Bill Joyner's FridayMusings October 20, 2023

FridayMusings since 2003

Friday, October 20, 2023 Helping define Livonia's Quality of Life

20 years publishing FridayMusings without bias but not without opinion

Community Dinner to help eradicate polio,

October 25th, 5:00 to 7:00, Christ our Savior Lutheran Church

Special edition to introduce 3 community leaders, polio survivors each, who lived a full life of community service, to thank our Rotary AM and Rotary Noon Clubs for raising levels of consciousness through a community dinner about the fight to eradicate polio. Livonia is so fortunate to have these two dynamic clubs working for the betterment of our hometown. See you at dinner.

90 years living with polio from Patterson California to Livonia Michigan with stops in Washington, North Carolina, and Georgia. Livonia was the town Geraldine Joyner always called home.

The late Fernon Feenstra, former City Councilman, called the typewriter shortly after mom passed away in 2010. He was just checking in to offer condolences about Mom. Halfway through the conversation, he offered a bit of advice. "Every day you are going to reach for the phone to call her, at about the same time you called her every day. It will be your way to connect even though you get halfway through dialing and realize she is not going to answer. But just the gesture on your part to call makes a connection."

Thirteen years later he is right. I find myself at 5:00 still reaching for the phone to see what she and dad are having for dinner, if they want me to bring something, or to come over and help cook. 13 years.

Not a week goes by when someone says how much they miss "Geraldine." Funny that most call her Geraldine. Mom spelled it Jerrie and her mother called her Jerry. It was just a part of the enigma that she was. She rarely talked about the leg brace she wore, or the struggles she went through from the age of 16 months through high school, in and out of the hospital to lengthen her leg, the result of polio and Infantile Paralysis.

Mom loved children. Halloween when Lindsay Spence brought her two daughters over made her especially happy. She always would give me an update on former school board member Mark Scarr's special needs daughter.

As a School Board member, she made it a point to visit every school once a year. One day she visited my school but didn't tell me. My teachers came up to her and asked, "Is Bill okay? He's not in class." When I came home, with a tan from sitting out at Kensington Lake, the first thing she said to me was "How was school today?" Boy was I in trouble! The only day I ever skipped school!

Mom was born on May 20, 1920, a Thursday morning at 6:00, weighing 7.5 pounds at 18 inches long. Her parents, William H. Wood Jr. and Hilda Wood, welcomed their first of three children, Geraldine, Glenn, and Beverly. She was born in Stockton California and was raised in Patterson.

At the age of one, she stood by herself and enjoyed spending most of her time in the kitchen playing with the gas knobs on the stove. Made her first step on May 28, 1921, the day of her mother's birthday. At 14 months she started to walk, falling against a chair and cutting her lower lip requiring one stitch.

Her mother wrote in her baby book that "she was very sick with Infantile Paralysis starting at about 16 months. Her right leg was paralyzed. I took her to the Doctor for treatment three times a week for several months."

At thirteen months she said her first sentence and at 17 months she started to put sentences together. That was also the month that her dad had scarlet fever. "Jerry got on her little knees and said a prayer for Daddy to get well putting her fingers together and said "God Bless Daddy."

She spent an inordinate amount of time in the Shriners Hospital in San Francisco. When she graduated from 8th grade her memory book was signed by doctors, nurses, and other children attending school at the Hospital. She wrote that her school yell was "One, Two, Three, Four, Who are we for? Shriners, Shriners, Hurrah."

One student, Selma Wold, out of dozens of patients, doctor's and nurses wrote "I wish you good luck to your bone-lengthening." That was why she was in the Shriners Hospital, to have a bone from her hip removed and put in the short right leg in the hope that by doing that she would be able to walk easier. The brace she wore was never far from her and was the first thing she did every morning. Reach for the brace.

The 1921 polio epidemic did change her life. The San Francisco Shriner's Hospital accepted her as a patient when she was 4 years old. Through the 8th grade, she was home and hospital-schooled. By high school, she was healthy and happy graduating in 1937.

