My Town...which town do I pick? Lapeer, Romeo, Imlay City, Kalamazoo, Adrian and Harbor Beach make up the list of "my town" options. I guess I easily focus on the places I have spent the most time...Romeo and Harbor Beach. I actually left out Imlay City in my first list. Only being there from the summer of 1968 until Sept. of 1969, I don't have ties established like the younger siblings who went to school and graduated from high school in Imlay City. I do know that all the places listed above have one thing in common...they are threads woven into my story and places that all contributed to the person I am today. Blessed with a wonderful family, it probably wouldn't have mattered where we were...it was home and a good place to be!
Romeo, from 1956 to 1968, is what I call my hometown. Croswell Elementary, Romeo Junior High and Romeo Senior High are my "alma maters." Living in the first "Fritz Builders" subdivision at the corner of 29 Mile and Mound Roads, we were 5 miles from town, rode the bus to and from school, spent a good portion of Sunday at the First United Methodist Church and enjoyed a great childhood in rural Michigan. Apple and peach country with vast orchards, plenty of farmland, no crime and good old small town values. My family moved to Imlay City during the summer of 1968, just prior to my senior year. I was fortunate to commute, riding to Romeo with my dad, and graduating with my class in June of 1969. Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo was next, followed by Adrian, Michigan and Mike's first job with FW Woolworth in the Adrian Mall. But opportunity called in Nov. 1974...there was a move in the works to go to Harbor Beach, Michigan, a small community on Lake Huron in the thumb of Michigan. We were excited to go and part of the lure was the small town atmosphere that we wanted to find to raise our family...something like what we were raised in in Romeo.
Harbor Beach has proven to be exactly what we were looking for. 36 years later, we are still happy to be here, love its small town appeal and are thrilled that "our town" was such a positive influence on our three sons. The "my town" topic doesn't let me single out one community. But each one is very special to me and has made me the person that I am. Home is where the heart is and my heart was always at home where ever we were!
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