Joseph Morawski and Elizabeth Byczkoski Morawski

Joseph Morawski, the son of Nicholas (Francis) Morawski and Maria Szyperska.  He was born in Poland (occupied by Germany) on April 15, 1870.  During the German invasion, his father was killed.  Joseph was taken to German Military School; he was six years old at the time.  He stayed there until he was 17 years old, then he was on leave for a while. 

His mother had remarried and move to America while he was in military school. His uncle purchased a ticket on a ship to America for him ***.  Even though he had a ticket, Joseph stayed hidden on the ship so they wouldn’t report him to the officials because he was of draft age for the German Army.  He could read and write English, German and Polish.  He came to Detroit, where his mother was living.  He met and married Elizabeth. 

Elizabeth was the daughter of Francis and Michaelina Byczkoski.  She was born November 1, 1870 in Poland or whatever the country was called that year.  Their wedding certificate said they were both born in Germany but there may not have been a Poland when they were married.  The family always said they were from Poland. 

Elizabeth was a widow with one child, Mary.  To quote from a letter to from Aunt Ada Morawski Falatine to me, “Yes, I remember my mom telling us many times that dad was highly educated in Germany.  As for my mom she was only a little orphan, her father was killed in; I think it was the civil war, when she was two years old.  Her mother died 3 years later, so she was pushed around.  With only one meal a day, as there was no one to look after her until she got big enough to care for her self.” 

Joseph died April 20, 1923, and is buried in St. Stephen’s cemetery in New Boston, Michigan.  Elizabeth died February 3, 1939 and she is also buried there.

Joseph Morawski and Elizabeth Bykoski Czarnecki were married January 14, 1895 in Detroit, Michigan.

Their children are:

Mary Czarnecki Morawski             born March 6, 1894

Rose Cathrine Morawski               born September 13, 1898 Carlton, Michigan Wayne County

Anthony Joseph Morawski           born May 11, 1901 Carlton, MI Wayne County

Hedwig (Ada) Elizabeth Morawski          born October 15, 1903 Carlton, MI Wayne County

John Joseph Morawski                born March 8, 1905 Charlton, MI Wayne County

Mary married Frank Redlin, their children are:

Carl, Margaret, Eleanor, Gertrude, Frank, and Arthur

Rose Catherine married Stanly Dominczak their children are:

Helen, Stella, Carl and Stanley:  (Stanley was killed in WWII he is buried in Italy, God rest his soul)

Anthony Joseph married Bessie Elnora Dreher their children are:

Margaret, Betty, Rosa, Marie, Kathleen, Robert and Barbara

Hedwig (Ada) Elizabeth married John Falantine their children are:

Virginia and Rose

John Joseph married Mary Mitchell their children are:

Jeanette and Joseph; Joseph died young from TB

Anthony and Bessie Morawski

Remembered by their daughter Betty Joy

I think mom and dad met when dad worked on Sumpter Road.  Grandpa Dreher hired out his team of horses to the county and dad was a worker on the road.  Some how Grandpa Dreher told mom about dad and said she should marry him because he was a good worker.  Mom worked at the Eloise hospital at that time.  Dad also worked for his dad on the farm. 

They were married in Detroit.  They lived on Arkona Rd next to grandma and grandpa Dreher, until after Betty was born.  Because Rosa was born on Torrey Road.  Grandpa Morawski died in April 1924 and mom and dad were married in December 1924. 

I don’t know how long after they were married that dad started huckstering (that’s what he called it). Buying and butchering cattle.  He butchered some for Albert Elka in exchange for slab wood to burn and rough lumber for when he built onto the house.  Mr. Elka had a saw mill on Button road.  Dad must have started working at the American Foundry in Milan in 1938 or 1939.  I know he worked there 28 years.  He did a lot of different jobs.  He went to live with Betty and Duke in November 1967.  He had been ill and in the hospital and when release, went to live with them.  But I don’t think he was working at the Foundry when I had my car accident and that was November 1965.  I think he was working for Boob at that gas station by Steve (on Milan Oakville road) He lived with us from November 1967 until January 1972 when he died.

Thank you Betty, for sharing your memories with me.  Kathy Renton July 1985.

Anthony and Bessie Morawski

Remembered by their daughter Rosa Lee

Mom once told me that dad hauled milk, so he picked up grandpa Dreher’s milk and Uncle Bud (mom’s brother) would help him.  She had a picture of dad, Uncle Bud and the truck; I don’t know whatever happened to that picture. 

