On Wednesday, May 25, 2011 nearly two dozen family albums of about 700 photographs weighing 150 pounds were recovered from a secluded dumpster near the west pavilion of Willard Beach at Goguac Lake in Battle Creek, Michigan.They include a chronological family lifespan of at least 64 years, and the reason these materials were placed in the dumpster are unknown? At least 30 calls have been made across the country trying to locate a family member that would like these photographs returned. Numerous inquiries were made to churches, veteran organizations, community groups, and to BPOE 131. Michigan obituaries have also been checked in an attempt to identify family members, but to no avail. If you have any information on these individuals, please contact me as soon as possible so that the photographs may be returned to a relative or friend that might like them. The albums contain letters and cards that were very well preserved for many decades. This family seemed to be very close and enjoyed outings with friends and other relatives. It appeared that they traveled often and may have visited Florida, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, South America, the Michigan UP and probably were well known in their respective communities. The family may have had a religious connection to the Congregational Church in Battle Creek.
The top left photo is from 1976- Radewald Farms- 1976, the family black/white photo is from 1947-June and Howard Pomeroy of Toledo, Ohio with family; Carol, Mary, Kay, Dick Ford, Dorothy, Kate and Don Donaldson, and the other is an obituary of a Robert Arthur Parrish, who previously lived in Battle Creek and died in Palm Harbor, Florida in 1989. Battle Creek Enquirer- May 28, 2011
Some of the names noted include;
Vicki L. Sneller, Holland, Michigan 1986
Kim Sneller, Holland- 1986
Richard Makela- Post card- Kalamazoo- date Unk
Robert Parrish, Palm Harbor, Fl. Obit notice 1989
June and Howard Pomeroy- Toledo, Ohio- 1946
Red Bud Foster Care, Location unknown- 1985
Ken and Alice Saathoff- 1984
Virginia and Ralph Rounds- May 1947
Wintergreen Lake, Gull Lake Bird Sanctuary- 1947
Richard Makela- Post card- Kalamazoo- date Unk
Robert Parrish, Palm Harbor, Fl. Obit notice 1989
June and Howard Pomeroy- Toledo, Ohio- 1946
Red Bud Foster Care, Location unknown- 1985
Ken and Alice Saathoff- 1984
Virginia and Ralph Rounds- May 1947
Wintergreen Lake, Gull Lake Bird Sanctuary- 1947
Jean Rowe- Seminole, Florida- 1985 (Business card for Prudential Realty) She is unknown there now, and Prudential has no record of this name.
Ralph Rounds- 1963
Ralph Rounds- School photo 1951/1952
Doris & Bob Johnson- Location unknown- April 1997
Change of Watch Dance- Location unknown- January 1996
Janet, Kay, Keith and Dick, Vermont Avenue, Lansing, Michigan 1945
John Doyle- Location unknown- 1949
Timmie Doyle- Capital Avenue, NE- 1946
Libby Ann Doyle- Photo taken from apartment house on Capital Avenue NE and Elm in Battle Creek
Mr./Mrs. Ed Shimm- Photo taken from across the street, 847 E. Michigan Avenue in Battle Creek, Worked and retired from General Foods in 1947
Mike Biebrich- August 1956
Tarrant County College, Class of 1999- name of Erin Lucinda Gavin checked.
Frances Quirk, Niles, Michigan- 1986
Radewald Farms, Niles, Michigan
Rev. Richard Kuhn- 1986 Morris Chapel Church, Niles, Michigan
Helen and Don Foster- Enquirer article- 1986 50th anniversary, couple living in Orlando
Poly & John Taylor, Enquirer article- September 1986
Thom & Lynne Taylor- Enquirer article- January 1987
Diane Radewald- H-P article, Appointed to Berrien County Clerk- July 1986
Adolph Knott- 1980
Bud Miller, Bud's Service Center, Seminole, Texas 1986
Francis Norris- wedding announcement for daughter Nancy to Mahlon Lee Lowery
Ralph Rounds- 1963
Ralph Rounds- School photo 1951/1952
Doris & Bob Johnson- Location unknown- April 1997
Change of Watch Dance- Location unknown- January 1996
Janet, Kay, Keith and Dick, Vermont Avenue, Lansing, Michigan 1945
John Doyle- Location unknown- 1949
Timmie Doyle- Capital Avenue, NE- 1946
Libby Ann Doyle- Photo taken from apartment house on Capital Avenue NE and Elm in Battle Creek
Mr./Mrs. Ed Shimm- Photo taken from across the street, 847 E. Michigan Avenue in Battle Creek, Worked and retired from General Foods in 1947
Mike Biebrich- August 1956
Tarrant County College, Class of 1999- name of Erin Lucinda Gavin checked.