During World War II she met her future husband and when the war ended married Richard Joyner of Farmville North Carolina, who would go on to have a career with Burroughs, moving to Livonia in 1959.

Her appreciation for children had an outlet when she and dad moved to Decatur Georgia and she became an officer of the PTA. We weren't there long as dad was moved on to Burroughs Detroit's corporate office. The PTA did not mince any words in this letter they wrote wishing her well:

"The PTA at Clairmont School wants you to know how sincerely we appreciate all that you did. . .it is rare to find a person so devoted and interested as you were to your job. All of us at Clairmont miss you and your nice family so very much, but know that with your attributes, it will be no problem to fit in beautifully in any community."

How ironic that years later we discovered that then Mayor Jack Kirksey also went to Clairmont School years earlier.

Having moved to Livonia in December 1959 it did not take long for the comments from the Clairmont PTA to come true. She served as President of the Grant School PTA in the 1961-62 school year and 1962-63 school year. She moved on to become President of the Livonia PTA Council in 1963.

In 1965 Joseph Milko was an incumbent who announced he would run again. Steve Polgar the other incumbent chose not to run.

Lewis Caves, David Merrion, Donald Murch, Dominick Taddonio, Fred Bailey joined Joe Milko on the ballot with Geraldine Joyner running number 1 and her legacy as a school board member was just getting started, the first woman elected to the school board.

Interestingly when she ran with only one piece of literature, a constantly ringing phone, it was a network of community leaders who helped her win. Bob Bennett, Livonia's future councilman and Mayor, along with Bob Nash, future councilman and clerk, were the first who offered their help.

Her kitchen cabinet was only women who organized fundraisers and helped to make the calls. It all worked as she ran #1, winning the election in 1965, and re-election in 1969 and 1973.

She toyed with running again but by then both Bill and Bob were not in school and it was her belief that there would come a time that politics became a time of life, not a lifetime and with no children in school she felt she would not have the immediacy of school contact. She opted to continue as Livonia's representative on the Wayne County Intermediate District, that a greater impact could be had working on state and national education issues.

She spent over 20 years on the Livonia Board of Education and Wayne County Intermediate School District, was active in the League of Women Voters, and was on the original community Prayer Breakfast committee and the Livonia Town Hall. She testified before Congress on educational issues numerous times.

In 1978 she was a guest speaker, one of many times that she was, at the National School Board Association convention in Anaheim California. Her topic? Who Speaks for the Kids' Interest in Your District."

"Few persons or groups associated with education will disclaim a share of the credit of speaking for student interests. The sad commentary of it all is that there are indicators that students have not been very well represented by the very ones who believe they are, indeed, speaking for today's young men and women.

". . .with a total team effort--listening, being objective in our thinking, making sound decisions based on all the information available, setting aside personal prejudices and quests for personal gains, facing up to responsibilities with dignity and integrity--the policies we adopt will provide the framework for today's students to take our places as tomorrow's leaders."

Two sons carry on the legacy of the Joyner family. Bob, a Doctor in San Antonio, served in the United States Air Force. He has two sons, Jonathan and Jason, both San Antonio attorneys, and one daughter Kimberly, working in retail, also of San Antonio. Bill has one son, Paul, living with his wife Raquel, son Leo and daughter Maya in Aurora Colorado.

Mom was a smart, engaging woman who knew how to bring family and community together. She rarely if ever talked about the struggles of polio, refused to complain, and would not get a handicapped sticker until late in her life. She, in all likelihood, did not think of herself as handicapped, cooking two meals a day right up to the end for Dad, sitting in her wheelchair determined to live life as fully as possible.

