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Hawk spikers
celebrate tourney
championship
Page 9
Complete coverage of the Cass City community and surrounding areas since 1899
VOLUME 105, NUMBER 33 CASS CITY, MICHIGAN - WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011 FIFTY CENTS ~ 16 PAGES
Community mourning loss of Jack Esau
by Tom Montgomery Wars Post 3644, Cass City. have taken anybody if they needed to of his home, Cass City,” VanAuken anybody.”
Editor His complete obituary is published go. He always made himself avail- said. “He was a very passionate man. He
on page 6 of this edition. able.” “Cass City is so very fortunate to loved the VFW and he loved the
The weekend marked the loss of a Among other things, Esau was Katie Jackson, a longtime Cass City have had such a patriarch. Far too corps. No matter what happened, he
wealth of living historical knowl- known in the community for a keen resident who taught in the Cass City many communities never have or was there, if only just to root you
edge when it comes to Cass City and memory that rarely failed him. Public Schools for nearly 40 years will have such a treasure,” she con- on,” commented Marty Twork, who
surrounding towns, a faithful veter- He was a 22-year-old U.S. Marine, and still serves as president of the tinued. “Where would we be with- has been a member of VFW Post
an, truly a gentle-man who always tending bar at an enlisted families Cass City Historical Society, agreed. out Jack’s memories?” 3644, Cass City, for the past 10
had a story or 2 to share if you ran Christmas party at Naval Air Station, “He was remarkable,” commented “When they say, ‘Once a marine, years, including a 4-year stint as
into him on the street or at the local Jacksonville, Fla., when the Jackson, whose first memory of Esau always a marine’, that was Jack — commander.
library. Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor Dec. dates back to the 1950s, after she not only (in terms of) service to our
A friend. 7, 1941. first arrived in town. Jackson country, but also to the Marine Twork noted Esau served as post
The community is mourning the Perhaps those memories gave him a recalled she was teaching a senior Corps,” commented Phil Nichols, a quartermaster for many years. “And
loss of Jack Esau, whom many con- special insight into the events he home economics class at the time, longtime friend and fellow VFW he was our historian for quite
sider the patriarch of Cass City. He would witness in the future, such as and then-school Supt. Willis post member who said Esau was awhile,” he said. “There wasn’t any-
was a master of memory, a resident the terrorist attacks against the Campbell told her of a nice man who known as much for his gentle and thing we could ask him that he didn’t
who could share in his later years, United States on 9-11. worked at Erla’s and who might be kind demeanor as he was for his know. Everything we needed, he
still in crisp detail, exactly where he “After the first planes went over willing to help her out with a unit she memory. “I don’t recall Jack ever knew.
was and what he was doing when the (Pearl Harbor), we knew where we was teaching on meat. having anything bad to say about “He’ll be missed, that’s for sure.”
stood,” he commented after that fate- “Jack brought up a half of beef,”
ful day in New York City in she said, adding Esau demonstrated
September 2001. “But today, we meat cutting and explained where
don’t know any more than we did each cut of meat was located. “From
yesterday. It’s very vague. You’re then on, I was very fond of Jack,”
swatting at flies in the dark. They Jackson said.
(terrorists) don’t have much to lose, Jackson acknowledged that Esau
and they’re very organized.” was the consummate story teller, a
Residents who knew Esau agree he trait that served him well during his
was one of the most friendly, person- lifetime.
able individuals they ever met. “He was the organizer of the histor-
Take Cass City’s Kris Leenhouts- ical society in Cass City. I want to
Gamet, for example. Leenhouts- think it was the time of the bicenten-
Gamet, a tireless supporter of veter- nial — ‘76 — but I would have to
ans who organized an annual cere- double check,” she said. “He was
mony in the village to support this president for many years, and he was
nation’s troops a few years ago, met on the board for many, many years
Esau back in the day when he was after that.”
still working at Erla’s Food Center. Esau also played a key role in the
Jack Esau “In 1990, my oldest son was sent to production of a series of “living his-
Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor back Desert Shield. After I was invited to tory” videos that are still available at
in 1941. Vassar to hang a ribbon to show sup- Rawson Memorial District Library
Esau, 93, died Sunday at port for our troops and (my son) in Cass City. In the series, produced
Northwood Meadows in Cass City, Pete, I thought Cass City should do some 15 years ago, several longtime
where he had been a resident since the same. Jack arranged for me to residents recall memories of the past,
August. talk to the VFW here in town to get and Esau served as both a moderator
He was born in Detroit but lived their support and color guard,” she and the interviewee in a number of
most of his life in the Cass City area, recalled. “For the next 7 months, the segments.
attending a country school in whenever I saw Jack, the first thing “It’s kind of an end of an era.
Greenleaf Township and graduating he asked was, ‘How is Pete doing?’ We’ve relied on him so long,” she
from Cass City High School in 1935. “When I was able to join the VFW said. “He’s going to be missed.”
