Dan Lyons, 1936-2007

Our old sailing friend, and father of long-time Midwest Sailing and Portage Yacht Club staffer Rick Lyons, has left this world.

Dan was a very capable sailor, whether in his Sunfish or, later, the Interlake. Quiet and affable, he was a fixture in racing on Portage Lake for some 35 years. Dan, Rick and I won a Flying Scot North Americans in, what, 1973(?) at Riverside YC in Connecticut. I think it was the first and maybe last time Dan raced on salt water! Dan was as good a crew as he was a helmsman.

Here is a nice write-up about Dan that I found (thanks to Google) on the PYC website, written by Rick last year.

The obit forwarded yesterday by sister Ruth:

Daniel Tibbals Lyons, 70, of Pinckney died Wednesday, March 7, 2007. He was born March 28, 1936 in Toledo, Ohio, the son of James and Belva Lyons. He was the owner of Ashley Auto Service in Ann Arbor and a long-time sailor at Portage Yacht Club. He was preceded in death by his parents and wife, Carole Freeman Lyons. He is survived by his son, Rick (Cheryl) Lyons; his daughter, Laura Rodenbeck; his step-daughter, Atessa Khazaeli; his mother-in-law, Opal Freeman; his sister, JoAnn (Larry) Shaw; his aunt, Annabelle Ehnis; five grandchildren, several cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends. A memorial service will be held at Shalom Lutheran Church (1740 East M-36, Pinckney, MI 48169) on Thursday, March 22 at 2 p.m. Family will receive visitors at the church on Thursday from noon until the time of service. Those who wish may direct memorial contributions to the American Heart Association.

Our condolences to the entire family, especially Rick and his sister Laura with whom the Ehman kids literally grew up at Portage Lake.

"Aunt Ethel" Stevens, 1919-2007

We are profoundly saddened by the passing of "Aunt Ethel" Stevens, aged 88, in Chelsea, MI this morning after a long illness. Ethel shared a 31 January birthday with Grandma Jan, and they were close friends for over 50 years. Ethel was grandmother to sister Ruth Ehman's four kids (Meg's cousins). Her late husband, Commodore W. Robert Stevens, was one of the founding members of Portage Yacht Club. A simply delightful lady, she was universally popular among, and treasured by, our extended family. A celebration of her life will take place at Portage Lake in July.

Grandma Jan (left, Tom's mom and Meg's grandmother), Kathy Wilson Leonard (center, Leslie's older sister), and "Aunt Ethel" Stevens at Ethel's 85th, and Jan's 70th, birthday party at PYC on 31 January 2004.

Long-time Friends

Speaking of hardly aging, when I as in Ann Arbor to give the Cup talk in early December, we caught up with Frank and Judy Wilhelme for a late dinner at Gratzi and then some after-dinner drinks and pool across Main Street at Andy Gulvezan's Monkey Bar (formerly the Full Moon -- don't ask.).

Judy is still a senior librarian at the U of M, and Frank the very successful development director for the Business School. Back in the late 60's (!), Frank was Leslie's and my high school history teacher. Aside from losing the Fu Manchu mustache of the era, he's still the same Mr Wilhelme who stirred things up so nicely in Dexter with the advent of his controversial Symposium Club, and he's still lacing 'em up and playing once or twice a week with many of our, by now, older hockey-playing buddies.

Tom Sr., Judy and Frank Wilhelme on a cold winter's Friday evening, just "shootin' some pool" at the Monkey Bar which, rumours to the contrary, they do not often frequent.

Helber Clan

The Ehmans and Helbers go way back. Tom Sr and Paul (patriarch of the clan, front and center in the photo below) played hockey in Ypsilanti back in, what, the early 60s? In the 70s, Paul ran the adult hockey program in Ann Arbor while I was running the youth program, so we worked closely together coordinating ice time, officials, etc. And Paul and I played together on a number of teams in the same period, including the renowned Guenther Builders. All of Paul's and Diane's kids are sportif and most if not all played hockey, and some of their kids were teammates of brothers Paul and Martin. I also coached Paul's oldest son, Eric, on a team or two along the way.

There is a sailing connection as well. Paul and our mutual late friend and fellow hockey player, David Carstens, bought Grandpa Paul Ehman's sailboat back in the early 60s. They first sailed it on Portage Lake one windy, cold early Spring day, capsized, and as I recall thereafter Paul didn't spend a lot more time with that boat or sailing for that matter. David, however, with wife Heidi cruised a fair bit and had an Interlake for a time at PYC, and attended every America's Cup right up to David's passing, including the last one in NZL. Matt Helber and his wife Daisy also passed through NZL during the last Cup and we spent some most enjoyable time together.

We don't often see each other, but manage to keep in touch via email and the odd get together when in Ann Arbor -- and it always brings back fond memories.



Over the years the Helber clan has, well, grown like topsy. And they aren't even Catholic! This nice photo came via email from Paul, courtesy of his son Matt. Our very best wishes to the entire Helber family for the Holidays.

Bo Schembechler, Football Great of Michigan

We were sorry tonight to hear the news, but somehow it seems appropriate that it happened on the eve of yet another pivotal UM-OSU football game. I barely knew Mr Schembechler, though I did coach his son on a hockey team or two while running the Ann Arbor youth hockey program in the '70's. If memory serves, Mrs. Schembechler has long since passed away. Condolences to the family, and everyone in Ann Arbor -- and Michigan, if not Ohio -- this evening who are saddened by his passing.

Nice obit in the New York Times (with thanks to YP)

Closer to home piece in the Saturday Detroit News