Obituary for Peter D. Wells

Thomas Wells shared this obituary from his family. The Wells family were

very involved in Copemish life - serving on the School Board and Village

Council, as well as owning a well-respected business in town.

 

70th Anniversary of Copemish Cyclones' Run for Class D State Title

 From the January 9, 2022 edition of the Traverse City Record Eagle -

Trip Down Memory Lane

1952 Copemish Cyclones went to state finals

By James Cook

Left to Right: Larry Maginity, Ben Blaho, Chuck Bigelow of the 1952 Copemish Boys Basketball State Runner-Up team. Far right: Fred Scarbrough, a player for the 1951 team that advanced to the quarterfinals. Record-Eagle/Mike Krebs 

[NOTE: Directions in the photo caption are incorrect. Far left is Scarbrough. Then left to right is Blaho, Bigelow, and Maginity]

BENZONIA — A glass backboard, a hotel and Fowler.

Those are three things Copemish players on the former school’s historic 1952 team hadn’t seen before.

The Copemish Cyclones played in the 1952 Class D boys basketball finals at Jenison Fieldhouse on the campus of Michigan State University, falling to Fowler. They were honored at Friday’s varsity boys basketball game between Benzie Central and Kingsley.

“Us kids were farm boys,” said Ben Blaho, a forward on the ‘52 team who now lives in Petoskey. “You didn’t go anywhere. Our parents didn’t take vacations. It was everybody’s first time in a hotel.”

They also hadn’t seen a glass backboard before, and they were surprised when the starters were announced prior to the championship game in a darkened arena with a spotlight. 

Most of the former Copemish district would be consolidated into Benzie Central in 1963, but the Cyclones won district championships every year from 1951-56 with a school that only had around 80 students.

The large Class D runnerup trophy held by Merle Smith in postgame photographs was lost in the school’s consolidation.

Benzie Central head coach Josh Crocker unveiled a new banner for the ‘52 Cyclones that’ll permanently have a place in the Huskies’ gym. Coincidentally, Copemish beat Kingsley in the 1952 regional championship game at Traverse City Central, back when regionals were three rounds long. The Huskies topped Kingsley 60-35 Friday night.

A banner honoring the 1952 Copemish Boys Basketball State Runner-Up team hangs in the gym at Benzie Central High School in Benzonia on Friday. Record-Eagle/Mike Krebs 

“We’re grateful to the Benzie athletic department and for the ones who can’t be here,” Copemish 1953 grad Chuck Bigelow said. “I’ve seen more people here in 15 minutes from Copemish than I’ve seen in years.”

Bigelow, an 86-year-old Mesick resident, was one of three 1952 team members on hand Friday night for a pregame ceremony honoring that team, along with Blaho and Larry Maginity. Fred Scarbrough, a player for the 1951 Cyclones that advanced to the Class D quarterfinals, was also there. Scarbrough’s younger brother Tom played on the 1952 squad.

The Cyclones set the state single-game points record with a 140-24 win over Bear Lake in the 1952-53 season, a mark eclipsed by several teams since, but that still stands tied for seventh in Michigan history. The Cyclones broke the 100-point barrier four times in the 1953-54 season, with three others in the 90s. All without the benefit of 3-pointers.

“I got hired a few years ago and started digging into the history of the program right away,” Crocker said. “And that was one of the ones that jumped out because, obviously, they had the deep postseason run. And No. 2 was because we hadn’t missed the opportunity to commemorate it. So that really stood out as an opportunity to celebrate something that most no one else really knew about. ... Most of the kids weren’t aware that Copemish ever had a school, let alone a good basketball team.”

Benzie did similar events for two past football teams — the Honor Knights in 2017 and Benzonia Hilltoppers in 2018 — that were also from small community schools consolidated into what is now Benzie Central.

Benzie Central's Chaz Grundy takes the court during player introductions at Benzie Central High School in Benzonia on Friday. Benzie Central wore throwback Copemish Cyclones uniforms during their matchup with Kingsley to honor the 1952 Copemish Boys Basketball State Runner-Up team. Record-Eagle/Mike Krebs 

The Copemish basketball teams that made history started on the playgrounds of the school that first opened in 1889 in a oneroom schoolhouse that burned down and was replaced in 1910 by the building with grades K-10 that still stands in Copemish under private ownership.

