Tom Remus

When I was young, Tom was a regular member of the gang that played softball and touch football in the Bennett School-ground. He was also a member of the "Weldon Market" hardball team that played in the Downriver League. This was the first uniformed team on which I played. We did very well and took the championship for the one year we played in it. When we graduated to the "American Legion League" he played second base, I played first base. Our sponsor was Stark-Hickey Ford and we never won much.

Tom went to Western High School and I went to Ford Trade. We would meet each other from time-to-time and we both considered ourselves as part of the gang. When I got out of the Navy the first time I hung around with Tom for awhile. We both went to Fleetwood Cadillac for a job and we were hired. I was put on the second shift, he got the first shift and we drifted apart.

When he left Fleetwood he became a policeman with the Detroit Police. When I saw him he would tell me about his exploits on the force. Exploits that always, to me, seemed far fetched and I felt that he was exaggerating. He told me about a time when some cops beat up some black guys that were in a cell. I took that with a grain of salt.

Tom had two sisters: Virginia and Cookie. Rita and Virginia Remus, at one time, were very close friends. Tom's family did not go to church and I never learned to which denonitation they belonged. The Remus home was on Navy, across the street and about three houses from Lawndale. Tom's father worked as a clerk at Timken Roller Bearing and his Mother was a homemaker. Tom's father wanted him to become a CPA and Tom always said that was what he wanted to do.

Over the years, through our move to Miami, I lost track of Tom. About two years ago, while is Green Cove Springs, I received a phone call from him, he wanted to chat. He told me about his becoming a Detroit Chief Of Police and what it was like to serve under the first black mayor, Coleman Young. All the police chiefs were white and Coleman put pressure on them to resign so that he could appoint black chiefs. Tom would not resign and Coleman treated him badly. Even had him transferred to the East side to try to force his resignation. Tom moved to the East side and found he liked it there. Eventually Coleman stopped the harassment and learned to live with Tom.

Tom told me he had called to specifically tell me about his conversion to Catholicism. He said he always looked at the Beauregard family as the ideal church going family. He saw that we all seemed happy and enjoyed everything. Through his respect for the Beauregard's he became a Catholic and so did his Mother. He married a Catholic girl and they had five children. He said he owed it all to the Beauregard family example. It was all so surprising to hear that I failed to get any specifics. After that the conversation ended and he said goodbye.

About ten months ago I learned that Tom had died. I have tried to piece this all together, I believe Tom knew he was about to die and wanted to relate some aspects of his life to me. I pray for him now.