Hadley’When Detroit Edison cut down a tree at Adelma Sherman’s home near the corner of Mill and Narrin streets in Ortonville she contacted her brother Ralph Hartwig an avid wood carver and longtime Hadley resident.
‘My mom asked uncle Ralph if he could carve something from that old tree,? said Lynda Beach, 60, Ralph’s niece, who lived with Adelma.
‘He worked on the tree for a few days, everyone kept watching to see what he was carving,? added Beach.
From that eight-foot tree stump Ralph Hartwig etched ‘Mill Street Madeline, and a place in local history.
‘From the Hadley Grist Mill, to antique cars, to Hadley Acres County Club, he was a sweet man and a great business man.?
Ralph Hartwig, 84, died June 26, 2003, at his Spring Hill, Fla. home, after suffering a stroke a few weeks earlier.
Ralph graduated from Hadley High School in 1937. He attended Eastern Michigan University where he studied pre-med, his studies were interrupted by a four-year stint in the United States Army. After the war, Ralph completed his degree and began teaching science at Ortonville High School where he also served as principal for one year. Shortly after Ralph and his best friend Alfred Corey started the construction business of Corey & Hartwig which lasted more than 30 years. The company later developed several real estate projects including construction of Lake Lapeer and Lake Metamora. Alford Corey died in a plane crash in Lapeer a few years ago.
After retirement, Ralph kept busy in the Hadley area which included rebuilding the old grist mill in Hadley. The mill also included an apartment, a summer home for Ralph and his wife of 60 years Marie, when the couple were not in Florida.
Bev Hartwig, 70, sister in-law to Ralph recalls the old mill and the Fourth of July in Hadley.
‘Ralph and his son Michael would cut wood in the old grist mill on the Fourth,? said Bev. ‘Cutting that wood was just a hobby, but he loved to do it’he would also host a pot luck there at the mill. Bev also recalls, Ralph taking kids for a ride in one of his old cars.
Edna Syricowski, 72, of Hadley Acres Golf and County Club, has known Ralph for more than 30 years.
‘He always gave the prizes for the senior golf tournament each year’Ralph just love to golf,? said Syricowski. ‘Ralph would drive his old car down here on Fridays and bring his whole family with him to eat at our smorgasbord. He would always try to support us.?
Syricowski said the a few years ago a local family needed help with funeral expenses and someone anonymously paid for the whole thing.
‘He would never admit it, but we know Ralph paid for it.?
Survivors are his wife of 60 years Marie Hartwig of Spring Hill Fla. and Hadley. Children: Carol (David ) Dvorak of Ada, Mi., Stephen (Karen) Hartwig of North Branch, Mi., Michael Hartwig of Grayling, Mi. Five grandchildren, siblings: Robert (June) Hartwig of Grayling, Mi. Vivian Tenbrink of Fremont Mi., Sister-in-law, Bev Hartwig of Hadley. Ralph was preceded in death by his parents Ernest and Ruth (Jones) Hartwig, Brother: Gene Hartwig, sister Adelma Sherman, brother-in-law, Frank Scherman and Adrian Tenbrink. Burial was in the Green Corners Cemetery, Hadley.