Frances Quirk, Niles, Michigan- 1986
Radewald Farms, Niles, Michigan
Rev. Richard Kuhn- 1986 Morris Chapel Church, Niles, Michigan
Helen and Don Foster- Enquirer article- 1986 50th anniversary, couple living in Orlando
Poly & John Taylor, Enquirer article- September 1986
Thom & Lynne Taylor- Enquirer article- January 1987
Diane Radewald- H-P article, Appointed to Berrien County Clerk- July 1986
Adolph Knott- 1980
Bud Miller, Bud's Service Center, Seminole, Texas 1986
Francis Norris- wedding announcement for daughter Nancy to Mahlon Lee Lowery
1988 Commencement program from Lakeview High School
Jim Carlin
Justinian Investigative Services
269.753.1181
JustinianLaw@sbcglobal.net
Jim Carlin
Justinian Investigative Services
269.753.1181
JustinianLaw@sbcglobal.net
5 comments:
jim there are times when i get angry at u for not letting me have my say on things that i feel i have a right 2 say. what ur doing here is great..best of luck at finding the owners of these pics memories like these r the only things some people have.
After examining over a month's worth of obituary notices from Legacy.com and the Battle Creek Enquirer I was able to match an obituary with some of the names found in the albums. It appears that the woman who passed, and had compiled the albums was a Carol M. Taylor.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/battlecreek/obituary.aspx?n=carol-m-taylor&pid=150670066&eid=sp_shareobit
I will now try to locate a relative or friend who might wish to have the discarded photographs given to them.
Carol M. Taylor Battle Creek Carol M. Taylor, 91, passed away April 26, 2011 at the Heritage Assisted Living Community. Carol, the daughter of Adolph and Edna (Radewald) Knott was born January 26, 1920 in Niles, MI. Carol graduated from Niles High School in 1937. She then attended Michigan State University graduating in 1942. Carol married Leonard L. White in 1942, that marriage ended in divorce. She married Duane B. Taylor in 1977. Carol was very actively involved in the PTA at Roosevelt School while her children were students there. She worked at Woodlawn Nursery School for several years, at Jacobson's Department Store and the Battle Creek Flying Service. She and Duane loved their summers at the cottage on Glen Lake and the many years they wintered at Lake Tarpon Mobile Home Park in Palm Harbor, FL. She was on the Dance Committee, sang in the Gold Tones Choir and belonged to the Boat Club at the Lake Tarpon MHP. Since 1945 Carol has been a member of the First Congregational Church of Battle Creek. Carol is survived by her children Jan (Linda)White of Battle Creek, Gary (Nancy)White of Ft. Wayne, IN and Sheryl Makela of Tucson, AZ; grandchildren Jan (Heather) and Eric (Amanda) White of Battle Creek, David and Pamela Myatt of CA, and Shenoah White of Ft. Wayne, IN; 4 great-grandchildren: Brady, Lacey, Jada and Shelby; her sister Alice Saathoff of Westminster, MD; step-son David Taylor, 2 step-grandsons Jason and Matthew all of Minneapolis, MN, a step grand-daughter Erin Gavin and her 2 daughters of Texas. Carol was preceded in death by her husband Duane and former husband Leonard, her parents and son-in-law Richard Makela. At Carols request cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be held in the Miller Chapel at the First Congregational Church 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 4, 2011. Interment of the cremains will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery. The family requests, in lieu of flowers, that donations be made to the First Congregation Church of Battle Creek, the American Heart Association or the Alzheimer's Association . Arrangements are by the Farley-Estes & Dowdle Funeral Home. Personal messages for the family may be placed at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.
Published in Battle Creek Enquirer on May 1, 2011
The Thom and Lynne Taylor listed own Capital Florist. You may want to contact them, if you haven't already.
Some of Ms. Taylor's relatives were very happy that these items were recovered and can be returned to their family as they never should have been discarded. I knew all along that this type of property may not seem like much to some, but is indeed invaluable to others.
I plan to deliver the property to this family as it is evident that Carol Taylor held a very special place in their heart, and in the hearts of so many other friends and relatives.
Thanks to all who provided information, and especially Sarah Lambert for her story in the Enquirer.
I am a former BC resident and did not recognize any of the names, but just wanted to say that I think it is so kind of you to take the effort to run the leads down and reunite the photos with family members who will cherish them. Our family (many years back) lost a lot of photos and family heirlooms through the actions of one disturbed and bitter family member--so I can very easily imagine what might have led to these photos being dumped at the lake. The person who did it probably wanted to make sure no one would be able to enjoy them. Glad that misguided intention was thwarted by your diligence. :-)
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