She was working in Detroit at that time and only came home on weekends, she was 15 years old.  She started working there when she was 13.  Grandpa Dreher was working at French Landing near Belleville.  The name of the place was Detroit Reduction.  They burned the garbage from Detroit.  It was brought there on railroad cars.  Grandpa would take mom to get a street car by the state hospital at Eloise.  (This is added by Kathleen, mom told me she worked in the Penobscot building in Detroit where she delivered telegrams to the different floors.)  Then she quit or they didn’t need her any more.

She said grandpa liked dad and made her marry him.  He was a huckster at the time of their marriage.  They were married by a Justice of the Peace in Detroit on December 5, 1924.  Ellen and Arnold Dreher were the witnesses.   They were mother’s parents.

Thank you Rosa for sharing your memories with me.   Kathy Renton July 1985

Anthony and Bessie Morawski

Remembered by their daughter Kathleen

Mom and dad were divorced in 1948, after that mother worked at Wyandotte General Hospital for 15 years.  She was given a tea party in her honor for her retirement from Wyandotte General Hospital.  After she retired she lived on Bennett St. in Wyandotte with Betty and Duke living near by on Bondie St.   Later she sold her home and moved to Trenton Towers Coop. for senior citizens.  She thoroughly loved it there.  She lived on the third floor and had a nice view.  She learned to knit and make quilts and took educational classes. 

The year before I moved to Arizona I spent many hours playing scrabble with her.  She also like to read and loved to watch most anything on TV.  She had many friends and enjoyed being on the different committees needed to run the coop.  She enjoyed her grandchildren and made patch quilts for a lot of them.  She also enjoyed the visits of the great grandchildren.  I remember when Joyce and I took Julie to see her and she had to show her to everyone in the building that she knew. 

Thank you Kathleen for sharing your memories with us.

Anthony and Bessie Morawski

Remembered by Jan Renton

In 1978 Jan asked Bessie to tell her about how she came to Michigan and her life here.  Kathleen Renton was there as well.  Grandma talking to Jan Renton:

I came to Michigan at the age of 13 because of the Dayton flood.   She lived with her parents and brother in one room they rented from Aunt Kate.  Her father (Arnold Dreher) worked as a motorman on the Warren Street car in Detroit.  Then he worked for Fords for $5.00 a day working midnights at the coal yards, but the air was bad and it made him sick.  First they bought a house on Pasadena then moved to Arkona road, Waltz Michigan.  Then her dad worked at the Detroit Reduction at French Landing in Belleville, Michigan.  The garbage was brought out from Detroit in railroad cars and burned to make fertilizer and sold to the farmers.  Her dad brought home silverware from big restaurants that they found in the garbage.  They bought a farm in Deerfield, Michigan, and then they got the farm on Arkona road back for non-payment.  They sold it and moved to the farm in Median, Michigan.  Her parents lived there until he died.  They had a dairy farm.  They sold mild for income. 

Bessie and Tony were married in City Hall.  They lived with her parents on Arkona road, Margaret was born there.  We built a house next to them in Sumpter Township, Wayne County.  Betty was born in the new house.  When her dad sold the farm, their house went with the farm so they moved to 10530 Torrey Road, Augusta Township, Washtenaw County, Willis, Michigan.

Rosa, Marie, Kathleen, Robert and Barbara were all born at home in the following years.   All the children went to Lincoln school where Rosa and Kathleen graduated.  Tony huckstered, (bought farm live stock) chickens, geese, calves and he butchered them and took them to market.   All the farmers did not go to market.  Then he went to work at the American Foundry in Milan and continued to farm and go to the Western Market in Detroit.  We grew blackberries, potatoes and other vegetables.  We had a cow for our milk and a horse to work the garden.

Grandma said, Tony (Grandpa) told her he took bread with lard on it for sandwiches to school when he was a boy.  He also like fried bologna sandwiches with jelly on them for his lunch during their married life.

Thank you Jan for sharing your memories.

Margaret Ellen Morawski (Borso)

Remember by Steve Borso

We were married in Neosko, Missouri on June 26^th 1945 in the Masonic Service Center by C.F. Maclean, minister of the Gospel.  I think he was a mason but I’m not sure, it was legal anyway.  Ha! Ha!  After we were married Margaret came back to Michigan.  Our witnesses were Melvin and Lenia Cooly of Monroe Michigan.  Melvin was in service with me, the US Army.  On August 26^th I was given a delay in route for 21 day’s before going over seas to Japan.  I came home and stayed at home, at that time I was A.W.O.L. for ten days while getting back to California.  I was discharged from the Army the following year on August 26, 1946.  I got a job at Kaiser Frazer September 26, 1946 and worked there until I lost my foot in a farming accident on July 26, 1950.  I also was inducted into the Army March 26, 1944 and my wife Margaret died on March 23, 1976 and was buried on March 26, 1976.  So you see the 26ths were good and bad for me.  I met Margaret at Carl and Ethel Elka’s.  Her dad was putting a basement in for the Elka’s.