Bigelow’s father, Charles Sr., was in Copemish’s first 10th-grade graduating class (he later went back when 11th and 12th grades were available and graduated a second time), and his younger twin siblings Kenneth and Karen graduated in the school’s final 1963 class.

“When I was in the fourth grade, on the playground we’d play basketball,” said Blaho, just weeks before his 87th birthday. “And the fifth graders always wanted to play. There would always be a fight if we were beating them.”

So Copemish superintendent Earl Jewett assigned a varsity player to coach each grade and had games played in front of the entire school. Fights went away, and the level of basketball play increased.

Varsity coach Wilfred Fish also helped turn the group of rival grades into teammates.

“I didn’t know it at the time, but I do now,” said Blaho, who’d later play in a game against the Harlem Globetrotters. “He molded us.”

The Cyclones featured three sophomore starters on the 1952 state finals team — Ed Suchy, Jerome Jakubik and Blaho, a 5-foot-11 defensive forward who sometimes also played center. Those three could have played as freshmen the year before, but freshmen weren’t allowed to play on varsity in those days.

Sharpshooting junior Mickey Finan led the team in scoring and set the Manistee County single-game points record at the time with 56. The Cyclones’ only other loss that season was their 51-40 season opener against Dickson, a school that’d be consolidated into what’s now Brethren, also in 1963. In between Dickson and Fowler, the Cyclones won 19 straight games, including eight in the playoffs.

Fowler won the Class D championship game 55-20.

“It’s been written that they could beat any team, even Class A,” Blaho said. “In the first quarter, we knew it was over. We were just hoping to get a shot off against their tall guys. ... We were proud to hold them to 55 points. They averaged 80 or 85 a game.”

Star left-handed guard George Fox would go on to coach Magic Johnson at Lansing Everett and earn induction into the Greater Lansing Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.

“He was as mystifying to our defense as the glass backboards,” Bigelow said. “Fowler was devastating. The glass boards were very new to us. The game before against Spring Arbor, there weren’t glass boards. We were just in awe of the whole situation.”

The 1952 team consisted of John Rodgers, Gordon Nordbeck, Finan, Bigelow, Blaho, Smith, Patrick Egan, Edgar Morris, Suchy, Jakubik, Tom Scarbrough and Herbert Milks.

Maginity was the manager under coach Fish, who posted a record of 89-18 in five seasons.

“It was a great team,” said Maginity, a 1953 grad. “Fowler outran us and they had a big center. We just couldn’t keep up with them. We had a great run.”

Train Station Resources

I am searching for more information about the Copemish train station or stations from the 1880s through the 1920s. In my search, I found a link to a Michigan Railroad site that I thought some of you might find interesting: 

michiganrailroads.com/stations-locations/115-manistee-county-51/1337-copemish-mi

And, here is a link to a webpage with information about the Copemish to Glen Arbor depot move in 1965: 

trainweb.org/annarbor/bibliography/Newspaper_Stories/AARR%201965.html

August 9, 1965

Railroad Depot Begins New Career

DEPOT MOVED – The Ann Arbor railroad station at Copemish found a new home last week when it was moved from the Manistee Country community to Glen Arbor in Leelanau country to become an addition to The Country Store antique and gift shop complex. The picture was taken as the venerable station reached the end of its highway journey of some 50 miles.

---

Glen Arbor has a new railway depot, but no railroad . . . nor any sign of one at any time in the future.

The station has been brought to this resort town in Leelanau county by two enterprising local businesswomen. Charlene Baker and Mrs. Virginia Hinton, who operate The Country Store on M-22 between the village and the Glen Lake Narrows bridge.

The Country Store is designed in the manner of an old-fashioned store, and is furnished with original antiques including a potbellied stove, cracker barrel, coffee mill, and an old cash register.

The hunt for these antiques has been a fascinating one for the women, but the the greatest find by far has been the railroad station from Copemish. It has all the classic lines and nostalgia of the kinds of railroad depots which dotted the Michigan landscape at the turn of the century.

