of 1943. (Ken Stevens/MLive.com)

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