Margaret and Steve have six children:

Charles Steven        1946

Caren Lee               1949

Steven David          1951

Margaret Susan       1956

Billie Joseph           1960

Tina Marie              1964

The children are all scattered over the United States.  Charles in Chicago; Caren in Kansas City; David in California; Margie in Chicago; Billie and Tina near me in Michigan.  Charles has 3 children, Caren has 2 children, David has 2 children, Margie has 2 children and Billie has 2 also.  Tina is not married. 

About their work, Charles works for the government on research and also has his own company.  Margie works for Charles.  Caren works at the hospital.  Caren’s husband is a big shot for Schlage Lock.  David has his own company and is doing well.  Billie of course, is farming sorry to say, and has now gone to work for Margaret’s brother Bob on the roofs.  Tina is working wherever she can find work and going to college also.  Well that’s about it for now I’m getting writer’s cramp.  Ha! Ha!

July 19, 1985

Thanks Steve for sharing your memories with us.

Margaret Ellen Morawski (Borso)

Remembered by Kathleen Morawski Renton

She was the big sister and one of my first memories is riding in the rumble seat of her Model A coupe Ford.  I think she was about sixteen then and I was 8 years old.  I also remember sleeping between two older sisters.  It was nice in the winter but not so nice in the summer.  We were all saddened by her early death, and all have fond memories of our childhood together.

(For those who weren’t there she died of cancer.)

Margaret Ellen Morawski (Borso)

Remembered by her sister Betty

Reflections:

A story Betty remembers about Margaret.  Why Margaret became so tough.  When we were little, 8 or 9 years old grandma Dreher told Margaret if she swallowed a raw chicken heart she would never be afraid.  Grandma killed her own chickens for chicken soup, so she gave Margaret a raw chicken heart and Margaret swallowed it whole.  I remember it well.  I don’t know where grandma Dreher ever heard that myth but in Margaret’s case it worked.  Margaret really was a brave person.

Printed in the Detroit Free Press, 1936

CORN

By Margaret Ellen Morawski, 11 years old Ypsilanti Lincoln School Group

          My father planted the corn

the day after I was born

one week later it peeped out its head

from its little bed.

It grew to be seven feet,

Then the heat burned its feet,

Its leaves turned brown

Its head turned down

But when the frost came

It wasn’t the same.

My father pulled off its ears

And fed the rest to the steers.

Margaret Ellen Morawski (Borso)

Remembered by her sister Rosa Lee Morawski (Tittiger)

About Margaret,

When she was born she only weighed three or four pounds, they didn’t weigh her.  Dad could hold her in his hand.

She had to eat oatmeal that was slow cooked for three hours.  She fit in a small shoe box.  They put her in the box in the oven with the door open and a small fire going, which seemed too dangerous, someone, might accidentally close the oven door.  So they put her in the warming oven on the top.  There were no incubators for babies back then.  Margaret was like a little mother to the rest of us as we all grew up.  Mom was always busy doing the laundry and cleaning and cooking and having more children.

Margaret and I (Rosa) were quite close.  She enjoyed picking strawberries at Downing’s.  She was an all A student at Lincoln Consolidated School.  She was well like, was a bus officer, she made the kids behave so the driver could drive.  She was always susceptible to skin rashes.  Poison Oak was her number one enemy.  She collected Shirley Temple memorabilia.  She had a scrap book full of Shirley Temple pictures and anything she could find about her.  Her girlfriends saved this type of memorabilia for her too.  She had cut out dolls and big little books.  She also liked to play the violin.  After she was older she always wished she would have continued her studies of it.  She went to work in Dearborn, Michigan doing housework at the age of 14.  She worked for a friend of our Aunt Mary Morawski’s, Virgina Hannak.  Virgina and Mary worked at Kelsey Hayes.  Margaret did the housework and watched the two children.

When the war started she worked at the bomber plant.  Because of her petite size she worked in the bomb turret because she could fit in the small area.  About then she rented an apartment in Belleville and met Steve Borso.  Steve went to service his country in the Army.

They were married in Missouri where Steve was stationed.  She lived there for a while.  Then when she came back to Michigan (probably when Steve went to Japan) Rosa stayed with her a lot.  Soon after that Charles was born and she stayed home enjoying being a wife and mother and trying to keep Steve’s moral up.

Thank you, Rosa for sharing your memories with me.  Kathy Renton June 1985.

