A Stiver’s Sendoff

Last night our small group of past and present Eaton associates got together for another “Boys’ Night Out”. Our venue was dinner in Chelsea, MI. On our way to the restaurant, we gathered at Stiver’s Bar and Grill. For those of you familiar with I-94 in SE Michigan, it’s located at exit 162. This was a favorite watering hole from our Eaton Battle Creek days when we made multiple trips each week between our offices in Battle Creek and our customers’ offices in the Detroit area. This old haunt was frequented by many of us, and usually in the company of Neil. It’s a low-brow place with nothing remarkable except their “fishbowl” martinis, which were an obvious favorite of Neil’s. Our group included Tom K., Merv W., Al W., Steve D., Curt S., John C., Simon N., Mike G., John L. and Chuck M. After each ordering a “Boombaton” of choice, we made a toast to Neil and savored the cocktails as well as some memories. The place seems unchanged from when we were last there, several decades ago for most of us, but we’re sure it was just as Neil would remember it. We trust that he was looking down on us with that smile on his face and wishing he could be there in person, but we know he was with us!



Here’s to you, Neil. Cheers!

TRIBUTE TO JOHN NEIL GILMER AT HUNTER’S CREEK GOLF CLUB - DEDICATION OF MEMORIAL BENCH – MARCH 15, 2011

TODAY IS A DAY OF JOY BECAUSE WE ARE PAYING TRIBUTE TO A DEAR FRIEND THIS TRIBUTE IS TO DEDICATE A BENCH TO MEMORIALIZE NEIL GILMER’S LIFE AT HUNTER’S CREEK GOLF COURSE. KAY, HIS WIDOW, IS HERE WITH US, ALONG WITH FRIENDS AND MEMBERS OF OUR GOLF LEAGUE IN WHICH HE USED TO PLAY.
NEIL WAS A NATIVE OF INDIANA, AND SPENT MOST OF HIS PROFESSIONAL LIFE WORKING AS AN ENGINEER FOR EATON CORP, AT THEIR DIVISION IN MICHIGAN. UPON RETIRING IN 1999, HE MOVED TO ORISTA BAY, A NEIGHBORHOOD OF HC. HE BOUGHT THE HOME HERE BECAUSE OF ITS PROXIMITY TO THIS GOLF COURSE. DURING ELEVEN YEARS, AS I WAS ALSO RETIRED AND HIS NEIGHBOR, I WAS PRIVILEGED TO PLAY MORE THAN A THOUSAND ROUNDS OF GOLF WITH HIM. WE WERE GOLFING BUDDIES, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE DEVELOPED A BROTHERLY FRIENDSHIP AND SHARED SO MANY MEMORIES. HE TAUGHT ME SO MANY THINGS, I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE AMERICAN CULTURE, ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE MID-WEST AND RURAL FARM LIVING.
CHARACTER
NEIL WAS CHARACTERIZED FOR HIS GREAT AND DEEP INTELLECT, SMARTNESS AND GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR. HE WAS A TRADITIONAL AND A WELL MANNERED GENTLEMAN. HE MADE SO MANY FRIENDS IN THE PLACES WHERE HE TOUCHED PEOPLES LIVES AS NEIGHBOR, STUDENT, AND HIS PEERS AT WORK. THIS IS, BY ITSELF, AN EXCEPTIONAL LIFE ACHIEVEMENT. HIS DEPARTURE WAS A BIG LOSS FOR THE FAMILY, FRIENDS AND TO THE COMMUNITY.
LOVE FOR GOLF GAME
HE EPITOMIZED THE LOVE FOR THE GOLF GAME AND HAD CONSIDERABLE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GOLF GAME AND ITS RULES. HE WAS ADDICTED TO GOLF, AND COULDN’T STOP. OUR USUAL GOLFING OUTINGS WERE FOR 27-36 HOLES. I WAS A STRONGER AND MUCH BETTER GOLFER THEN.

