Morris Stulberg

Morris Stulberg, life-long resident of Marshall, passed away at Oaklawn Hospital on Sunday, June 10, 2012. He was 90 years old. It would be difficult to live in Marshall during the last half-century without knowing who Morris Stulberg was. Some will remember him as a successful businessman, philanthropist, and community leader. Others may cite his many leading roles in local theatrical productions or the entertaining manner in which he served as master of ceremonies for countless dinners and 30 years of Rotary Community Band Concerts. An avid horse enthusiast, Stulberg often donned costume and rode his beautiful black Tennessee Walker in various Marshall parades, usually followed up by a couple of hours of rides for children as he made his way back home. Born on May 5, 1922 in Marshall, Stulberg was the second of four children (Julius, Morris, Sam, and Esther) born to Jewish immigrants Max and Rebecca (Pudik) Stulberg. A 1940 graduate of Marshall High School, Morris was enrolled at Michigan State University for two years prior to leaving school to enter the U.S. Army. He saw combat in Italy during WWII and was awarded a Bronze Star for meritorious service. Upon receiving his honorable discharge, Stulberg enrolled in the University of Michigan where he earned a degree in business and met and fell in love with Charlotte Kaufman. Morris returned to Marshall following graduation to help run the family business (Marshall Iron and Metal Company). On June 22, 1947 he and Charlotte were married. Their nearly 46 year marriage was blessed with four sons: Alan, Irving, Daniel and Michael. Stulberg took over the reins of Marshall Iron and Metal Company in the mid 1950's. He directed the company until 1984 when he sold it to his son Dan and Patrick McCann. He and Charlotte opened and operated Marshall Mini Storage (1986 to the present) and The Arbor Inn (1988-2001). In 1996 Morris partnered with son Dan in opening Marshall Activity Center. Morris was a member of the Marshall Rotary Club for over 58 years and throughout his adult life has modeled the Rotary motto of "Service Above Self." He has served multiple terms on the boards of the Chamber of Commerce, Marshall Manufacturers Association, Marshall Civic Theatre, Marshall Public Schools, Kellogg Community College, Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra, and the Julius and Esther Stulberg International String Competition, as well as 20 years on Oaklawn Hospital's Board of Directors. He was the founder and Board President of the Marshall Community Foundation for it's first 38 years and currently is it's President Emeritus. He has been involved with a number of civic fundraisers dating back to the drive to build a new hospital which started in 1949. In 1961 he co-chaired the drive to purchase the Honolulu House from Harold Brooks for the newly established Marshall Historical Society, and has been involved in practically every significant community effort fund-raising drive ever since. His most significant fund drive efford, and perhaps his proudest accomplishment, began in 1968 to purchase and renovate a new home for the Marshall Civic Players. The project culminated with the forming of the Marshall Community Foundation and the purchase of the Brooks Memorial Methodist Church, which was then converted to the Marshall Civic Center. Though the Foundation lay dormant with less than $5000 to it's name for many years, Morris refused to let the foundation disband. It eventually grew into a multi-million dollar foundation which now doles out to Marshall organizations and students over $225, 000 annually in charitable grants and scholarships. Stulberg was recognized on numerous occasions for his ongoing public service, having received the Jaycees Distinguished Service Award in 1957; a Volunteer Leadership Award at the State Capital in 1969; a Battle Creek Enquirer George Award in 1978; a Calhoun County School Board Eistinguished Service Award in 1986; The Charles F. Hayes Award from the Marshall Chamber of Commerce in 1994; the DAR Medal of Honor in 1995 for outstanding examples of trustworthiness, leadership, patriotism and service; and the Marshall Rotary Club's first Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999. At that event he was recognized by a Proclamation from the Marshall City Council and Mayor John Miller proclaiming that day as "Morris Stulberg Day" in Marshall. For most of Morris' life the Stulberg family was the only Jewish family in Marshall and he felt a tremendous responsibility to not only maintain, but to promote the faith. He would often give talks to school children and various church groups on the Judaism and