Charles Walters' Retirement Party - January 1962  
(Double-click on the individual thumbnails to see the full-size photos)
(These photos are best viewed with the monitor set to 1,280x1024)*
Well, this is one of my more interesting internet stories. I received an email from Lyn Trombley on November 29, 2002. She is a 1968 graduate of Mt. Clemens High School and is now living outside of San Antonio, Texas. Her grandfather was Charles R. Walters. He was the president of First National Bank in Mt. Clemens for many years. Lyn says that he was very proud that the bank was never closed for even a day during the depression. Here are photos from his retirement party in 1962. It is a who's who of the Mt. Clemens merchant class. (Certainly nobody I ever hung out with.) (Most of the photos are from the 1962 retirement party. A few of the photos are from the Walters' 50th wedding anniversary in 1966.) The names below the photos are as they appear handwritten on the back of each print. I have to wonder if Mr. Walters did not know these photos would be appearing on the internet over 40 years later. (Truly one of the coolest things I have done since learning how to put a web page together.)

Please send me an email to correct spelling or to tell me anything about the people in these photos. doug@dougfejer.com  You can also internet chat with me. My aol screenname is fejerdoug.  My yahoo screenname is dougfejer. I am online virtually all of the time using the AOL chat software.

Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Sharlan Mr. and Mrs. Sam Malbin	Lulu Winslow, Elvia Bobcock, Nellie Kidd	Precious Herzenstiel, Charles Walters, Jr., Mrs. M.R. Little
Bert Watman, daughter and husband, George & Clara Kruse. (I had a classmate named Bill Kruse.)	Mr. & Mrs. Henry Fretz, 50th Anniversary 9-12-66 (9-10-66)	Mrs. George Folkman, Mrs. Alger Syme, Mr.  & Mrs. John Lehner
Roselears, Pearl & Mort Rosso, Jan 1962.	At home living room, 9-12-66, Henry Fretz, Betty Fretz, Hazel Smith and sister, Lillian Sebolt.	Mr. & Mrs. Frank Miller, Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Deuel.
Mr. & Mrs. Edward O. Meyer, Mr. & Mrs. Lee Kittredge.	Mr. & Mrs. Don Gerkey, Jr. Mr. and Mrs Isaac Hartung.	Mrs. & Mrs. Chas. Pagett, Mr. And Mrs. L.A. Kettenring, Mr. and Mrs. David Mercer
"WCSC Refreshment Committee" Mrs. Harrison, Mrs. Fowler, Mrs. Chas. Walton (Guess women did not have names in those days.) From Philip Groh: WCSC = Women's Christian Service Committee	Miss Frances Stubbs, Dr. & Mrs. Clayton Stubbs.	Mr. & Mrs. Theodore De Groot.
Mrs. Stanley Peltier (Mamie), Mr. & Mrs. Milton Penzien (My 7th grade math teacher???) Mr. & Mrs. Richard Williams.	9-10-67: Mr. & Mrs. Merle St. Aubin (He died Nov. 1967) Mr. & Mrs. Pete Rosso. (Just love the gloves.)	Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Barck, Mr. & Mrs. Franz Rooney, Mr. & Mrs. Gerry Sans.
Mr. & Mrs. Otto Nickel, Mars Sydney Tinkler.	Back Row: Nelly Longstaff, Mrs. & Mrs. Chris Matthews, Mrs. Marty Malbin, Mrs. Thomas Longstaff	Mr. & Mrs. James Slaughter, Paul Sonnenberg.
Mr. & Mrs. John Kurz, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Groesbeck, Jr.	Mr. & Mrs. George McCollough, Mr. & Mrs. George Priehs.	Mr. & Mrs. Giles Hubbard, Mr. And Mrs. Alfred Fent (sp?)
