tMARCH 2009 A Lifetime Devotion to Flight By Robert M. Weir INSIDE THIS ISSUE Books and More at KPL Praying for the Fighting Irish Ensuring the Legacy of W.K. Kellogg Tbe^sblroltkpqfjrirpmi^k+ FqÒp`^iiba`ifbkqp^qfpc^`qflk+ Tfqepe^obmof`bp^kaM,Bo^qflpplilt b^`e^kabsbova^v)fkobpb^o`e^ka^k^ivpfp) clo pl j^kv efpqlof`^iiv molÛq^_ib elifpqf`tb^iqej^k^dbjbkq)molcbppflk^i `ljm^kfbp)vlrÒaqefkhqebobÒps^irbql_b qorpq^ajfkfpqo^qflk)^kajbbqfkd`ifbkq e^afkqebj^ohbq+>kaqebobfp)fcvlrillh l_gb`qfsbp tfqe mboplk^ifwba ^qqbkqflk+ ilkd*qboj) tef`e fp te^q lro `ifbkqp @liib`qfsbiv)fqÒpelttbebimlro`ifbkqp bumb`q rp ql al+ >`efbsfkd ilkd*qboj ^`efbsbÛk^k`f^ipb`rofqvcoljlkbdbkbo* mbocloj^k`b)eltbsbo)obnrfobpqfobibpp ^qflk ql qeb kbuq+ >ka fqÒp qeb lkb qorb ^ka afp`fmifkba peloq*qboj mbocloj^k`b) pqfjrirpclobsbovqefkdtbal+ Cfk^k`f^iPb`rofqvcoljDbkbo^qflkqlDbkbo^qflk /..plrqeolpbpqobbqh^i^j^wll)jf16--4ttt+dobbkib^cqorpq+`lj/36+055+65--5--+1.3+1222 FROM THE PUBLISHER SURELY SOMETIME in your life someone has admonished you to: And the discovery may be a lawn that really should have been cut just “Be careful what you wish for because you might just get it.” If I one last time. I won’t even mention the joy of spring for families who were a betting man, I would bet that most people in southwest have a dog that has been unfettered and free-ranging in the backyard Michigan have wished for an end to winter at least once during for the past few months. the past month. There is no doubt that we Sadly one will be forced to put away the warm and snuggly clothes have had a long, cold and snowy winter this that have draped our bodies since November, the excessively bulky year, but you may want to think again about sweaters and dreadfully heavy coats that will be stored for another sea- wishing for it to end. son. And, surely, folks won’t be comfortable wearing those high fashion Consider all of the wonderful things boots that have been resisting protection from winter’s ravages. you are leaving behind as winter wanes and If all of this isn’t discouraging enough, think of what else lies finally fades into history. Soon to be behind ahead. The grass is likely to be so lush and green that you will feel us is the best time of the year to get absolutely compelled to cut it twice a week to keep it as neat and trim as the Rick Briscoe nothing done — to be lazy, ignore the work- neighbors’ — and all because you just couldn’t resist using the fertil- outs and gather a little extra around the waist. Winter is also the izer spreader. Then there are all the flower gardens that seem to have only season of the year when you are privileged to leave for work doubled in size since last year, with weeds sprouting everywhere. Yes, before the sun rises and come home after the sun has set. This you can finally get down and dirty in the garden to plant the annuals darkness provides the backdrop for the best season to avoid those and split the perennials, but oh my, there is the aching back. Boy, it skin-damaging, cancer-causing, sweat-producing, golden rays of sounds like fun. sunshine that we deal with the rest of the year. With our proximity So as winter weakens and spring soars into your life this year, to Lake Michigan, we are blessed with a delightfully thick blanket just remember: You wished for it, and now you have it. Enjoy the out- of clouds that provides a three-month-long shield from the sun. door work — and the play. See you on the golf course. Now, do you really want warmer days to arrive? Ponder care- fully what is ahead. Spring is the time of year when we find what has been hiding beneath the snow for so long — like maybe an Rick Briscoe accumulation of leaves that didn’t quite get cleaned up last fall. Publisher Ballet Arts Ensemble Cathleen Huling Artistic Director 2009 Spring Concert &EATURING Premiere of CHOREOGRAPHYBY Matthew Keefe .EWWORKSBY Cathleen Huling 0ERFORMANCESBY Western Dance Project David Curwen, Director 3ATURDAY -ARCHsANDPM 3UNDAY -ARCHsPM 7ELLSPRING4HEATERs%PIC#ENTERONTHE+ALAMAZOO-ALL Reserved seat tickets on sale at Miller Auditorium and Epic Center Box Offices. INADVANCEsATTHEDOOR !DDITIONALINFORMATIONISAVAILABLEATBALLETARTSHOMEATTNETORBYCALLING ."3$)t&/$03& 5 Greater Expectations WITH WACHOVIA Professionalism. It takes more than a title. It’s not something that ends every day at fi ve. It’s turning all your talents to one purpose: serving your clients. It’s knowing the fi eld — and it’s knowing that every client is unique. It’s being effi cient — and creative. It’s going beyond the conventional to fi nd the best solution. If you’re looking for a fi nancial advisor who shares your commitment to professionalism, contact us. 425 West Michigan Avenue Kalamazoo, MI 49007 269-349-4600 +)96/8/+7'3*3796'3)+64*9)87 !