the inspirational story of his parents' emigration to the United States from what was then Russia. Morris was a member of the Congregation of Moses in Kalamazoo and Temple Beth-El in Battle Creek. He was extremely honored when the Chamber of Commerce asked him and his wife Charlotte to serve as their Honorary Parade Marshals for the 1977 Marshall Christmas Parade. A great lover of the arts he was a founding member of the Marshall Civic Players. His performances with them have spanned 50 years including a lead in their very first production ("John Loves Mary") in 1949 and a still talked about performance as Tevye the milkman in the Players' 1999 performance of "Fiddler On The Roof". In 2009 "Fiddler" won a "People's Choice" honor as the favorite MCP performance of the last 10 years. Other memorable performances for which Morris is remembered are his roles as Frank Butler ("Annie Get Your Gun"), Professor Harold Hill ("Music Man"), Nathan Detroit ("Guys and Dolls"), Oscar Madison ("The Odd Couple") , Willie Clark ("The Sunshine Boys") and Elwood P. Dowd ("Harvey") . Though Morris was involved in a myriad of community service activities and organizations, and derived much pleasure from stage events and symphony concerts, he seemed happiest when the Stulberg extended family gathered for holidays and family celebrations. He had great admiration for what his parents went through to survive and escape religious oppression in Czarist Russia and build a new and successful life in America. He took great pride in the successes and contributions of every single family member and would often travel cross state or cross country to attend special occasions or events of sons, grandchildren, siblings, and nephews and nieces. He experienced personal tragedies on four occasions when he lost a brother, son, grandbaby, and his wife Charlotte prematurely, but his ever-positive approach to life and strong family ties enabled him to persevere. In 1997, four years after losing Charlotte in an automobile accident, he found a new zest for life when he met D. Sue Adams, a new member of the Marshall Rotary Club. After a year-long courtship, they were married on March 29, 1998. Morris felt very blessed to have found Sue and would often tell people how fortunate he felt to have experienced the love of two wonderful wives. He also developed a tremendous affection for each of Sue's five children and their families, and it was clear that the feeling was mutual. Morris is survived by his wife D. Sue (Castleberry) Stulberg; sons Alan (Sue Ann) Stulberg of Battle Creek, Ian (Robert Berman) Stulberg of Los Angeles, CA, Daniel (Nancy) Stulberg of Marshall, Charles (Kelli) Adams of Pinckney, MI, Beau (Vail) Adams of Plymouth, MI; daughters Jill Stephens, Amy Stamps, and Dawn (Kevin) Swincher all in Bowling Green, Kentucky; 15 grandchildren Anne (Pat) Hickey, Jennifer Stulberg, Ean (Jonathan) Fulks, LeAnna (Steven) King, Aaron, Sean, and William Adams, Joshua and Avari Stamps, Devin and LauraLee Swincher, Joseph and Henry Csicsila; 3 great-grandchildren Kya and Cole Hickey, and Ella King; his brother Samuel (Sarah) Stulberg of Alexandria, VA and his sister Esther Pollick of West Bloomfield Hills, MI; sister-in-law Fae Weiss of Ann Arbor, MI; brothers-in-law John (Mary) Castleberry of Vicksburg, MI and Larry (Naoma) Castleberry of Medford, OR; and many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and great-nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Max and Rebecca Stulberg, his wife of 46 years Charlotte (Kaufman) Stulberg, his son Michael Stulberg, his grandson Samuel Stulberg, his brother and sister-in-law Julius and Esther Stulberg and brothers-in-law Sidney Pollick and Morris Weiss. Friends may call at the Craig K. Kempf Funeral Home and Cremation Services on Tuesday, June 12, from 2PM to 8PM where the family will be present to greet friends and share memories from 2PM-4PM and 6PM-8PM. Services will be held on Wednesday, June 13, at the funeral home at 1PM with Rabbi Harvey Spivak of Congregation of Moses officiating. Interment will be in Oakridge Cemetery. A luncheon will follow the services at the funeral home reception hall. Shivah will be held at the Stulberg home, 17723 G Drive North, Marshall on Wednesday evening beginning at 7:30PM. The family requests that friends who wish to remember Morris with a memorial contribution consider making one to either the Marshall Community Foundation, Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra, or Oaklawn Hospice. Assistance with memorials is available at Kempf Funeral Home. To sign the on line guest register and leave a message for the family visit www.kempffuneralhome.com.