**UPDATE on Margaret Morawski Borso’s family**

Margaret Morawski (9/9/25) Married Steve Borso (9/13/20) on June 26, 1945

Charles Steven married Honora Tucker on May 13, 1972. Their children are:

Chang Tucker Borso married Rochelle Salazar on June 8, 1991

Stefan Tobin Borso married Becky Ann Drendel on November 9, 2002. Their children are:

Wyatt Drendel Borso & Dylan

Maya Gayln married Todd on July 5 2003

Caren Lee married Dennis Baginski on September 20, 1969 (Divorced) Their children:

          Dennis Robert married Amy Cobb August 1994

                   Children: Nicklos Justin

          Derrik Ryan

Steven David married Kathy Greer on September 16, 1972. Their children are:

          Heather Shae

          Brandon Jeremy

Margaret Susan didn’t marry Guy Warren Steinman but their children are:

          Jia Skye Amber

          Colt Warren

Billie Joseph married Cynthia Louise Giraurd on February 23, 1979

          Christopher Michael

          Steven Lawrence

          Charie Ellen

Tina Marie married Richard Allen Smith on June 17, 1989

          3 cats Bandit, Pumpkin and Honey

          2 dogs Boots and Babe

          Pictures available

Webmaster note: My Pankie was called by the Lord in March 2006, I love you Pankie and miss you more!!! Smokie was  also called by the lord in June of 2006, she lived to be 18 years old.  That what happens when you are a pet of Richard and Tina's.

 See what you can do when you’re the web mistress.

Betty Joy Morawski (Zander – Guglielmotti)

I’m the second child of Anthony and Bessie Morawski.  My name is Betty Joy and I was born December 24, 1926 at home.  We lived on Arkona road in Waltz, Michigan.  In 1928 we moved to Willis, Michigan at 10530 Torrey Road.  When I was five and a half years old I started school at Lincoln Consolidated in Ypsilanti.  I went until I was 14.  I quit to stay home and help my mom.  She had a new baby and was very sick.  I helped for about a year then I did house work for other people.  When I was older I went to Belleville and worked in a small shop.  There I met Kenneth A. Zander.  We were married in Detroit in 1944.  We have one son, his name is Dale Arnold Zander.  He was born May 11, 1945.  He was the first grandchild on both sides, so he got a lot of attention.  Kenneth went to the service.  So Dale and I lived with his parents, Henry and Minnie Zander.  When Kenneth came home for the service we bought my parents house at 10530 Torrey Road, Willis, Michigan.  Dale went to Lincoln School also and he graduated in 1963.  In 1964 he married Patsy Jean Lewis from Milan, Michigan.  I divorced Kenneth Zander in July of 1965.  I had a bad car accident in November 1965 which left me with a broken leg.  While visiting my mother in Wyandotte I met Mendes Guglielmotti.  We were married in June 1966.  His nick name is Duke.  He worked at Great Lakes Steel.   After we were married I still couldn’t work because my leg still bothered me.  Then dad, Tony Morawski and a heart attack and was very ill.  He came to live with us in November 1967 and stayed until his death in January 1972.  At that time I went to work at a nursing home.  I worked there until we retired.  Duke retired from Great Lakes in July 1980 after 30 years.  We sold our house in Michigan and moved to Pigeon Forge Tennessee because we love the warm weather.  We like to travel and Barbara lives near us also.  I guess that is part of the reason we retired here.  It is so beautiful here with the mountains all around.  Dale and Patsy bought my house on Torrey Road and live there today.  They have two children Kristen Joy born in 1965 and Kenneth Dale born 1966.  They both attended Lincoln School (3^rd generation same house, same school) and have graduated.  Kris stays at home and takes care of the house and her parents.  Since they are both employed.  Patsy is a secretary at Lincoln School.  Dale works at Ford Motor company in Saline Michigan.  He is maintenance supervisor.  Ken attends Central Michigan University.  Kenneth A. Zander (Dale’s father) died in 1980.

Thank you Betty for sharing your memories with us. 

**UPDATE on Betty Morawski Guglielmotti’s family**

Betty Morawski married Kenneth Zander in 1944, they were divorced in 1965.