$$" $=$"!= ! $$ Wachovia Securities, LLC, Member SIPC, is a registered broker-dealer and a separate nonbank affi liate of Wells Fargo & Company. ©2009 Wachovia Securities, LLC 0209-1143 [24778-v1] A1284-1009 2/09 CONTENTS MAGAZINE Publisher 8 Richard J. Briscoe Editor After 85 years, Penny Briscoe 6,000 hours in the air, Assistant to the Publisher and flying in Ronald Dundon three wars, Copy Editor WALTER Cherri Glowe Volume 36 Issue 7 March 2009 March 7 Issue 36 Volume FORBES Poetry Editor Theresa Coty O’Neil is still in love Contributing Writers Kit Almy with airplanes. Tom Chmielewski Craig Girolami Larry B. Massie Theresa Coty O’Neil Robert M. Weir Photo: Robert Weir Photo: Robert Contributing Poets Dan Pettee 18 SPECIALS Margaret von Steinen A desire to work with children 5 FROM THE PUBLISHER STEVE SIEBERS Cartoonist led into his Craig Bishop career as a children’s librarian. 10 TRIVIA PURZOOT Feature Photographer John Gilroy 26 GREEN TIPS Designer Going Solar Brakeman 27 PLEASIN’ THE PALATE Encore magazine is published Photo: John Lacko Whiskey for Patty’s Day nine times yearly, September through May. Copyright 2009, 32 28 GUESS WHO Encore Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Editorial, Massie’s Michigan tells the story of 30 EVENTS OF NOTE circulation and advertising FATHER WILLIAM CORBY, correspondence should be chaplain of the Irish Brigade sent to 350 S. Burdick, Suite 316, Kalamazoo, MI 49007. during the Civil War. Telephone: (269) 383-4433. Fax number: (269) 383-9767. POETRY E-mail: Publisher@Encoreka- lamazoo.com. The staff at 17 Encore welcomes written Celery Flats: Late March comment from readers, and articles and poems for sub- 47 Ghost Crabs mission with no obligation to print or return them. To learn 38 more about us or to com- ment, you may visit www. Philanthropy and social encorekalamazoo.com. Encore justice come together for subscription rates: one year Kellogg Foundation president $27.00, two years $53.00, STERLING SPEIRN three years $78.00. Current . single issue and newsstand $4.00, $10.00 by mail. Back issues $6.00, $12.00 by mail. Advertising rates on request. Closing date for space is 28 days prior to publication date. Final date for print-ready copy is 21 days prior to publication date. Cover photographs courtesy of Walter Forbes. Guess Who photography by John Gilroy. ."3$)t&/$03& 7 A Hero in the Sky ByB RoRobertbert MM.. WeiWeirr “You Do What You Have to Do.” When Walt Forbes describes this Bell P-39 Air Cobra to the Kalamazoo Air Zoo visitors, he can tell them he was trained to fly such an aircraft in the early 1940s, squeezing himself and his fanny-pack parachute into the bucket seat of the very tight cockpit. Photo: Robert Weir 8 &/$03&t."3$) Photo: John Boase ServingSerSeS vininng aasssa a doddocentcec at the Kalamazoo Air Zoo andan sharingshshariarriingg hish enthusiasme for airplanes with youngyouyoouungg peoppeopleopleple brbbringsrini great joy to Walt Forbes. These six young men were pilots of Operation High Flight that ferried aircraft from Iceland to Northern Europe via the North Pole. Walt Forbes is kneeling in front on the left. ALT FORBES was 20 in No- vember 1944, and, already, he had flown 72 combat missions over Europe, patrolled the air- space over Omaha Beach on D-Day, pro- vided air support for General Patton’s march across France and into Germany, shot down one German Messerschmitt, and made a dead-stick landing when his P-47 took a hit through the engine from anti-aircraft fire. But that was just the beginning and land three more disabled aircraft: the Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame. And for this young First Lieutenant who, a C-54 troop transport, an F-100 well he deserves that honor. over his 28-year military career, would fighter jet, and a lightweight general Walt’s military awards include train other pilots, fly four-engine cargo aviation plane. Legion of Merit, Distinguished Fly- planes in the Korean War and special Today, Walt is a docent at the Kala- ing Cross with First Oak Leaf Cluster, operations aircraft in the Vietnam mazoo Air Zoo. And soon — this coming Bronze Star, Air Medal with 16 Oak Leaf War, work for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, April, in fact — he will be enshrined into Clusters, Joint Services Commendation ."3$)t&/$03& 9 Forbes Medal, and Air Force Commendation professional knowledge.” you have to do,” he says. Medal. The citations contain phrases Yet, Walt Forbes describes his Walt’s enthusiasm for aviation such as “outstanding heroism and self- adventures and accomplishments with sparked when he was 5 in Niles, Mich., less devotion to duty,” “exceptionally aplomb.