Citizens' Memories

My grandparents have lived in Comstock as long as I can remember. I am 27years-old (not really old), but I do have some memories from Comstock. My father and grandfathers on both sides, and my uncle have worked at Georgia-Pacific on Kings Highway. (My father still works there.) My grandparents live on Comstock Avenue right across from the park and fire station. There also used to be a small store right next door to where the Ice Cream shop is, or was. (I'm not sure if it's still there, as I haven't been to Michigan in four years.) My brother and I were often at my grandparents and
lived with them for half a year when I was 9 years-old. At that time I went to East elementary school. My teacher was Mrs. Dunlap. She was a wonderful teacher. I went to high school in Galesburg and when I would walk to school I would usually see Mrs. Dunlap taking her daily walk.. It was nice to be able to talk to her again. (I believe that she was retired at that time.) My uncle, Carl Betz, was also an elementary teacher and my aunt Joy drove a school bus for Comstock schools. Anyway, I remember how my cousins and I would go to the park and play for hours on the swings, in the sand, and exploring by the river. We would also take walks around the neighborhood and walk to the store for my grandmother. (She has been deceased now for almost 13 years.) She would also give us money to get ice cream from the ice cream shoppe. I can still remember the smell of that store. Each day at noon the siren in the fire station would go off. My grandmother is buried on a hill in the cemetery by the adult education building. (I can't remember the exact name of the road or cemetery.) My grandfather still lives in the same house with his second wife. I'm looking forward to seeing them in a few weeks when I travel up to Michigan for my vacation.

I hope this helps a little. I will try to write back if I remember anything else or more details. Please feel free to e-mail me with any questions
Sincerely,
Shirley

Hello

I just discovered your site. It is very interesting. I grew up in
Comstock. I attended North Elementary and graduated from Comstock High
School in 1969. My brother and sister also graduated from Comstock High
School.

My father grew up in Comstock and graduated from Comstock High School. My
grandparents settled in Comstock in the 1910's after leaving the
Netherlands. My grandfather built a house on Comstock Avenue. It is still
there today.

I have many fond memories of Comstock. I was part of the first freshman
class that entered the new high school. My father has many more memories
than I do. He remembers what Comstock was like during the Depression and
World War II. He worked many years at the Consumer's Power Morrow Plant in
Comstock. He has told us about when they built the dam and made Morrow
Lake. There was a village there, people in the village moved and the
buildings were left standing when the valley was flooded. I thought that
this was an interesting fact.

I enjoyed your pages, facts, and stories. It brought back many good
memories.
I also noticed that Comstock has changed a great deal since I left!!

Keep up the good work!

Thank you

Dear students,

I am sorry it took me so long to answer your email.

I do not know if Morrow Lake has been explored. But with so many people
scuba diving nowadays, I would think that it has. It would be interesting
to find out what it is like under there.

When I attended North Elementary Mr. Weaver was the principal. The only
teacher that I can remember (it has been a long time you know) is my 6th
grade teacher Mr. Vining. I do remember that he was a really cool teacher,
except he made us dissect frogs. That was the worst part of 6th grade.
Way back then, 6th grade was still in the elementary school.

I do have my high school yearbooks. My brother and sister do too. My
brother was in a lot of sports in high school. He broke many track
records. We heard that his name was still on the gym wall for one of them.
No one had beaten his record. If any of you get over to the high school,
please let me know if the name Terry VanderMolen is still up there.

I talked to my father about what it was like when he was growing up in
Comstock. He was born in a house on Comstock Avenue. When he started
school, he went to a two room school house on River Street. That school
burned down. He finished school in the building on 26th street. I think
that is the Administration Building now. This building is where I went to
Middle School.

One of the most interesting things my father talked about were the German
and Italian prisoners. The prisoners were from a prisoner-of-war camp at
Fort Custer. Some of the prisoners were brought out to work. They would
do road work and also worked on the railroad tracks in Comstock. My father
spoke some German and would talk to them when the guards would let him.
The people of Comstock treated them very nicely. They brought them
blankets, clothing and candy. Most of them did not want to be soldiers but
were forced into the army. They did not want to go back to their country.
My father told me that when the war was over many of them came back with
their families and settled in the Kalamazoo area.

I was recently in Comstock to attend a party. I took my son on a tour to
show him where I grew up. I showed him my old houses (there were two) and
my schools. He said that North Elementary is not much different than his
school. He is in the 5th grade. I got a big shock! The last house I
lived in is now a funeral home. The one on King Highway. My first house
in Comstock is on Verleen Street. Do any of you know where this street is?
Comstock has changed a lot since I lived there. You have many more stores
and houses. It is still a beautiful place and I am glad it is my hometown.

