Former Eastern Michigan University Regent and alumnus
Carl D. Pursell died at his home June 11 after a long illness.
He was 76.
Pursell, of Plymouth, was appointed to the EMU Board of
Regents by former Governor John Engler in 1993. During
his board tenure, Pursell served as the vice chair of the
board and chair of the educational policy committee. He
served on the board until December 1999.
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Pursell |
In 1993, Pursell and his wife, Peggy, also an EMU graduate,
established two scholarships at EMU. One was an endowed
scholarship in the College of Business to support students
with an interest in entrepreneurship. The second was an
endowed scholarship in the College of Arts and Sciences
to benefit students from the social sciences, physical
sciences and the arts.
In 2001, Pursell was inducted into the EMU College of
Education Alumni Hall of Fame. Purcell earned his bachelor's
degree from EMU in 1957 and a master's degree in 1962.
He began his political career as a Wayne County commissioner
in 1969 and was a Michigan State Senator from 1970-76.
In 1976, Pursell was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives,
where he served for 16 years. While a member of Congress,
he was the ranking Republican on the House Labor, Health
and Human Services Education Appropriations Subcommittee.
He also served on the Energy and Water Development Appropriations
Subcommittee.
Pursell is survived by his wife, two sons, a daughter
and seven grandchildren.
Funeral services took place June 15 at the Schrader-Howell
Funeral Home in Plymouth. Burial took place in Riverside
Cemetery in Plymouth. Donations can be made to the Salvation
Army, the Plymouth Veterans of Foreign Wars or to retire
the national debt.
Shirley Oestrike, a former secretary at EMU from 1974-1992
and wife of former EMU baseball coach Ron Oestrike, died
June 28. She was 76.
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Oestrike |
Oestrike was an active member of the First United Methodist
Church of Ypsilanti and of the United Methodist Women.
She was an avid reader and enjoyed the EMU Wives' Book
Group. She loved to play bridge and was a member
of the EMU Wives' Cooking Group. She enjoyed gardens, theatre,
seeing new places, taking trips with the United Methodist
Church and spending time with family and friends.
Oestrike is survived by her husband, Ronald; five children,
Jeffrey Oestrike of Tucson, Ariz., Daniel Oestrike of South
Lake Tahoe, Calif., Elizabeth McClure of Ypsilanti, Nancy
Oestrike of Ypsilanti and Matthew Oestrike of Tomball,
Texas; two sisters, Dolores Balowski of Flat Rock and Gloria
Jean Sanger of Lansing; five grandchildren and many nieces
and nephews.
A memorial service to celebrate Shirley's life took place
July 9 at the First United Methodist Church of Ypsilanti.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to either
the Ypsilanti United Methodist Women or the Ypsilanti Senior
Center.
Winton Kloosterman, a professor of guidance and counseling
at EMU from 1962-1983, died June 10. He was 90.
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Kloosterman |
Kloosterman was an Army veteran of the Pacific campaign
during World War II from 1942-45.
He received his doctorate in education from Wayne State
University, his master's degree from Columbia University
and his bachelor's degree in history from Beloit College
in Beloit, Wisconsin.
Before coming to EMU, Kloosterman was a college counselor
at Wayne State University from 1957-62. While at EMU, he
was served as the local president and state secretary for
the American Association of University Professors (AAUP)
and was a member of the American Personnel and Guidance
Association.
After retiring, he and his wife, Marilyn, retired to Sanibel,
Florida, in 1986. Kloosterman volunteered at the J.N. "Ding" Darling
National Wildlife Refuge from 1990-2006.
Kloosterman is survived by his wife, Marilyn; three sons,
Peter of Bloomington, Ind., James of Austinburg, Ohio,
and William of Vancouver, Washington; a daughter, Susan
of Jensen Beach. Fla.; a sister, Martha Banaghan of Roseville,
California; eight grandchildren, and seven nieces and nephews.
A memorial service took place July 9 at the Sanibel Congregational
United Church of Christ, where Kloosterman was a member.
Memorial contributions may be made to the "Ding" Darling
Wildlife Society, the Sanibel Congregational Church of
Christ or Hope Hospice of Fort Myers.
Bradley Stevens, an EMU lecturer in English
language and literature from 1969-78, died May 31. He was
81.
Stevens received both his master's degree in art history
and his bachelor's degree in music literature from
the University of Michigan.
His interests were many, including engineering, opera,
art, sailing, gliding and playing the flute. During one
of his summers as a teen, he joined the Barnum and Bailey
Circus as a roustabout and clown. Although never formally
educated in engineering, he helped several manufacturers
— including Argus, Associated Spring and L&L
Products — solve some of their problems. As
a child, he designed and successfully tested a small depth
charge; built a miniature cannon that fired lead bullets
he smelted himself; and built a remote-controlled model
submarine capable of operating underwater.
Survivors include five children, David Stevens of Orange,
Calif.; Rebecca Stevens of Long Beach, Calif.; Jessica
Jones of Modwau, Utah; Lisa Ross of St. Paul, Minn.; and
Brian Stevens of Ann Arbor; four siblings, Grace TerMaat
of River Falls, Wisc.; Mary Hathaway and Wystan Stevens
of Ann Arbor; and Eve Heidtmann of Portland, Oregon; and
seven grandchildren.
A memorial gathering is planned July 19, 3 p.m., at 310
S. Ashley St. in Ann Arbor. Memorial gifts should be sent
to the Performance Network, 120 E. Huron, in Ann Arbor.
Bette Frank, a secretary in EMU's Graduate
School from 1965-1990, died June 24. She was 84.
Frank retired from EMU in 1990 after 25 years of service.
Survivors include a daughter, Carol J. Norton, three sisters,
Evelyn Fenner, Maxine Nelson and Beverly Soresnon; two
grandchildren, two great grandchildren; and several nieces
and nephews.
Contributions may be made to the American Heart Association.