          Dale Arnold Zander married Patsy Jean Lewis on June 1964. Their children are:

Kristen Joy

                   Kenneth Dale married Denise Jeanette Dobson on April 21, 1990. Their children are:

                   Kyle Avery

Olivia Joy

Rosa Lee Morawski (Tittiger)

My name is Rosa Lee Morawski, I was born on a rainy day in October, it was very cool that evening on the third in 1928.  Doctor Robb from Belleville, Michigan helped with the delivery.  I was born at home at 10530 Torrey Road.  My maternal grandmother (Ellen Dreher) stayed with mother that evening to assist her and help wit the other children.  I was the third daughter of Anthony (Tony) and Bessie.  My father was a farmer, huckster and hauled milk at the time of my birth.  My parents had just recently moved into their new home, a two room house on nearly 5 acres of land.  My two older sisters are Margaret Ellen and Betty Joy born.  I was baptized in the Lutheran Church in Maybee, Michigan.  I was confirmed there and remained a member until I was 23, then I converted to Catholicism.  I grew up on this small vegetable farm.  My father took vegetables to Detroit and we sold them from house to house.  We also sold fresh dressed chickens, ducks, turkeys and geese for the holidays.  Later we went to the farmers market.  I always enjoyed that.  The whole family would work to pick the vegetables and clean and dress the poultries.

I attended Lincoln Consolidated training school all my childhood and graduated in 1947.  I attended and graduated from Michigan College of Beauty Culture.  In 1947 I got a job at Ford Motor Company, I worked there 5 years.  In 1952 I met and married Joseph Tittiger.  We were married in the Immaculate Conception church by Father Folta.  Joe was born in 1918 in Detroit Michigan.  He lived there until he was 14 years old.  His parents bought a 70 acre farm off Plank Road.  There were 7 children in his family.  Joe was the 4^th oldest.  He joined the Army in 1946 and served in France, Ireland and other foreign countries.  He returned in 1947 with an Honorable Discharge.  We lived in Ypsilanti for a few years, and then moved to our present farm on Bunce Road.  We have 5 children, the oldest a son Michael born in 1953, Brenda 1954, Patricia 1955, Nancy 1959 and Rita 1961.  They all graduated from Milan High School.

They were all baptized and confirmed and made their 1^st Holy Communion in the Catholic Church.  Joe and I now own his parents farm on Plank Road.  Joe retired from roofing after 30 years in 1983.  We enjoy fishing in Canada in the summer and Florida in the winter.  We enjoy square dancing and Polkas.  Joe is learning to play the banjo and is taking Spanish class.

Our 33^rd wedding anniversary was September 6, 1985.  Joe still farms 66 acres of land and rents out 70.  We enjoy gardening and flowers.

Thank you Rosa for sharing this with us.  Kathy Renton  July 1985

**UPDATE on Rosa Lee Morawski Tittiger’s family**

Rosa Lee Morawski married Joseph Tittiger on September 6, 1952

Rosa passed away June 12, 1990

Michael Anthony married Joanne Marie Hurts. Divorced

Mike married Katherine from Ohio later divorced

          Brenda Sue married Phillip Raymond Lauff, divorced in     1988, Phil passed away in 2005

         Their children are:

Philona Sue Lauff married Carlos Lee Orasaco on June 1, 2002. Their children are:

          Carlos “Jacob”

        Brenda Sue married Charles Curtis Dettling on October 21, 1988. Their children are:

          Daniel Curtis Dettling

          Curt’s children from previous marriage:

                   Mary Louise married Mike Shroufe – divorced

                            Their children are:

Micheal Cody

Mary Louise Married Doug Slagle – divorced

no children

                   Joanna Kim

Charles “Peter”

        Patricia Ann (Hi CC) married Ronald David Butts on June 29, 1974. Their children are:

                   Rachel Ann married Geoffery Jernigan on 5/24/03

          Dylan Thomas

          Randal Joseph

        Nancy Jean married Steve Leroy Wooten June 1976 –     Divorced. Their children are:

Tracy Jean married Wilford (Willie) Brunty on December 26, 2001

Tammy Joy married Justin Youngon July 2, 2003. Their children are:

                             Children: Avery Young  July 2005

         Nancy married David Demyan on August 13, 2003

        Rita Elizabeth married Michael Dewayne Bramlett on May15, 1982. Their children are:

                   Erika Rose

         Luke Michael  

** Patti Butts wants to add these additions*****

Joe Tittiger's Army service was from 1941 to 1945 because he always says "4 years, 4 months and 10 days      

Marie Helen Morawski (Barnier)

I, Marie Helen Morawski was born in 1930.  The fourth daughter of Anthony Joseph Morawski (Big Tony) and Bessie Elnora Dreher, of seven children, six girls and one boy.  I was the half-way mark; always too little to go with the big kids, too big to play with the little ones. 

