I started the week writing about Phil.
I might as well finish it that way.
I was looking through some of my old
history notes last night, trying to find a few facts that we could
use for the “100 Questions” trivia contest the History Center is
holding next month. I have this big box that holds all my notes,
scripts, and pictures from past programs, and while looking through
the box I came across two things that pertain to Phil.
And since his funeral is Sunday, I
figured I'd share them.
The first comes from the “Lost
Buildings” show that Jack & I put on six or seven years ago.
One of the buildings we talked about was the old Mining Journal
building, which sat where the Pocket Park—excuse me, the “Phil
Niemisto Pocket Park”--now sits. In the 1930s the Mining Journal
building housed the Mining Journal's radio station, which we now know
as WDMJ. One of the things Phil did as a kid at the Orphanage was to
go with other orphans and sing on the radio. Back then, before
networks or computers, radio stations had to put every single thing
they did on the air live, and often used local talent to fill their
daily schedule. That's why groups from the Marquette Orphanage sang
on the radio. Anyway, when discussing the old Mining Journal
building with Phil, he marveled at the fact that he started his
“public career” at that location, and that he'd probably end it
there, too, tending his flowers in the very same place where he sang
as a child.
The very same place where his statue
now sits.
The other thing I came across? Well,
it wasn't about Phil per se, but was instead about a previous icon of
downtown Marquette, one I talked about during the “Amazing Tales”
show a couple of winters ago. The individual who was the subject of
the tale was Charlie Pong, who owned a laundry back in the 30s and
40s and died without a penny to his name, having sent all of his
money back to family in China. Charlie was so well liked that
Marquette business owners took up a collection and bought him a
headstone and plot in Park Cemetery, lest he wind up in Potter's
Field.
Part of my story about Pong was quoting
from a newspaper article after his death, and it read “People have
enough sense to recognize the fine dignity of the man, his gentle
courtesy, his appreciation of the kindness they encountered, his
decent pride, and his sense of individual integrity”. Even though
the comments were about Charlie Pong, I threw in the off-handed
comment that it reminded me of Phil, as well, at which point the 500
or so people at Kaufman burst into applause.
When I told Phil him about that, he
merely laughed and said, “Oh, they don't know me very well, do they?”.
That was Phil, and as many other people
have noted, downtown Marquette just isn't the same without him. If
you haven't heard or if you're interested, his funeral is Sunday at
the Masonic Building's Red Room (the big theater they have in there).
Visitation is from 11 until 2, the funeral itself is at 2.
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