Mr. & Mrs. Carl Graul, Mr. & Mrs. John Vice, Mr. & Mrs. Harold Charbeneau.	Mr. & Mrs. William Berkhof  (Mr. Berkhof was superintendent of the Mt. Clemens Schools. He retired in the early 70'.) Mr. & Mrs. Eldon Valentine.	Mr. & Mrs. Harold Green, Mr. & Mrs. Monte McFarlane.
Mr. & Mrs. Hunter Judd (Mr. & Mrs. Judd were teachers at MCHS.)  Mr. & Mrs. Guy Verkler.	Mrs. merle Watkins, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Nickelson.	Mr. & Mrs. Arie Guldemond, Dr. & Mrs. Campbell Ward. (Dr Ward was one of the founding doctors of Mt. Clemens General Hospital.)
Mr. Fred Wiess, Mr. & Mrs. Dewitt Brewer	Florence (Green) Richardson, Martha Clark, Pearl Rosso (50th Wedding anniversary.)	Mort, Pearl Rosso, Janette Ullrich, Anna & Charles Walters. (Retirement Party - Jan 1962.) (This print was 3"x4.5", i.e. the same proportion as a 35mm negative, i.e. 24mm x 36mm - so why do they continue to call it 35mm film? This is what all of the prints would look like if they were redone today on 4x6 photo paper.)
Mr. & Mrs. Jake Ullrich. Mr. & Mrs. Eugene Levine (Neighbor)	Judge & Mrs. Malcolm Trombley.	Hazel Smith and Anna (50 Anniversary.)
Mr. & Mrs. Adolph Magnes & Peter Vladeff.	Ah, youngsters. chuck Walton, Mr. & Mrs. Robert Johnson (bank)	Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Sanborn, Robert Walters, Mary ellen and Vance Frederick (Nappanee, Indiana.
Mr. & Mrs. allen Frazher, Mrs. francis McVay, Ed Stadler, Wanda Stadler, Mr. Frances McVay (bank)	Mr. & Mrs. Don Grunewald, Mr. & Mrs. Gary McNabb (bank)	Diane Donaldson, Mrs. Edna Kruse, Miss. Rita Stockdale, Mar. & Mrs. Chas. Donaldson.
Dr. & Mrs. Rufus Reitzel, Mr. & Mrs. Hugh Whiting.	Mr. & Mrs. Harry Diehl, Ellen Schwan, Rita Stockdale (background) The Diehl's lived across the street from us on Lodewyck. Mr. Diehl was the mayor of Mt. Clemens at the time of this photo. (Me thinks.) Their son Harry is the current mayor of Mt. Clemens. (2002)	Blanch & Ed Sherwin.
Judge Trombley, Mrs. Lucile McKenzie, Edward Sherwin.	Marjorie (Babcock) Peters, Mr. & Mrs Frank Munt (sp?)
Mrs. Lucile McKee, Mr. & Mrs. Bob Schnaufer.	Mr. & Mrs. Arigo Baldini.	Mr. & Mrs. Tom Nunneley, Mrs. George Pingle, Mrs. Howard Fenton, Mrs. Austin Heine.  (Rye Donaldson Heine is the grandmother of my childhood friend Mike Arbisi and his cousins James and the late Robert Brown.) Here is a little Donaldson History.

As a photo type person I am amazed by the quality of these photos. It appears from the back of one of the prints that the original photos were actually taken with Kodachrome slide film and then prints were made from the slides. The prints are 3.5" by 3.5" (i.e. they are square) However, 35mm film is rectangular and not square. As a result you can see in many of the photos that the persons on the extreme sides of the photos were cut out when the rectangular slide image was cut to fit on a square print. I also wonder if these were not done by a professional photographer or if Mr. Walters himself was not an extreme photobuff. I wonder if professional lighting was set up near an entrance to get a shot of everyone when they walked in. In those days indoor shots were taken using flash bulbs. I have tons of slides that my dad took at this time, but they are all outdoor shots.

50th Wedding Anniversary 9/66, First Methodist Church, Mt. Clemens. Hazel Smith (You don't see many "Hazel's" these days.) Gladys Anderson) Lillian Sebolt.