We had the only telephone in our area for a long time.  The line ended at our house, then a few years later Biniecki’s had a phone put in.  Our number was 27F31 or “3 longs and a short”.  Biniecki’s was “3 longs and 2 shorts”.  Downing’s was “1 long and 1 short”.  It was a real party line.  All the rings came in at each house.  We had “conference calling” way back in the “30’s”.  At one time or another we all worked at Downing’s and Margaret and Steve lived upstairs at Downing’s other place, so if those rings came in at our house and we thought it might be our sisters we could pick up our phone and all talk.  We also listened a lot to other people’s calls.  But you didn’t want daddy to catch you at it.  I should tell you about the telephone.  It was a large wooden box that hung on the kitchen wall next to the window.  It had two large dry cell batteries in it.  It had two large flat bells at the top on the outside.  The receiver hung on the left side, the mouthpiece was on the front, below the bells with a little shelf under it to set the receiver on.  There was a small crank on the right side.  First you would pick up the receiver to see if anyone was on the line, then you held the lever the receiver set on and turned the crank fast about five times around for a long and about half a turn for a short ring.  There was also a button on the left side under the receiver lever that was for the operator or central as she was called then.  To get her, you pushed the button and turned the crank about 10 times, that way it only rang at the switchboard.  If you didn’t push the button and rang one very long ring, it meant there was a fire somewhere.  Then everyone on the line would answer the phone to see where the fire was.  Most of the framers would go if they could and help get the stuff out of the house and barn and try to put the fire out.  I don’t know if there was a fire department that went out in the country at that time.  Our phone was General Telephone from Maybee, Michigan. 

I remember when we got electricity.  Boy was that something.  One bare 50 watt light bulb, in the middle of the ceiling, in each room.  We had four rooms at the time.  We had a basement too, but I don’t remember if they put a light down there right away.  The living room light had a switch on the wall by the living room door in the kitchen, but the others had a string that hung down from the ceiling, you would walk around in the dark with your hand in the air trying to find the string, so mama tied something on the end of the string so we could find it in the dark.  We never got to use the lights at first but when anyone come over to visit daddy always turned them on and off to show them how they worked.  We didn’t need the lights anyways.  Everyone had to be in bed by 9:00 pm every night.  But they left the radio on until 11:00 pm. 

The programs I remember most are the mysteries.  I guess they scared me half to death.  Just think about laying in the dark alone with the sound of a rusty old door being pushed open.  That was “The Squeaking Door” or a wolf howling, that was “The Hermit’s Cave”  Hea-hea-hea!! Or “Who know what evil lurks in the hearts of men? Only “ The shadow knows, Mm Wa-ha-ha!!”  Then there was the “Green Hornet” and “Gang Busters” that was about “G-men” and prohibition.  Lux Radio Theater was mostly love stories, never anything scary, or “One Man’s Family” There were day time “soaps” too, but I think they were only 15 minutes long.  Like “Oxydol’s Own Ma Perkins” or “Our Gal Sunday” the story that asks the question “Can a girl from a small mining town in the west, find happiness as the wife of a wealthy and titled Englishman?” “Petty Mason” got his start in radio “Pepper Young’s Family,”  “The Guiding Light”, “The Stories of the Bible” “Hercual Pruorreau, “Tracers of lost persons” (this program really looked for missing heirs to large fortunes).  Mary Noble “Backstage wife of Larry Noble” matinee idol.  “Helen Trent” on Saturday mornings, there was “Let’s Pretend” that was children stories.  Saturday night was the “Lucky Strike Hit Parade” top 10 hits of the week.  I don’t know when we got our first electric radio and I don’t remember having one before we got it, but I do remember there was a “crystal set” in the attic.  (A square hole in the ceiling of our bedroom that could be reached by standing on our dresser).  A place forbidden to little girls, a place that we always looked in when Mama & Daddy were gone.

I attended Lincoln Consolidated School at the corner of Whittaker and Willis Roads from kindergarten through ninth grade.  I then went to Monroe High for one year, until they found out my parents didn’t live in Monroe County, then I quit school.  I had dropped out for a year between eighth and ninth grades to stay home and take care of Barbara while mama worked at Hampshire’s products in Milan.  So I was 17 when I quit.

I was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Maybee, Michigan.  Five of my six children were also baptized there.  I met Daniel Barnier (Danny) in the parking lot in Milan, Michigan.  I was with my younger brother Bob; he had asked me to go to a house party with him.  In the parking lot I found out why, they needed someone to buy whiskey for them!  Neither one was old enough but I was 21.

Daniel Clarence Barnier was born in 1934.  The second son, of Francis Elmont Barnier (Frank) & Mary Adell Aiston, of a family of ten. There were 5 boys and 5 girls.  He was born on Plank road in Milan, Michigan next to the London Methodist church.  His parents lived in Chatham Ontario Canada.  His father was a French Canadian.  His mother is an American of Germany descent.  She came to the states to stay with her mother just before he was born, so he would be an American citizen.  His family came to the United States to live in the fall of 1945.  His father became a naturalized citizen in 1947.  Danny went to Catholic Schools in Canada, he went to Fryeburg & Ralieghville schools here.  They were one room schools.  He went to Milan Jr. High.  He worked at the Ideal Foundry in Milan from the age of 16 until 1953.