He attended Michigan State auxiliary, Jack was there with a smile “Obviously, it is hard to talk about
University and was a veteran, having every month, still asking how Pete the loss of someone so dear,” added CASS CITY’S Erin Zdrojewski, right, and Alyssa
enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in was doing. He will be greatly Kate VanAuken, director of Rawson
1940 and serving active duty missed,” said Leenhouts-Gamet, Memorial District Library. “I have Bennett both qualified for Saturday’s Division 3
throughout World War II in the who joined the local auxiliary in been at Rawson for 9 years. During cross country state final meet with gutsy regional
southern Pacific theatre. 1991. that time I got to know a small part
Esau worked a number of jobs over That sentiment was shared by of Jack Esau. This community has runs.
the years, including stints at the old Agnes Erla, who has worked at known Jack for 9 decades. I have
Maier and Young Meat Market on Erla’s for some 50 years and today known him for less than one.
Main Street, Walbro Corporation and
the Rawson Dental Clinic. He spent
18 years working part-time at Erla’s
serves as the store’s customer service
representative.
“He was a very dear friend. I have
“In that time I have learned about a
small snapshot of a life so full of
many wonderful details: the
Zdrojewski, Bennett
Food Center before retiring. so much respect for him, as most escapades of his youth; his love of
Throughout his life he was very
much involved in the community.
He served on the Cass City Board of
people do,” Erla said of Esau.
“He was the most kind and giving
person,” she added. “He used to
libraries, reading and literature; his
time in the Marines; his timeless
marriage to the love of his life, Ruth;
moving on for Lady
Education and was a founding mem-
ber of the Cass City Historical
Society and Veterans of Foreign
drive people to doctor’s (appoint-
ments). Many of them were family
or friends of veterans, but he would
his love for his children; how proud
he was of his grandchildren; and, of
course, the many, many recollections
Red Hawk runners
Sometimes you don’t want to be awarded to only the top 3 team fin-
right. And Saturday proved to be one ishers on the day, Cass City had a
of those times for Cass City Cross pair of individuals qualifying for the
Country Coach Jon Zdrojewski. State Finals Meet slated at the
His Greater Thumb West champion Michigan International Speedway in
Lady Red Hawks failed to advance Brooklyn this Saturday.
over the weekend at the Division 3 “The top 15 individuals also quali-
regional in Harbor Beach, won by fy (for the state finals) and Erin
M-81 neighbor Caro with a dominat- Zdrojewski finished 14th and Alyssa
ing performance. Bennett finished 15th within .27 of a
The Tigers captured the regional second of each other in at 20:10.28
crown with 27 points and were fol- and 20:10.55,” said Zdrojewski.
lowed by Flint Powers with 52, “Alyssa had the best time of the
Sandusky 109, Frankenmuth 132, season and Erin her second best
Cass City 134, Reese 171, Bad Axe time. The girls are excited to run
211, Chesaning 216, St. Charles 230, Saturday to finish their seasons
Marlette 261, Vassar 271, and strong.”
Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port 317. “All in all, Cass City’s cross coun-
“The competition was really tough. try had a great season and I really
We knew coming into the meet that enjoyed my first year as the coach of
Caro was the favorite and we antici- the cross country team and look for-
pated a strong Flint Powers team. We ward to next season.
were correct on that count,” said “There will be some big shoes to
Zdrojewski. “Our real competition fill, as we will be losing 2 strong run-
was for third place and our rivals all ners in seniors Ashley Potts and
season have been Sandusky and Jessa Prieskorn.”
Frankenmuth.” Potts finished 24th Saturday with a
Imara Remsing Caro had 4 of the 6 fastest individ- time of 20:54 and Prieskorn, 42nd,
ual times to secure the regional title. with a time of 22:32.
Joseph and Sherri Remsing of Erika Roe led the Tigers with a sec- In the boys’ field, Chesaning
Pontiac announce the birth of their ond place time of 19:30, while Casey grabbed team honors with 51 points,
daughter, Imara Louise. Hadaway was third to cross the end while Frankenmuth and Marlette
Imara was born March 21, 2011 in line with a time of 19:34 and Monica each advanced into the state finals
Pontiac. She weighed 7 pounds, 8 Ellicott, fourth, with a time of 19:34. with 77 and 82 points, respectively.
ounces and was 19.5 inches long. The champions also had Sarah Frankenmuth’s Eric Edmond was
Her grandparents are the late Linda Brown, 6th overall, with a time of the meet medalist with a time of
Remsing and Joseph and Lois 19:52 and Megan Ewald with a time 16:03.
Remsing of Arizona, and Doug and of 20:06 finished the race in the 12th Locally, Red Hawk Adrien Hartsell
the late Donna Poole of Pontiac. spot. was timed in 21 minutes flat and
Despite not advancing as a team, Justin KerKau in 24:19.