She loved to share stories with close friends Jack and Senie Engebretson, Connie and Sue Gniewek, Bob and Janet Bennett. And the list could go on and on as she did indeed count so many as her friends. But none made her smile more than when Bob and the grandchildren, Paul, Kimberly, Jonathan, and Jason were all over for a visit. She would sit on the front porch and the minute she saw the car turn the corner she took on another personality, focusing on her family, asking questions, making sure they had enough to eat. It is as if all she wanted in life, from a childhood spent hours and days in a hospital to an adult giving back to children, putting smiles on their faces.

You are missed but certainly not forgotten. I will be attending the Rotary Club Annual Spaghetti Dinner, for the best spaghetti ever, in memory of all you did for your family, and for the community of Livonia that you also called your family.

I applaud our two Rotary Clubs for hosting this annual dinner. This typewriter will be there and hope that you join in for the evening. For me I will be there in memory of my mother, for you, for being a part of helping to eradicate polio.

Meet Livonia Councilman Bob Bishop living a life of service as a polio survivor

Bob was a devoted and active citizen in the community of Livonia, volunteering first with the Jaycees, and then moving into Livonia government on the Zoning Board of Appeals, then successfully elected to the Livonia City Council in 1975, and successfully conducted re-election campaigns and served on the council until 1992. He was successfully elected as Livonia City Treasurer in 1992, and he served in that role until 1996.

He and his wife Shirley during the 1970's first introduced Livonia to the concept of organizing around the important role art plays in building a hometown.

Bishop was inducted into the 1835 Livonia City Hall of Fame with the Class of 2015.

Bob contracted polio in 1941 and spent a year in an iron lung. He battled the effects of polio his entire life.

Bob Bishop passed away in 2018.

Meet Nancy Darga, lifetime polio survivor, member of the Livonia Rotary AM Club, serving 12 years on the Northville City Council

This back story on Nancy Darga, a member of the Rotary AM Club who last year shared her story with the club on the eve of the annual Community dinner in support of polio awareness, was printed on the City of Northville website and Musings is sharing with minor edits:

Once you meet Nancy Darga, you are not likely to forget her. She says what’s on her mind and asks probing questions when considering a matter before City Council, a role she served in for 12 years before choosing not to run in 2019. Her approach to problem-solving includes a deep dive into details and talking to people – on both sides of an issue.

She has taken on tough challenges to keep Northville unique, historic, and well-run as a City government during her years on the City Council and 20 years serving the Parks and Recreation Department in advisory capacities, primarily as a board member.

She’s got a good grasp on matters pertaining to infrastructure – roads, sewage, and storm sewers – due to a long career as a licensed landscape architect in the Wayne County Parks Dept. and the (former) Wayne County Road Commission.

She was amazed that she won her first election to the City Council as a newcomer. She attributes that to having been actively involved in the community – something that people value and remember.

She is proud of many things accomplished while in office. When she first arrived at Council, she asked for more details about the bidding process in engineering contracts. She recommended creating a matrix that showed cost comparisons and quality features among the bidders. That made the contracts more transparent to the Council and citizens, and enhanced decisions regarding infrastructure improvements.

Her heart beats in harmony with Northville yet she has also spread that energy and determination to matters that affect other organizations.

She retired as executive director of the Ford Piquette Historic Plant and has become more active in the “Save Hines Park” initiative to prevent the sale of parkland to developers.

One of the biggest challenges facing the City today, she notes, is redevelopment of the Northville Downs property. “Property owners have all the rights in America,” Darga said. “When City officials deal with them, we’re trying to create a win-win solution. The best thing is to serve the community at large. The only way to control that is through the Master Plan and zoning. One of the things that we want is to open up the river and create some greenspace. We will have to work hard to come up with a development agreement that offers something to both sides.”

Darga is a strong supporter of the Historic District, noting that it “protects and enhances the taproots of the community.” She believes that despite the inevitable development, it’s vital to keep the context of Northville.

“If any tree is going to bear fruit, you have to protect its roots. It’s the same with communities. You need to protect your heritage,” she said.