We were married July 18, 1953 in the Methodist church in Oakville, Michigan the Rev. Charles Bragg performed the ceremony.  My bother Bob Morawski was the best man and his sister Betty Barnier was my maid of honor.  Norman Jewel and Melvin (Hap) Humphrey were ushers.  Our first home together was the back 2 rooms of a little store and gas station at the corner of Palmer, Rawsonville and S. Stoney Creek Roads, Maybee, Michigan.  Danny drove truck for several construction companies.  He also belonged to the National Guard, 46^th Signal Corp.  His until was called to active service, but he was exempt when they learned he was now married and expecting a child.  He then worked for Milan Burial Vault Inc. for the following 26 years (1958-1984).  In 1985 he went to work for Burrell’s Tri-Country Burial Vault Inc.  He also was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul’s Lutheran church, Maybee, Michigan, the same day that Elaine Sandra Morawski was.  We have 6 children.

Thank you Marie for sharing this with us.  Kathy Renton July 1985

**UPDATE on Marie Helen Morawski Barnier’s family**

Sherry Marie married Michael Warren Hoag on March 27, 1976. divorced 4/95

Michael Scott  Life mate Joy O’Bryan. Their children are:

          Michael Scott

Ashley Renee

Daniel Robert Sr. married Juin Marie Skinner on August 4, 1973.

Robert Ryan married Heather

Thier Children:

         Robert Jr

         Riley

         Ethan Lee

          Jeremy Daniel

          Daniel Robert Jr. girlfriend Emily Kuthy

Timothy Paul married Pam Romans, divorced

Pamela Lynn 

         Children:

Nicole Lynn Barnier

          Children: Kloe' Sofia Perry

Wendy Michelle married Mark Alan Miracle on March 30, 1979,Divorced. Their children are:

Theresa Marie

          Children: Ryon Andrew

                        Alyssa Berely 

Terry Allan 

          Children: Chase James

                        Madelyn Loise

Jeffrey Alan Jr. married Sandra Lynn Gibson November 21, 1981. Divorced in 1983. Their children are:

Jeffrey Alan Jr. married Autumn Laura on June 21,2002

          Children: Conner & Gavin

Keith Howard

          Children: Ty

Jeff & Julie

      Children: Fred, Mark, Ted

Jeff & Hank

      Children:  Bobbie & David

Kathleen June Morawski (Renton)

Kathleen June Morawski was born in 1933 at home, 10530 Torrey Road, Willis Michigan.  One of seven children, (six girls and one boy), she is the fifth daughter of Anthony Joseph and Bessie Elnora Morawski.  She attended Lincoln Consolidated school and graduated June 14, 1951.  She spent her summers working picking strawberries, beans and hoeing at Downing’s Farms. 

Jim was born on a dairy and produce farm in 1929 at 14500 Martinsville Road, Belleville Michigan, the son of James H. and E. Lucille Renton.  He is one of six children, the third child and the oldest son.  He went to the local schools and graduated from Belleville High School in 1947.  After High School he joined the Michigan Air National Guard.  It met on weekends.  He worked for Ford Motor Co. for a short time.  Then for Kaiser Frasier Co., he was laid off after working there about one year.  About this time he met Kathleen at Sumpter Roller Rink.  (He and some of his buddies were looking for sweater girls, so he told me).  They were introduced by a mutual friend.

Jim and Kathy’s first date was to see a play at Belleville High School.  In March of 1949 Jim went to work for Draw Title Co. owned by his cousin Marian’s husband, Bill Whichello.  He was working there when he was called to active duty by Uncle Sam and to report to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona.  He was called to duty because of the Korean Conflict in East Asia.  In January of 1951 Kathy and Jim were engaged to be married.  In February Jim left for service to his country.  The post office was kept busy delivering love letters at both ends for the next few months.  In June Jim took a furlough and traveled by train to Michigan to be at Kathy’s High School graduation and to be married June 16, 1951 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Maybee, Michigan.  They were both members of that church.  Rosa Lee, Kathy’s sister was her bride’s maid and Truman Helzer was the best man.  The following Monday the couple drove to Arizona.  They also pulled a small house trailer behind Jim’s 1950 Ford convertible car.  The trip took five long days.  We had a lot of tire trouble and there was a shortage of tires at that time because of the war.  We bought one tire that was not the right size and I remember one time the attendant went home and retrieved a tire from under his bed.  We replaced 3 tires on the house trailer before we reached Phoenix.  We also had a lot of trouble with the radiator boiling over because of the heat.  We finally arrived and rented a trailer space at Mt. View Trailer Park. Glendale Az.  It cost $15.00 a month to park, plus electricity.

