My father passed away at 1:20 EST on Sunday, July, 21, 2019. He was 41 days short of his 99th birthday. He lived a long and wonderful life. He received his driver's license at the age of 8 so that he would be allowed to drive the produce from his family farm to Detroit's Eastern Market.
As an athlete he excelled at football, ice hockey, and wrestling. At the age of 15 he tried out and made a semi-pro football team playing against ex-college players. He earned $5.00 per game, good money back in the depression. After a year of semi-pro ball he repaid his salary and joined his high school team. His coach, Norm Borton (He would later become the Head Basketball coach and AD at Alma College.) persuaded my father that playing high school football was in his best interest because he believed someone would offer him a scholarship. His three years of high school football had him win the Barry Trophy in 1939, a trophy that was awarded to the top player in the Detroit Catholic league at that time. He was the first linemen to win the award. He earned a scholarship to play football at Lawrence Tech. He played one year before WWII started, and then spent the next four years serving his country. While stationed in Texas he joined the Rice football team coached by Jess Neely as a practice player due to a shortage of personnel. Neely offered my father a scholarship after the war, but my father turned it down because he wanted to return to Detroit and get on with his life. He played hockey in the old MO Hockey League (Michigan/Ontario) and earned a tryout with the New York Rangers. He would later be an assistant coach to Jimmy Peters and the Detroit Junior Wings in the early 1960's. Quite remarkable considering my father only had one eye. He had lost his right eye at the age of 2 in an accident.
Honorably discharged from the United States Army in January 1946 he quickly started his forty-year career as a Mechanical Engineer in the Experimental Vehicle Engine Development division of Ford Motor Company, retiring in 1986. He was involved in the development of the 1955 Thunderbird, his personal favorite. He and two other engineers were instrumental in the conception and development of the Mustang in 1961. I never saw someone with more passion for their job than my father.
I'm thankful for the man he was, and the man he taught me to be. He was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He left an honorable legacy. I love you dad, and I'm going to miss you. Thanks for everything.
RIP TFF (9-1-1920/7-21-2019)
As an athlete he excelled at football, ice hockey, and wrestling. At the age of 15 he tried out and made a semi-pro football team playing against ex-college players. He earned $5.00 per game, good money back in the depression. After a year of semi-pro ball he repaid his salary and joined his high school team. His coach, Norm Borton (He would later become the Head Basketball coach and AD at Alma College.) persuaded my father that playing high school football was in his best interest because he believed someone would offer him a scholarship. His three years of high school football had him win the Barry Trophy in 1939, a trophy that was awarded to the top player in the Detroit Catholic league at that time. He was the first linemen to win the award. He earned a scholarship to play football at Lawrence Tech. He played one year before WWII started, and then spent the next four years serving his country. While stationed in Texas he joined the Rice football team coached by Jess Neely as a practice player due to a shortage of personnel. Neely offered my father a scholarship after the war, but my father turned it down because he wanted to return to Detroit and get on with his life. He played hockey in the old MO Hockey League (Michigan/Ontario) and earned a tryout with the New York Rangers. He would later be an assistant coach to Jimmy Peters and the Detroit Junior Wings in the early 1960's. Quite remarkable considering my father only had one eye. He had lost his right eye at the age of 2 in an accident.
Honorably discharged from the United States Army in January 1946 he quickly started his forty-year career as a Mechanical Engineer in the Experimental Vehicle Engine Development division of Ford Motor Company, retiring in 1986. He was involved in the development of the 1955 Thunderbird, his personal favorite. He and two other engineers were instrumental in the conception and development of the Mustang in 1961. I never saw someone with more passion for their job than my father.
I'm thankful for the man he was, and the man he taught me to be. He was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He left an honorable legacy. I love you dad, and I'm going to miss you. Thanks for everything.
RIP TFF (9-1-1920/7-21-2019)