The Clarkston area community has been the home of many fascinating people for years and years – but exactly where do some of them go? Who do they become? What do they do?
Recently, The Clarkston News asked the question ‘Where are they now?? The staff here received many suggestions and responses for where to find local successes – and set out on a treasure hunt to find the answer to our big question.
Following is the results of our search. Enjoy reading ‘Where? many Clarkston graduates have taken their lives.
Don Rush
Don Rush never truly left the Clarkston area. In fact, he is closer than some would think ? just over the hill in Brandon Township with his wife Jen and their two sons seven-year-old Shamus and four-year-old Sean.
Rush, an Independence Township native, graduated from Clarkston High School in 1981. Four years later, he graduated from Central Michigan University with a bachelors of arts in journalism with an advertising minor.
Today, he is the assistant publisher of Sherman Publications, Inc. in Oxford.
‘I always liked to write. I’ve been writing since the fourth grade,? said Rush. ‘I figured the only way to make money at it though was in journalism, so here I am.?
However, Rush didn’t begin his working life in journalism. His first job was as an Independence Township DPW worker. He began working summers there in high school and continued through college.
In his junior year of college, Rush received a scholarship from publisher Jim Sherman Sr. He interned at Monthly Detroit Magazine, Crane Communications, and began working for Sherman Publications straight from college.
‘I like community journalism,? said Rush. ‘I feel its the closet thing to affecting change in your community. At a national or daily level, your an anonymous person.
‘If I pen an opinion in my column say about Clarkston Schools, people feel the heat and don’t like me for it. I know them, the area and they know me.?
Rush writes his own column for Sherman Publication’s four weekly newspapers. Over the years he has won numerous journalism awards from the National Newspaper Association and the Michigan Press Association in feature writing, column writing, editorial writing, photography and editingn weekly newspapers.
So what does Mr. Rush miss most about Independence Township? The lakes, the lake living and Little Dana’s Pizza.
‘I really miss knowing the area where I grew up as well as I use to,? he added.
Mike Weverstad
Mike Weverstad grew up in Clarkston and graduated from Clarkston High School in 1996. He briefly attending Michigan State University before realizing his passion for acting.
Weverstad entered the prestigious Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in New York City, which counts among its alumni names such as Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro, and trained under intensive acting methods for two years.
After working in independent films, Weverstad landed a role on the CBS prime-time show ‘Hack,? and then moved to Los Angeles and was seen on two more CBS shows ‘Line of Fire? and ‘The Handler.?
Under the stage name Michael Raymond James, he has since appeared on Fox’s ‘North Shore? and NBC’s top rated ‘ER.?
The Clarkston native’s background was sent to The Clarkston News by his sister, Angela Barker Aguilar. She stated that Weverstad has always been an actor.
‘He had an early calling for this for sure,? she stated. ‘He would enact different characters and such when we were little.
‘I’m very proud of him and not surprised at all of where he is,? she said. ‘He’s more about the craft than the publicity.?
Aguilar said she expects his time as an unknown actor to soon come to an end.
‘As his sister, I am extremely proud of him for pursuing his passion and defining his own success.?
Adam Kline
Adam Kline graduated from Clarkston High School in 1982. Today, he is president pro-tem of the Village of Goodrich.
Kline moved out of Clarkston shortly after graduation at the age of 19. He went into the army for three years and obtained the rank of sargaent. Shortly after, he attended the Detroit Police Academy and went to work for the White Lake Police Department.
Kline has been with the White Lake Department for 18 years. He is currently a detective and holds an associate degree from Central Texas College. He is working towards a bachelors of science in criminal justice from Ferris State University.
During his career, Kline has been honored with a couple accomodations and named Officer of the Year. He also graduated first in his class from the police academy.
Kline moved to Goodrich in late 1997. He lives there today with his wife Mary and his five children: Ryan, 18; Sara, 16; Heaven, 5; Honour, 4; and Harmony, 1. He was elected president pro-tem for a second term in 2000.
‘I decided to run because I thought it was a way to help out the community,? said Kline. ‘I don’t know that I really want to go into politics or anything like that. I enjoy the small community too much.
‘I proud of the work I’ve helped with on the new complex and recreation plans for the future,? added Kline. ‘I’ve enjoyed laying the structure and foundation for this.?
Kline said there is plenty he misses about living in Clarkston, but to him the hardest loss was the many extracurricular activities (like football, basketball, baseball, going to drive-in movies) he would participate in and attend.
‘I still hang out with many of my high school friends,? said Kline. ‘I simply miss attending all the events.?
Chris Houston
Chris Houston is a 1989 graduate of Clarkston High School who currently works as principal scientist in analytical research and development for Pfizer in Kalamazoo.
Houston’s career path included graduation from the University of Michigan-Flint honors program before moving on to graduate work at Indiana University. He eventually earned a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry.
Memories of Clarkston are vivid for Houston in several respects.
‘I think about the friends I had at the high school,? he said. ‘They had great impact on my life.?
He believes Clarkston High School gave him a good start in education.
‘There were some classes and some instructors that really stand out,? he said, including advanced placement English taught by Linda Denstaedt. ‘It was a high school class taught at a college level. I felt like I grew tremendously.?
Since last living in Clarkston during his UM-Flint days, Houston gets back to visit only two or three times a year.
