Dominic Dzurka
Don Dzurka has dug at last count 1,300 graves by hand with only a shovel for the past 56 years. Tall, tan (even in the wintertime), muscular and handsome, one would never guess his age within two decades. For years, Don has opened and closed graves, along with farming and working at The Dow Chemical Co.
Now retired from Dow, life has changed somewhat for Don and Virginia, his wife of 55 years. He no longer has to factor an eight hour workday at Dow into his life. The size of the garden that he Virginia put in each spring isn’t as large as it once was when their three children were at home He continues the opening and closing of grave sites for four cemeteries in his immediate area: St. Matthew’s (a Lutheran cemetery) in Freeland, St. Valentine’s (a Catholic cemetery) in Beaver, the Pine Grove William’s Township Cemetery in Fisherville and St. Anthony’s (a Catholic cemetery).
Dominic Dzurka get out of his truck, which has a crucifix on the dashboard, as he gets ready to finish digging a grave at the Saint Valentine Catholic Church cemetery in Beaver Township.
Dominic Dzurka digs a grave by hand at the Saint Valentine Catholic Church cemetery in Beaver Township.
Dominic Dzurka loads wheel barrows of dirt away from the site of a grave he is digging at the Saint Valentine Catholic Church cemetery. Dzurka moves the dirt to an area that can’t be seen during the funeral.
The vault is lowered in to a grave that Dominic Dzurka dug at the Saint Valentine Catholic Church cemetery.
Dominic Dzurka waits alone for the funeral mass to end near a grave he prepared at the Saint Valentine Catholic Church cemetery in Beaver Township.
Dominic Dzurka, left, talks with a member of the funeral home during the ceremony at a grave site Dominic dug at the Saint Valentine Catholic Church cemetery.
After filling in the grave and laying down flowers, Dominic Dzurka rakes the dirt on the top of the grave after a funeral.
Dominic Dzurka drives to his Auburn home after a full day of work at the cemetery.
Recent Work
World War II and Korean War veteran Tommy Thompson, of Midland, dances with Christa Lane Friday during the National Salute to Veterans Sweetheart Ball in The Great Hall at the Valley Plaza Resort. The United Veterans Council of Saginaw, representatives from veteran organizations in Saginaw and surrounding communities along with the Aleda E. Lutz Veterans Affairs Medical Center put on the ball that was free to any veteran and a guest. The Steel Wheels Band provided the music. Guests enjoyed refreshments and participated in raffles.
Bullock Creek’s Brent Pobocik, right, extends a hand to Hemlock’s Austin Ostowski after Pobocik’s victory in their 189 weight class match at Hemlock High School.
Racers compete in a heat of the 1500-meter race during the American Cup III Short Track Championship at the Midland Midland Civic Arena.
Chris Smith makes his way through the snow toward The Apothecary Shoppe on Main Street in downtown Midland. Smith, who is in town on business, was headed to pick up a few items at the shop. “I’m just glad to find a place that’s open,” said Smith.
Freshman pre-med student Joe Hamlin studies for a biology test in the Albert E’s Food Court on the Saginaw Valley State University campus. Governor Rick Snyder’s budget cuts higher education funding which will affect universities like SVSU.
Lucy Barnes, 74, of Sanford, takes off her clogging shoes after a recent practice in her garage. She’s been taking clogging classes and teaching it since the 1980s.
From left, Gerstacker Foundation trustees Ned Brandt, Alan Ott, Frank Gerace, Lisa Gerstacker and Gail Lanphear sit in the front row near shovels and hard hats as they wait for the start of the ground breaking ceremony for phase two of the Bennett Sports Center renovation and expansion project on the Northwood campus. Bobbie Arnold, standing center, greets the trustees. Phase two of the project will include the construction of the Pamella & Daniel DeVoss Student Development Center and the Carl A. Gerstacker Academic Center.
Clare basketball fans cheer on their team during a game against Meridian at Clare High School.
Meridian High School senior Aaron Maxwell, left, is tattooed by artist and owner of American Revolution Tattoo Jordan Grakauskas in the Midland shop. Maxwell got a tattoo reading “Coach Cole Forever Loved” in honor of missing Meridian coach Bob Cole, who Maxwell had for a shop teacher in middle school. Maxwell is participating in track this year as a tribute to Cole as well.
Volunteer Gordon Rogers demonstrates how to stop, drop and roll to Floyd Elementary School kindergartners during a fire safety lesson as part of the Beauregard Bear Health Adventure at the MidMichigan Medical Center. Hospital volunteers guided the children through six health and safety stations dealing with heart health, summer safety, emergency, germs and poisons, friendship and fire safety using various stuffed bears to drive home each message. At the end of the program students watched a movie that follows Beauregard Bear from hospital admission to post operation. Each student was given bear ears, a small stuffed teddy bear and a coloring book.