AS YOU KNOW, NEIL WAS A GOOD GOLFER AND AROUND THE GREENS HAD UNMATCHED ABILITY. HE WAS KNOWLEDGEABLE AND RESPECTFUL OF THE ETHICS OF THE GAME. WE WILL REMEMBER HIM FOR HIS SPORTSMANSHIP, AMONG OTHER THINGS.
I WAS AT THE GOLF COURSE WAS WHERE HE EXHIBITED SO MUCH PASSION AND JOY. IT WAS HERE WHERE HE DERIVED PLEASURE WITH THE MAJESTIC VIEW. HE USED TO PRAISE THE BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPING, LAKES, TREES, BIRDS, ETC. HE KNEW THE NAMES OF EVERY BIRD AND ANIMAL IN THE AREA.

HUNTER’S CREEK GOLF CLUB
SOME TIME AGO, WHEN GOLF COURSES IN FLORIDA STARTED TO EXPERIENCE OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS, THE OWNERS OF THIS COURSE ENTERTAINED THE IDEA OF SELLING IT. NEIL BECAME CONCERNED WITH THE FUTURE OF THE CLUB AND/OR THE USE OF THE LAND BY A FUTURE OWNER. I REMEMBER HIM SAYING, “THE LEAST WE NEED HERE IS ANOTHER OIL CHANGE OR SHOPPING AREAS IN THIS BEAUTIFUL PROPERTY.” THROUGH THE AUCTION SITE, WE OBTAINED FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CLUB. AT OUR INITIATIVE, WE WORKED IN THE BACKGROUND IN AND EFFORT TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL BUYERS WHO WERE COMMITTED TO THE GAME.
IT WAS GREAT NEWS WHEN THE OWNERS OF THIS CLUB DECIDED TO KEEP IT AND BROUGHT IN A NEW MANAGEMENT COMPANY TO RUN THIS CLUB. SUCH COMPANY INITIATED A PROGRAM TO IMPROVE THE CONDITION OF THE COURSE AND TO STRENGTHEN THE RELATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY H.C. RESIDENTS. POSITIVE RESULTS ARE VISIBLE TODAY: THIS CLUB IS NOW BETTER THAN EVER IN EVERY RESPECT. NEIL’S INITIATIVE, WITH SOME OF YOU, TO ORGANIZE OUR GOLF LEAGUE, WAS IN PART AN EFFORT TO PROMOTE THE CLUB AMONG THE RESIDENTS OF H. C., THUS HELPING THE CLUB’S MANAGEMENT IN THEIR EFFORTS.
WELL DESERVED TRIBUTE
IN SUMMARY, THE DEDICATION OF THE BENCH TO NEIL GILMER’S MEMORY AT H.C. GOLF CLUB, IT IS A WELL DESERVED TRIBUTE TO SOMEONE WHO HAD SO MUCH PASSION AND LOVE FOR THE GAME. MOREOVER, THIS IS RECOGNITION FOR HIS COMMITMENT TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS CLUB, AND PARTICIPATION IN THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.
THIS MEMORIAL BENCH WOULD REMIND US ABOUT NEIL’S LEGACY: HIS LOVE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THE GOLF GAME. THIS WOULD MOTIVATE US TO MAINTAIN THE EFFORTS TO MAKE H.C. GOLF A BETTER PLACE. AS TO ME, THIS MEMORIAL WILL ALSO BECOME A PLACE FOR REFLECTION AND REMEMBERING THE GOOD TIMES AND MEMORIES THAT WE HAD AT THIS BEAUTIFUL PROPERTY.

KAY GILMER AND ALL OF US THANKS THE MANAGEMENT OF H. C. GOLF CLUB FOR APPROVING THE MEMORIAL AT THEIR SITE, AND TO JOHN MONGOVEN WHO WORKED SO HARD TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE, AND THOSE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO ITS COST.

ANTONIO GONZALEZ