The station was built at Thompsonville by the Ann Arbor railroad by the Ann Arbor railroad and moved to Copemish, which was then a thriving lumber center. The Manistee & Northeastern railroad came through Copemish about 1889 from Manistee, en route to Traverse City, and according to Mrs. Almira Digby of Copemish, local historian, the Toledo and Ann Railroad raced to get to Copemish first and making it a bit ahead, controlled the crossing. The Manistee & Northeastern has been discontinued for several years, but the Ann Arbor still manages a freight business at Copemish, with the bulk of the freight crossing Lake Michigan by carferry from Frankfort. Copemish today is a quiet farming town, a livestock center, and famous for its annual Strawberry Festival, but it not longer has a passenger train and therefore had no need for a depot.

The Copemish depot, now attached to the Country Store in Glen Arbor, will house a few special art shows this summer and go into full operation as part of the store next year. It is a quaint and colorful addition to an already picturesque gift shop. Now safety preserved from destruction, the depot can live in gracious and useful retirement after its long years as a bustling little center of travel and commerce.

Manistee County Railroad/Train

Photo caption:  "Scenes of Bygone Days - Bear Lake, Mich."

This is not Copemish, but I can't help but think that engines like this were in our area also. Thank you for posting this, Don Harrison. 

Posted to the Facebook group "Northern Michigan Photo Postcards - Our History & Heritage" by Don Harrison on December 31, 2019.

Facebook post caption written by Harrison: "RR Bear Lake Manistee MI RPPC BEAR LAKE & EASTERN RAILROAD @ Hopkins Lumber Mill. The railroad took lumber & cordwood from the Village to the Pierport Docks 5 miles west on Lake Michigan. Very RARE Photo. Michigan Photographer UNK but possibly SHARP of Bear Lake and Frankfort!"

A History of American Legion Read-Osborne Post 531

By Anna Milks

July 21, 1991

When I was asked to write a history of Read-Osborne Post 531, I had no idea what a jobI was undertaking. The more I talked to people, the more research I did, the more convinced I became that I couldn’t tell our story in one short article. I am going to be as brief as I can, and if I forget someone’s favorite memory or someone’s name, please forgive me. Some Post records were lost so some of my information is sketchy. If anyone can fill in names or dates, etc., give me the information and I will add it to the record.

The Post was founded in November, 1946 by a group of World War II veterans who felt a need to belong to and organization such as the American Legion. Most of them and their families lived in the Copemish area and surrounding townships. The first meetings were held in a building owned by Estle and Anna Milks. This building was once a studio where Mr. Armstrong had a photography business. Later, they met in the Copemish Council Rooms where facilities were better. The men began to dream of a Post Home of their own. Headed by Cass Zabik, the thirty-three members set out to make their dream come true.

The Post was named for two local young men who gave their lives in the service of their country in World War II. One of them was Pvt. Loren Read, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Loren Read, of Cleon Township. Pvt. Read entered the army in March, 1943, and was assigned to the Medical Corps as First Aid Man and Medical Aid Man. In July, 1944, he was sent to Hawaii. He was in the invasion of Leyte, where on November 4, 1944, he gave his life going to the aid of a wounded comrade. He was awarded the Silver Star and the Purple Heart. His parents received a letter of condolence from General Douglas MacArthur.

The other was Lt. George Osborne, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Osborne, also of Cleon Township He entered the Air Corps in January, 1943. In October, 1944, he was assigned to the 15th Air Force and was sent to Italy. He was in air raids on aircraft and tank factories in Germany, the Styx Ball-Bearing Works, and the Ploesti oil fields. He lost his life when his plane was shot down over Austria. Lt. Osborne was awarded the Distinguished Unit Badge and one Bronze Cluster. His group twice received the Presidential Citation for outstanding performance of duty.

With the help of Merritt Corbiss, and organizer for the 9th District and Mr. Holly, Commander of Manistee Post 10, the new post became a reality. It was officially Read-Osborne Post 531. Now, a building was needed and they set out to build one. Headed by Cass Zabik, the thirty-three Charter members went to work.

The work began on a shoestring, with little money, much enthusiasm, and plenty of hard work. The men obtained CCC buildings from Wellston, tore them apart, and sold the lumber to get money to build their Post Home. All labor was donated and people who owned a truck or other equipment loaned them to the veterans. People gave money, time, and labor. It seemed as if everyone wanted to help. Cleon Township and the Village of Copemish each donated $500.00. People say Springdale Township gave $500.00 also. I have tried, but so far haven’t been able to verify that.