So, where was Doug in 1962? I may not have attended Mr. Walters' retirement party, but I did attend a party of another mover and shaker in Mt. Clemens. This is the 4th birthday party of Mike Arbisi, grandson of Rye Donaldson Heine. Standing left to right Keith A. Brown, then one of the Brown twins - either Robert or Jim, next to him wearing the bow tie is Peter Kessler, next to him is a dashing 4 year-old Doug Fejer, next in front of the cake is Mike Arbisi, standing behind with only his face showing is Paul Arbisi, the taller boy is Kerry Crumb, the blond girl is Nancy Brown, standing by the table next to Mike is Shelly Kessler holding the drink at the end of the table is the other Brown twins. (The Browns are Mike's cousins.) Standing by the window is Mike's mother Cynthia Arbisi and she is holding Mike's sister Sarah.  (Of course, it is pretty tragic for me to view this photo knowing that Nancy Brown would be killed in a freak accident walking to school in 1972 and that Robert Brown would be killed by a drunk driver in an accident in 1999.)

I could not help but post another photo of me in 1962. This photo demonstrates that it was my destiny to grow up and leave Mt. Clemens for Texas.

*Also, if using Microsoft Internet Explorer. Go to "tools: internet options: Advanced: Multimedia" -
 Check the box "enable automatic image resizing."

Comments from Internet Land

Paul Williams
Doug I am glad that you sent these photos, particularly since my parents are in this group.  My parents are pictured on page 4. Richard and Margaret Williams along with the Penzien's.  My father was the Sr. Pastor at the First Presbyterian Church at 168 Cass Avenue ( across from the High School ) for 23 years. He now lives in New Baltimore, Mi at Presbyterian Village. He turned 88 in October. My mother passed away in January of 2000 and is buried in Clinton Grove Cemetery in Mt. Clemens. I have a brother Richard who lives in Phoenix and is a radiologist there. I recognize a number of people in these photos. The Malbin's owned Malbin's Furniture Store in downtown Mt. Clemens and were very active in the Mt. Clemens Jewish community. Otto Nickel owned an insurance company in Mt. Clemens and his wife was a substitute teacher. Mr.. Berkohf is 97 and lives in a retirement home near Holland, Mi. his wife is deceased. Mr.. Judd was in charge of the stage crew at the High School and I believe that he taught woodshop.  Dr. Reitzel is a relative of a Dr. Parnegian from Mt. Clemens. I will show the photos to my dad I am sure that he can provide information on just about everyone shown. He will be excited to see the pictures

Mary Francis Ullrich Terzino
Thank you very much for the 1962 pix of MC folks -- I know most of them quite well, of course.  It was a special treat to see a picture of my aunt, Ruth Stubbs, and Uncle Clayton.  they gave me my graduation party at Whitehall, their home on Gratiot, which I think burned to the ground around 1964 or 5.  Rye Heine was my mother's cousin, and  there are many more relations here.  Rev. Richard Williams confirmed  me in the Presbyterian Church -- I remember when he came to town, and I remember him speaking at my parents' funerals. 

George Kalligeros
Lee Kittredge was a social studies teacher (I think) in the 60’s and early 70’s. He died in the 70’s. Mr. Berkhof is at a retirement facility up north. Not sure where. Hunter Judd was a woodshop teacher and Norma was a study hall supervisor before retiring. Tom and Nelly Longstaff were pillars of Grace Episcopal Church. Nelly, our church historian died recently. Otto Nickel  had an insurance agency downtown MC  for years. Ruth was an attendance teacher. Chris and Mrs. Mathews were the parents of Dr. Mathews and grandparents of Chris and his brother (name?). Merle  St. Aubin was a GM executive. He and Helen were members of  Grace Episcopal Church. Mr. and Mrs. Penzien were long time teachers in Mount Clemens.

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