‘There’s been a lot of growth,? he said, and he appreciates some of the progress in areas such as road maintenance, but some of the changes have not been welcome.
He remembers that his family moved to Clarkston from a more rural area, and he enjoyed the freedom to walk downtown even as a fifth grader.
‘I used to walk down to Hallman’s Drug Store and buy a pop or some candy,? Houston said. ‘I always feel a little sad that it’s not there anymore.?
Houston is also an avid pilot, and is a docent at the Kalamazoo Air Zoo.
Greg Molzon
Greg Molzon was an active athlete during his days at Clarkston High School, playing basketball, baseball and on the first-ever Wolves soccer team.
Now he covers sports for a living. The 1984 CHS grad recently took over as sports director and weekday sports anchor at WJRT-TV12 in Flint.
After earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a master’s from the Syracuse (N.Y.) School of Journalism, Molzon began his career in Traverse City before moving to Waco, Texas. He jumped at the chance to come back to Michigan in 1994 to work sports in Flint.
‘It’s a lot more fun covering the teams you grew up with,? said Molzon, who was preparing for a trip to cover Michigan’s visit to the Rose Bowl this weekend.
Since Clarkston regularly plays Flint area teams, Molzon has had several opportunities to visit his alma mater, which is now a different building.
‘It was strange being at Clarkston High School when it was not my Clarkston High School,? he said.
Currently a Grand Blanc resident, Molzon enjoys bringing his family to Clarkston for parades and other special events. Despite the growth of the community, the town still feels like home.
‘It’s maintained, at least somewhat, its small-town feel,? he said.
Molzon’s junior and senior years on the varsity basketball team were the first two years of Dan Fife’s tenure as coach. He still feels Fife’s influences.
‘Playing basketball for Dan Fife, you learned how to compete and work hard,? he said. ‘That applies to everything in life, both the successes and the failures.?
Sherril Bailey
Sherril Bailey was not aware The Clarkston News was putting together a ‘Where are they now?? edition; however, a letter she sent the staff fit so well with the theme, it is included here:
Sherril Bailey, formerly of Clarkston, has retired after 34 years of teaching. She spent 29 of those teaching kindergarten through sixth grade at Andersonville Elementary, Clarkston Elementary andBailey Lake Elementary. She once owned a home on Maybee Rd.
After leaving Clarkston, Bailey taught for two years at the Instituto Laurens in Monterrey, Mexico as a bilingual educator. She has spent the past three years in Rawlins, Wyoming in public school work before deciding to quietly slip into retirement.
Today, Bailey lives in Rawlins, Wyoming, where she is teaching English to two ladies from Thailand, who plan to open a restaurant in the town. She is also a volunteer at the Wyoming State Penitentiary where she teaches parenting skills to inmates.
Miss Bailey would love to hear form former students and colleagues. She has sent word that she will respond to all correspondence. Please write her at 1216 Mt. View Blvd., Rawlins, WY 82301.
Sheryl Molzon Crowe
Sheryl Molzon Crowe is a busy person, but she has achieved one of her life goals.
‘I knew I wanted to do something that would allow me to travel,? said the 1988 CHS graduate who now works as a contracted event manager. ‘Now I have friends all over the world.?
After graduation from Michigan State University in 1992, Crowe began her career with non-profit and fund-raising organizations and has worked for companies specializing in travel, motivation and pharmaceuticals. In each case, she specialized in organizing corporate sales, marketing and annual meetings.
She now does the same kind of work on a free-lance basis, and her itinerary takes her virtually around the world. Even so, she laughs when mentioning meeting a Clarkston resident on a trip to San Diego.
Although she’s had homes in places like Manhattan and Aspen, Crowe believes Clarkston is ‘still a great community.? She has fond memories of summer water activities on Deer Lake.
Crowe is grateful for another experience of youth, having been able to take up skiing again, with one difference.
‘Now I get to ski on mountains,? Crowe said. ‘It is kind of like riding a bike. I’m glad I was able to do that when I was younger.?
Kurt Richardson
Kurt Richardson, who graduated from CHS in 1971, has been the CHS head football coach since 1987.
‘There is added pressure (coaching in my hometown), but there is added incentive too,? said Richardson. ‘I feel lucky to be where I’m at.?
As a head coach, Richardson has amassed a 120-57 overall record.
‘I’ve enjoyed every single team I’ve coached… I’ve had some great kids,? said Richardson. ‘I’ve (had) a great staff too, 75 percent of them are from Clarkston and that’s special.?
Some of the teams that stand out in Richardson’s mind are the ?99 (11-2) and ?00 (12-1) teams which reached the State semifinals.
Also the ?94 Wolves (9-2), which featured Jeremy Fife, Jason Groves, Pat Mullins and Brad Agar brought up some pleasant memories for the CHS coach.
‘That was just an awesome bunch of kids,? said Richardson.
The two losses the ?94 team suffered were in the first game of the season to Troy High, 7-0 and in the playoffs to Troy again, 14-0. Troy incidentally went on to win the State championship that year.
Richardson graduated from Oakland University in 1976 with bachelor of science degrees in education, physical education and social studies. Currently he is the head of the physical education department at CHS, teaches strength training and fitness, and has coached baseball for the past 17 years.
‘Clarkston’s a great place to grow up, to raise kids and to work,? said Richardson.
Next week: More ‘Where are they now?? stories.
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