With money thus obtained, construction was begun on ground donated by Elton Dinger. Originally, a full basement was dug and then partly filled in for lack of money to buy extra blocks and cement. The building was put into use about 1948. That summer, the Auxiliary was formed. The first organizational meeting was held at the home of Vera Rogers in Thompsonville, with Pearl Holly of Manistee who helped us in many ways.The meeting was attended by Audrey Hysell, Bea Doneth, and me. Our first officers were:

President - Anna Milks

Secretary - Audrey Hysell

Treasurer - Vera Rogers

Historian - Beatrice Doneth

There were at this time twenty-six Charter Members.

The Auxiliary lost no time going to work to help the men raise badly needed funds. While they sold raffle tickets, held family dances, and made a dollar wherever they could, the women worked in the lunchroom at the dances, produced plays, served dinners and chili suppers, held box socials, and so on. Those were days of hard work and real dedication.

There was a time when this hall had a tile floor laid over cement. When people danced, moisture came up through the tile, loosened the wax and created a muddy, slippery mess. People slipped and skidded around, but no one seemed to mind because they were having a good time. When the problem continued, a hardwood floor was laid.

Once the Auxiliary, a bunch of rank amateurs, produced a three act play. After weeks of rehearsal, we were ready for the big night. We had problems with acoustics because we had no ceilings, but we did our best. Things went well for a bit, but then it started to rain, and the noise of the rain on the tin roof made it impossible for us to be heard. As I remember, we gave the play again in the school gym. I don’t believe we made a lot of money on that project! We had a basement kitchen where the women sold lunches at the dances. Our water supply was a pitcher pump in another room, and we had to go to Thompsonville for ice to cool the pop we sold. Our sink drain was a pail we emptied out back, which was where the outdoor plumbing facilities were located.

The creed of the Legion and Auxiliary is service to others. The Auxiliary sells poppies every year. These poppies are made by veterans who are hospitalized. We buy poppies from them and they use the money for little things they may need. For many, it is the only money they can earn. If a veteran is too disabled to make poppies, his family is allowed to help him. The money we receive from the poppies when we sell them is used to help disabled veterans and their families.

In the 1960’s the Auxiliary began to run Bingo games. As time went on, it became a good source of income for us. We held our games on Friday nights; later, men started their Sunday afternoon Bingo games. It now became easier to pay the bills , to improve the building, and to increase our investment in the lives of people in trouble. We began to spend money in schools as well. We help anyone who is in distress because of accident, illness or misfortune. That is the creed of the Legion and Auxiliary. 

We spend money on:

Little League Boys and Girls Baseball

4-H Projects

Children’s Christmas Parties

Boys and Girls State

Otter Lake Children’s Home

Medical Research - Cancer, etc.

Red Cross - United Fund, etc.

Christmas Baskets for the Needy

In addition, our building is maintained year-round as a Community Building. We have improved the building and the parking lot. We have a well-equipped kitchen, clean, attractive restrooms, and tables and chairs in plentiful supply. The hall is used for clas reunions, various meetings, and Christmas parties for children and adults. It is also available for EMT classes, Scout meetings, etc. At one time, our hall and Bingo equipment were used by firemen to earn money for a new fire truck.

Speaking of Bingo, once an Auxiliary project, it is now also the Legion’s main source of income. Our volunteer workers are not paid. Our Bingo funds are used for community service projects. Out of Bingo has come a project dear to me, our Scholarship Program. Having been a teacher, I value education and have been in charge of the Scholarship Program from the beginning. Our eldest son, Herb, at the time Principal at Maple City-Glen Lake Schools, suggested to me that we start a scholarship program. He helped me set it up so that I could avoid probles or pitfalls. Then, I was lucky enough to have a good committee to help me. This committee consists of Edna Chandler, Alice Dixon, and Gloriette Drobena. They are able, faithful helpers and they have never let me down. 

Beginning in 1979, our Bingo netted enough money to enable us to award three scholarships of $500.00 each. To be eligible to apply, a person need only be related to a veteran of the United States Armed Forces.

To date, counting the 1991 school year, we have invested more than $50,000.00 in education. By we, I mean the Auxiliary and the Legion who have been helping us since they began their Sunday afternoon Bingo. We have helped educate -  Teachers, Nurses, Social Workers, Secretaries, Mechanics, Engineers of all kinds, Public Relations People, an Artist, a Chemist, an Optometrist, an Architect, and a Psychiatrist.