Figuring things out is Darga’s strong suit. “I’ve always been interested in ‘How did it get to this point?’ I like to build things. I like to know how things come together.”

She is a firm believer in getting people together to discuss issues. Her method at Council meetings was to share information during “Council Communications” and invite citizens to participate in meetings, events, and even rallies for a cause. “Bringing people together and encouraging them to talk about things keeps a community strong,” she said.

Among her prodigious community involvement, she is a founding member of Friends of the Rouge and a founding member of Motor City National Heritage Area, which is part of the National Park System. She has been a board member of the Art House since its inception and will continue to serve on the board, this time as treasurer. The City-managed entity plans to become a 501 ( c ) 3 organization. Darga’s success as a fundraiser for various causes will boost the Art House’s efforts to establish an endowment.

She and her husband have two adult children, Anna and Alex.

The following was a statement inserted in the Congressional Record, May 11, 2020, by Congressman Thaddeus McCotter:

Geraldine Jo Wood Joyner was the oldest of three children of William and Hilda Wood, Jeri was born in Stockton, and raised in Patterson California. The 1921 polio epidemic changed her life. The San Francisco Shriner's Hospital accepted her as a patient when she was 4 years old.

Through the 8th grade she was home and hospital schooled. By high school she was healthy and happy graduating in 1937.

She then went on to attend Stockton College of Commerce. During World War II Miss Wood worked on a United States Army base in the state of Washington, meeting and eventually marrying Army Technical Sergeant Richard Joyner when the war ended.

Mr. and Mrs. Joyner and their young family moved to Livonia, Michigan in 1960 where Jeri quickly became involved in the local PTA thus beginning a storied career of service to the community she loved. Jeri served a combined 20 years with the Livonia School Board and the Wayne County Intermediate School District between 1964 and 1984.

Perhaps because she was denied a normal educational experience, Jeri felt impassioned to guarantee other children ample opportunities through their school years.

Geraldine Joyner served her community with devotion, never waiting to be asked but stepping up to communicate and to identify important issues. Jeri was a longtime member of the League of Women Voters, spending many years as an election precinct chairperson. She was an active member of the Livonia Prayer Breakfast and the Livonia Town Hall speakers program.

She testified before Congress on educational issues.

This truly was a woman who inspired those around her. On May 2, 2010, Geraldine Joyner’s driven heart failed and the Livonia community lost a champion. She will long be remembered as a mother devoted to her family, especially Richard, her husband of 62 years, and her sons Richard William ‘‘Bill’’ Joyner, a former Wayne County commissioner and Dr. Robert Wood Joyner. Jeri leaves a legacy in her grandchildren Richard Paul, Jonathan, Jason and Kimberly Ann Joyner.

Jeri was a wonderful woman, kind to all she encountered. She will be truly and sorrowfully missed. Madam Speaker, during her lifetime, Geraldine Wood Joyner enriched the lives of everyone around her. As we bid farewell to this wonderful woman, I ask my colleagues to join me in mourning her passing and honoring her years of loyal service to our community and country.

Rotary has been working to eradicate polio for more than 35 years. Our goal of ridding the world of this disease is closer than ever.

As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, we've reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent since our first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979.

Rotary members have contributed more than $2.1 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect nearly 3 billion children in 122 countries from this paralyzing disease.

Rotary’s advocacy efforts have played a role in decisions by governments to contribute more than $10 billion to the effort.

Today, polio remains endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan. But it’s crucial to continue working to keep other countries polio-free. If all eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years, polio could paralyze as many as 200,000 children each year.

Mail Address

19514 Bainbridge 48152

E-mail address

[email protected]

Cell address

734-674-5871

The typewriter is not available for phone calls or emails Saturday and Sunday. Mental health and rehabilitation time. Out and about enjoying life.

What motivates FridayMusings:

We can't only define Livonia as taking small steps toward maintaining the way things were. That will give us mediocre outcomes. Our goal needs to be innovative and transformative.