Kathy worked as a waitress and then as a sales clerk while Jim was stationed at Luke Air Force Base.  Sgt. Renton refueled F80 and F84 jets.  Luke AFB was a pilot training base.  Jim was discharged in June of 1952.  Kathy’s mother took a train to Phoenix and rode back to Michigan with them as a vacation for herself.  One our way home we stopped at Lakewood, Co. to see Margaret and Tom Kinney (Jim’s sister).  Glen and Jim were small boys then and Paul was born later that year. 

When we reached Michigan we rented an apartment in Willis, we had sold our house trailer in Arizona.  We lived there until August 1952 when we bought our house at 13989 S. Sheldon Rd, Belleville, Michigan. About one mile from the farm where Jim grew up and his parents still lived.  Jim returned to work for Draw Title Co. until October 1952 at this time he started his truck driving job with Dundee Truck Line, Ypsilanti Michigan.  He worked there for 17 years.  During this time we became parents of Janette Kay born June 8, 1953.  Joyce May born in 1954 and James Terry (we call him Terry) in 1956.  They all attended Belleville grade School, South jr. High and Belleville High School.  When Terry was in Fifth grade Kathy decided to go back to work.

Kathy worked for an Insurance co. and then as secretary to Jim Ackron in his Ackron Contracting business.  Jim Renton came to drive truck for Ackron Contracting in 1969 and worked there until they went out of business in 1974.  That was the year Kathy and Jim took a winter vacation to Hawaii.  A lovely two weeks visiting four of the islands.  A vacation we’ll never forget.  Next Jim worked for Bakhaus Contracting then J.P. Ryan, Services in Livonia, Michigan.  We sold our house and moved to an apartment in Taylor and then Westland.  Jim worked for J.P. Ryan Services until he retired from truck driving in December 1979.  We were tired of the cold long winters and icy roads and cloudy days and decided to move to the Valley of the sun.  We had purchased a mobile home in October while on vacation in Arizona and so after Christmas 1979 we left for Glendale, Arizona. 

We had a memorable trip again.  This time we had a new Ford pick up loaded with all our dishes, posts and pans, clothes, tools, some furniture and everything else you need for a home.  This time we bought a full tank of bad gas so the truck kept losing power.  Only we didn’t know it was bad gas until the gas was finally gone and the next tank solved the problem.  We arrived at Three Fountains Mobile home park the end of December 1979.  Where our 24’ x 44’ new Mobile home was parked.  We lived there until Jim decided he wanted a house again.  So in October 1982 we bought a house and moved to 10103 Deanita Lane, Sun City, Arizona.  When we first moved to Arizona Kathy worked for the Office of Tourism for the State of Arizona while Jim was looking for work.  He is now employed with the City of Glendale. 

Jan, Joyce and Terry all graduated from Belleville High School.  Jan also is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University and has a Masters of Arts degree in Secondary Education in the School of Curriculum & Instruction.  Jan teaches High School English at Airport High School in Carleton, Michigan.  She was married to Harold Belanger March 1979 and divorced in 1985.  Joyce attended Bauder Fashion College in Miami, Florida for a year, then worked for the University of Michigan for 8 years.  She married Daryl Hamrick June 1975 and they have Julie Kay born 1979.  Jeremy Andrew born 1981.  They are now divorced.  Joyce is now working for L & W Engineering Romulus Michigan in the office.  James Terry attended Henry Ford Community College, Dearborn, Michigan and is a Tool and Die Maker.  Terry married Deborah Ocasio on September 1, 1979.  Their daughter Holly Ann was born in 1981 in Indianapolis, Indiana.  They are divorced.  Terry is employed at RCA in Indianapolis, Indiana as a Tool and Die Maker.

Jan, Joyce and Terry were all baptized at St. Pauls Lutheran Church in Maybee, Michigan.  They attended catechism classes and were confirmed at St. Marks Lutheran church in Ypsilanti, Michigan where Jan and Joyce are still active members.  Julie and Jeremy go to the Sunday school there.  Jim and Kathy are active members of Messiah Lutheran church in Phoenix Arizona.

This was written by Kathleen Morawski Renton in 1985.

**UPDATE on Kathleen Morawski Renton’s family**

Janette Kay Renton married Harold B Belanger March 31, 1979, divorced on 1/21/85.

Joyce Renton Married Daryl Craig Hamrick on June 21, 1975,

divorced in August 1982

Children:    Julie K Married Seth D Abbott on June 25, 2005

                 Jeremy A