Memorial Day is a special day for us. Our men are up at dawn, raising Colors at the Post and the Post Office. They then go to surrounding towns and to cemeteries where they repeat the service. They are there in any weather to attend the funeral of any serviceman. I have stood and watched these men, most of them no longer young, and as the sound of Taps echoed through the air, I have always been so proud. They will repeat the ritual, no matter what the weather, for any veteran whose family requests it.

AUXILIARY CHARTER MEMBERS

Kathryn Ashcraft

Catherine Baughman

Sarah Baughman

Ollamae Bower

Bertha Cribbs

Barbara Cribbs

La Neah Cheylava

Gladys Dinger

Vivian Dinger

Goldie Dinger

Beatrice Doneth

Mary Egan

Lillian Finan

Audrey Hysell

Anna Milks

Della Milks

Lena Milliron

Eva Romsek

Genevieve Read

Vera Rogers

Alice Scarbrough

Malvina Scarbrough

Vivian Scarbrough

Mary Terwilliger

Mary Thompson

Pearl Williams

PAST AUXILIARY PRESIDENTS

1948  Anna Milks

1949  Anna Milks

1950  Anna Milks

1951  Beatrice Doneth

1952  Audrey Hysell

1953  Vera Rogers

1954  Lois Brown

1955  Beverly Smith

1956  June Smith

1957  Alice Scarbrough

1958  Bertha Cribbs

1959  Bertha Cribbs

1960  Betty Skurski

1961  Mae Fitzner

1962  Lois Brown

1963  Gene Pawlak

1964  Ruby Collins

1965  Ivora Crane

1966  Ivora Crane

1967  Rita Carpenter

1968  Vivian Dinger

1969  Sarah Baughman

1970  Betty Skurski

1971  Barbara Usher

1972  Barbara Usher

1973  Barbara Usher

1974  Lois Brown

1975  Rita Russell

1976  Rita Russell

1977  Rita Russell

1978  Rita Russell

1979  Audrey Hysell

1980  Audrey Hysell

1981  Lois Foucart

1982  Mabel Cole

1983  Manel Cole

1984  Lillian Overmyer

1985  Elsie Krimm

1986  Dorothy Hill

          Jackie Isbell

1987  Vivian Dinger

1988  Mable Cole

1989  Mable Cole

1990  Edna Chandler

1991  Edna Chandler

1992  Virginia Kocher

POST CHARTER MEMBERS

Casimir Zabik

Elton Dinger

Max Bargerstock

Floyd Bower

George Doneth

Gordon Doneth

William Romsek

John Abshire

Wallace Humphrey

Earl Holmes

Donald Dinger

Paul Egan

Patrick Baughman

Otis Conrad

Estle Milks

Konstanty Borkowski

Harold Hysell

David Bower

Hubert Milks

Bernard Dobryzinski

Harold Flynn

Charles Mlcek

Alvin Selander

James O’Neal

Charles Cribbs

Lawrence Smith

Winston Crow

John H. Doneth

Theodore Rudman, Jr.

George Cheylava

Henry Chandler

Theodore Somero

John L. Romsek

PAST POST COMMANDERS

1947  Casimir Zabik

1948  Harry Rogers

1949  Harry Rogers

1950  Ervin Baughman

1951  Frank Haynes

1952  Harry Rogers

1953  L.C. Smith

1954  Paul Drobena

1955  William B. Dixon

1956  John Romsek

1957  Ray Brown

1958  Herb Kellogg

1959  Harry Rogers

1960  William Dunham

1961  Elton Dinger

1962  Harold Kransi

1963  Robert Ewing

1964  Howard Williams

1965  Walter Edwards, Jr.

1966  Lawrence Ketchum

1967  Llewellyn Crane

1968  Tracy Windrim

1969  Elton Dinger

1970  Herb Kellogg

1971  Robert Ewing

1972  Ray Dunn

1973  Robert Kellogg

1974  Arthur Clous

1975  Maynard Elliott

1976  Don Kellogg

1977  Robert Kellogg

1978  Russell Smith

1979  Ken Ramsay

1980  Leo Foucart

1981  Henry Chandler

1982  John Vondra

1983  Don Winchell

1984  Charles Vondra

1985  Don WInchell

1986  Henry Chandler

1987  Leonard Pierce

1988  Ken Wood

1989  Russell Smith

1990  William Spoor

1991  Charles Crane