I left Comstock in 1976. I moved to San Francisco, California. Four years
ago, I moved back to Michigan. I now live in Holland with my husband and
two children. I am a writer. I write mystery books. Do any of you like
to read mysteries? I sure hope so.

I hope that you all have a wonderful and safe summer. If you get bored
over the summer, here are a few things to do - get wet,read, explore, read,
play, read, run, read, bike, read, skate, read, HAVE FUN!!

Thank you for the memories.

Lori

Wow! Who would have thought I could type in Comstock Michigan and get my hometown and not that other place called Comstock Park (up near Grand Rapids). I graduated in 1971. My name is Cortia. There are so many things I remember parts of. Summers were pretty busy with things going on in Boy Scouts troop 74. Remember the fun times at the park behind fire station having car washes? I think the most favorite spot for swimming was at Consumers. There is a road called Sprinkle Road going by there that takes away a lot of character the area had. Gull Road (M43) has changed so much. I talk to my mother regularly and she tells me of homes sprouting up around her. I haven't been back since my father died in 1992. I was there for a few days, as I had to get back to my ship. I am retired now from the US Navy. I work for UPS Customs Brokerage Inc. in Seattle, WA. I live in the county on Kitsap Penninsula near Bremerton, WA. Well, we'll go now. Could write all day, maybe another time. If anyone wishes to contact me, it is mingyus@home.com

Hope to keep in touch. Can't wait till my wife and kids get home to show them this.

Glad to hear from you. I was on vacation in California enjoying the surf.
never too old for that. that would be neat for projects for classes at
different schools. I remember the lst time I was there it looked so
different. it is a shame there is no one for the west elementary school.
Still remember the snake dance for homecoming from the firestation at think
the name is Merrill park downtown comstock by river on comstock ave. we
march all the way up to the high school that is what is now known as the
high school. it was awesome. that was a thing of beauty. the community and
all. I still remember my band teacher Mr.. Kulesa. every time I go to a high
school game or concert for one of my kids I think of the times I was in
band. well will go for now lets keep in touch. Cortia

Hello to you from Bradenton Florida. I am Amy Gillett (Hancock now) and I graduated from Comstock High School in 1973. I also attended North Elementary and remember Mr. Vining, and Mrs. Livingston. I had Mrs. Neff in kindergarten and believe it or not when she retired she moved to Florida near me. I have visited her many time and it was especially fun to take my baby son to see her. I remember Mrs. Simpson and Mrs. Trimp, Mrs. Christman and Mrs. Hoffman. My older brother, Marc, graduated in 1972 and it was fun to be in high school together. I was a cheerleader all through highschool and he played basketball and football. I read the note from Lori Vandermolen and what a shock, I lived just down the street from her. She was on Verleen and I was on Elaine. Her brother Terry was in my class and we were all buddies for many years. I am glad to hear she is doing well, and hello to Lori if she reads this. I am a police officer and work in a middle school. I am called a School Resource Officer. Do you have those in your schools? sometimes teach classes on drug abuse, basic law and I am a certified DARE instructor. We also have a program called GREAT, and I am certified to teach that. I have been a police officer for 19 years and have been working in a school for 16 years. I attended junior high in Comstock, at the building that originally was the highschool on 26th St. I think and then moved to the new highschool in 1969. I never remember having to have the police come to school, boy have things changed. There were 173 students in my graduating class and about 1200 students in the school. My middle school has 1300 students in 6, 7, and 8th grades. I moved to Florida in 1974, and visited Comstock in 1983, and then in 1998. It has changed a lot. It use to be that the closet grocery store to me was East Main Shopping Center. My parents owned a little shop there. It used to be called " Kim & Kays", and then we moved in and had an office supply store in half the shop and a womens clothing store in half. There was a big fire, maybe in 1971 or 1972, I don't remember, but it was terrible. The store was a total loss. I remember when the Sprinkle Road extension was put in, that was a big deal. I remember taking a field trip to Kelloggs in Battle Creek. But mostly I remember football and basketball games and musicals in highschool. Comstock always did really well in sports and even got as far at the state finals many times. We played some of the finals at the Western Michigan University Fieldhouse. I was active in the highschool choir and played many parts in the musicals we produced. I was in the Varsity Choir and remember the director, Jerry Smith, was my favorite teacher. We even did summer productions. Most of all I remember how much my highschool years influenced my life, when you get to highschool pay close attention to everyone around you. This time will set the tone for the rest of your life. Be smart, Be safe, You can drop me a note at King Middle School at, Hancocka@fc.manatee.k12.fl.us, if you would like.

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