Michigan Vacation

Summer 2011 my family and I went on a vacation to Michigan. We had not had a family reunion in 14 years. We saw sights and family from my mom's and dad's family. It was a great blessing We drove up to Michigan.

The drive was scenic, we went through West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

The vistas were beautiful.

The Flight 93 Crash sight in Pennsylvania is the above photo. The concrete wall is the flight path as Flight 93 came down in to the field. The crater in the ground was 30 feet down

Uncle Doug gave us new hats- one size fits all. It was great to see everyone.

Our Uncle Doug met us as we arrived at the hotel in Michigan. Any resemblance to my mom?

30+ years ago my parents were married in Troy Seventh-day Adventist Church.


Tim Hortons has come south :) from Canada.

My Mom's childhood home in Grosse Pointe, north of Detroit. There was a tree there that was planted about 40 years ago.

What is a trip to Michigan without seeing old cars, like this 1956? Thunderbird. They were cool! That is my mom sitting in the driver's seat.

The house in which my grand parents were married in 1936.

My mom and her family's old
vacation house on the St Clair River. It was neat to hear the stories again but even nicer to see the places. This is the kitchen to the huge old farm house.

My mom's dormitory at the Harper Hospital School of Nursing during 1970-1972. She lived on the sixth floor.
Family photo on the Detroit River with Windsor Ontario in the background.

My mom and dad's first house in Troy. They bought it in 1977 before my dad went to the Seminary at Andrews. It is sure built up around there. Hardly any open land anymore.

Mrs. Hass, a family friend from muscular dystrophy camp and a colleague of my mom's doctoral program invited us to her Lake house for the day. We enjoyed good fellowship, memories, and fun in the Lake.

We also took a trip to Berrien Springs, Michigan to see Andrews University. My favorite building was the college church Pioneer memorial which resembled a Gothic cathedral. We attended a beautiful worship service dedicating the new students for their studies and service ahead of them.

While we were at Andrews University we stopped by my mom's favorite department, the nursing department where she use to work. She was an associate professor here 1980 to 1983.



My mom lead the efforts to start a Sigma Theta Tau Chapter at Andrews, Department of Nursing.

The land around Andrews University grows a lot of grapes for Welchs grape jelly. The land around the university was beautiful, open and very fertile.

The Mattingly Family from Andrews. My dad used to be TA for Dr. Mattingly when my dad was an undergrad. The female Dr. Mattingly is the chairperson of the physics department.


After we saw the University, we went to see Lake Michigan and the awesome sand dunes.



We hunted down and cleaned the graves of our grandparents and great grandparents. This is Cadillac Gardens where my mom's parents and grandparents rest.

This is the stone for my dad's dad - David L.

This is my mom's parents- Walter and Virginia's stone

This is the house where my dad grew up in the Westside of Detroit.

My dad's old house where he was a little boy.

My dad's elementary school where he was taught

My grandpa's church, it is the oldest Church in Detroit- Saint Anne's. You can see the steeple from Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

Saint Anne's church

My dad's high school - Cody, an inner city high school now.

Much of Detroit has boarded up or burned out houses. This is my dad's grandparents' house. My mom lived here with my dad's grandmum during her doctoral studies at Wayne State.

Where my dad and my grandpa would go to fishing. This pier is right near Fort Wayne on the

My dad and mum's friend from Harper Hospital - Jerry Skell

We went out to have a big family reunion with all our cousins at Aunt Jane and Uncle Ray's beautiful home. We had a great banquet and wonderful fellowship. Even my Aunt Diane from Gaylord came down to celebrate the reunion. Donna- you were missed, but thanks for sending your precious little girl.


This is my dad's cousin, Andrew and his two sisters Jane and Diane and him.

This is an old milk truck that was getting ready for the antique car show. My parents remember milk delivery when they were children.

The Detroit sky line from Canada and the Boblo boat.

The Ambassador Bridge between Canada and Detroit.

We enjoyed our trip to Michigan. The Tshirts are from my Uncles. My mom and her brothers all graduated from Grosse Pointe South High School.