Bay City Western’s Matt Costello, right, dunks the ball as Detroit Southeastern’s Michael Burgen, Jr., left, looks on in the fourth period during the Class A semifinal game at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. Detroit Southeastern beat Bay City Western 53-49.
Wolverine Bank deposits sales and service manager Nick Lyons takes a call while working in the Midland branch on St. Patrick’s Day. Lyons lost a bet between another employee Julia Jodoin on whose teams could raise the most money for Big Brothers Big Sisters in the Heart of Michigan. The loser had to wear a leprechaun suit for the whole day at work. ‘At least it’s St. Patrick’s Day,’ said Lyons about wearing the costume. ‘If it had been yesterday or another day I’d be embarrassed.’
Lyons and Jodin’s teams rasied $1,800 for the organization. Wolverine Bank has five employees that volunteer as ‘bigs’ for the organization as well.
Lou E. Loon waves to fans while sitting in a 1965 Buick Wildcat before the start of Loons opening day parade.
A hearse waits outside Gladwin High School during a funeral for local Michigan State Trooper Jeffrey Werda. Werda was killed in an on-duty crash west of Birch Run in Saginaw County.
Clark Gerstacker plants field corn in a 23-acre field off Waldo Avenue in Midland. Gerstacker, who farms with his brother Kirk, said that the planting of his crops are about two weeks late due to the wet spring.
Meridian Frankenmuth’s Elizabeth Friend, left, celebrates her run with teammate Jamie Hawkins in the second inning during the Division 3 quarterfinal at Saginaw Valley State University.
Northwood freshman Kyle Nudd yells as he and his Phi Delta Theta teammates win a match during the Turtle Tug tug-of-war tournament on campus. Nudd’s team won the tournament. Delta Zeta Sorority hosted the event that took place behind the Sloan Family Building on the Northwood Campus. All proceeds from the event will go to The Painted Turtle Camp, an organization that provides a life changing environment and authentic camp experience for children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses. In addition to the tug-of-war, the event featured food donations from local businesses.
Midland High sophomore Evan Novak slides through the slime after his team lost during the Turtle Tug tug-of-war tournament.
Northwood students roll around in the mud and slime after the Turtle Tug tug-of-War tournament on campus.
Nickolas Jones, 14, gets sprayed by a car moving through a puddle near the sidewalk of his home on Indian Street. Jones said that he and his friend Orion Lohr, 12, were bored after the storm and decided to play in the water for a little bit. A storm moved through Midland at about dumping rain and causing the National Weather Service to place Midland County under a tornado warning.
Olivia Beasley, 12, looks out at a flooded Saint Charles Park while exploring the flooding with her mother Teri and sister Lorelei, 15, in Midland.
Wearing an intricate flower hat, Maria Christie, center, talks with member Cheryl Bisset during The Little Garden Club’s 70th anniversary celebration at member Mary Reif’s home. The group is one of five garden clubs in Midland. Members from all local garden clubs were invited to the event.
Doug Moody, 82, center, shows off his 1974 Northeastern Little League championship trophy to current Northeastern baseball teammates Maxx Fisher, 9, left, and Alec Newton, 9, while the boys participate in “Tag Night.” Moody, who donated $10 to the team, thought the kids would get a kick out of the trophy that he won as a coach in 1974. Tag night is a Midland little league tradition where teams and parents go door-to-door asking for donations. The funds are used to help the with costs associated with field maintenance, equipment and uniforms.
Lauren Davis, left, kisses her son Mikey, 6, as they wait for U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman Aaron ‘Doc’ Ullom’s escort at the corner of Pheasant Ridge Road and Eastman Avenue in Midland, Mich. Lauren, her husband Mike and their children Danica, 9, left, and Saraya, 12, came out to show support for Ullom and his family. Residents lined the streets of Midland, waving U.S. flags and holding signs bearing the name of Ullom as his body was escorted to the funeral home in Midland. Ullom, who just turned 20, was killed in action on July 12 while serving in Afghanistan.
Class of 1971 football players Ed Holder, left, and Jon Walker joke around before a photo shoot in their varsity letterman jackets in the Midland High School football locker room. Holder played for Midland and Walker for Dow. They played in the first match up between the two teams.
Beaverton Historical Society President Bob Frei holds up a shirt commemorating the Gladwin County First Settler Sesquicentennial Celebration that just came in during a meeting about the up coming 150-year celebration between the Beaverton Historical Society and the Gladwin County Historical Society at Beaverton City Hall.
Merrill’s Phil Pierce, right, hugs teammate Zach Kitzmiller after the Vandal’s loss to Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett at C.O. Brown Stadium in Battle Creek. Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett beat Merrill 5-1 for the Division 4 state baseball championship.
