Livingston County Daily Press and Argus from Howell, Michigan • 4

PRESS ARGUS-Tuesday, January 25, 2005 Writer balances work, family due in no small part to her working-class Roman Catholic Continued from page 1 upbringing. "I don't think I'm better than anyone else, whether I won the Pulitzer or fix toilets for a living," said James, 53. Neighbors, friends and her kids' teachers actually all know her as Sheryl Vigmostad "my real last name," she said but in the grand tradition of women writers, she opts to use her maiden name in print. "If I had to spell 'Vigmostad' every time I talked to a source," James joked, "I would lose valuable time reporting." A journalism instructor at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti her alma mater and the senior writer at Hour Detroit magazine, she usually works out of her home, which is bustling with her husband, Eric Vigmostad; two daughters, Teresa, 17, and Kelsey, 13; two dogs, Ruby and Moses; and a cat, Bella. Forget about the solitary writing life James wouldn't have it any other way.

Even her windowed office upstairs, cluttered with stacks of books, periodicals and papers, is shared with her husband and older daughter, who each boast desks much neater than James'. "It's a total wreck in here," James cheerfully said while sipping strong coffee, of which she admits she drinks "way too much." A Detroit native, she and her fraternal twin sister, Shelley, were the youngest of five girls. They were born Oct. 7, 1951, to sales- ABOUT SHERYL JAMES Residence: Genoa Township Age: 53 Family: Married to Eric Vigmostad; daughters Teresa, 17, and Kelsey, 13. I Occupation: Senior writer with Hour Detroit magazine; journalism instructor at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti Honors: Pulitzer Prize, feature writing, 1991; Pulitzer Prize finalist, feature writing, 1992 I Quote: "I don't think I'm better than anyone else, whether I won the Pulitzer or fix toilets for a living." man Reese James and his homemaker wife, Deva, who eventually moved their family to Inkster and Garden City.

Sheryl James grew up loving the "union town," the Great Lakes and even the unbearable winters. "You either have roots or you don't," James declared, and she does in spades her IrishFrench-Catholic family lineage dates back 300 years to the Dequindres, some of the first French settlers in Detroit. Not surprisingly, James freelances regularly for Michigan History magazine. Following college, she married Vigmostad in 1974 and did stints in sales and as a "not very nice" secretary, before finding her niche as a reporter for Lansing Magazine. It was there that James fell in love with writing, especially doing profiles, because she says she's hopelessly "curious about what makes people tick." She went on to interview notable characters such as attorney Geoffrey Fieger and Detroit Pistons great Bill Laimbeer, as well as lesser-known figures like a Vietnamese pilot fleeing Saigon with his wife and five kids in 1975.

After less than two years with Lansing Magazine, the publication folded when the city was gripped by recession, prompting James and Vigmostad to relocate to the South in 1982. James' deep roots would draw her back to Michigan "the greatest state on earth," she said even after spending a wildly successful decade at the Greensboro (N.C.) News Record and the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times, where she wrote her 1991 Pulitzer-winning four-part series, "A Gift Abandoned," on a mother deserting her newborn. She recalls coming home to 3- year-old Teresa on the night she found out about the "completely unexpected" honor in April 1991. Everyone always asks her if she told her daughter the news, to which James gives a gentle snort.

"I'm not going to say, 'Mommy won a she said, rolling her eyes. "She's playing with her cow on the floor she doesn't care." Moving to the Brighton area a year later probably seemed like career suicide to James' colleagues, but she was determined for her two young girls to grow up near their close-knit clan. Vigmostad took a break from his career as a homebuilder to stay home with both kids until they reached preschool, while James worked from home for the Detroit Free Press until 2004, when she joined Hour Detroit. "I'm much more a magazine writer at heart," she said. "There's much more flexibility, and you can be more voiceheavy as a journalist." Returning home is a move James has never regretted.

"We didn't want anyone else raising our children," she explained. "I got to have lunch every day with them. There's no drive time, either; that takes a bite out of the time with your children." There is an aura around James as she talks about her life, a centeredness, having nailed down that balance of work and family with an armful of accolades, a 30-year marriage and two adoring kids. So what makes her tick, anyway? "I can't tell you that," James answered with a laugh and paused. "I don't know.

I'm just an ordinary girl from Garden City I'm a proletarian at heart." Maybe. Between her work and family, though, the girl from Garden City has lived a pretty extraordinary life. Momentum grows for monument plan fices during the time he served, and his wife as well." Hardesty, whose son, Ken, just returned from a tour in Iraq, said she knows firsthand what it's like to await word on loved ones. When the memorial project was conceived, he and his brother, Ed, were both serving in Bosnia. Ken Hardesty's wife, Renee, posed as the subject for the monument.

"I was like, wow. It really hits home," Hardesty said. "Like the description says: Those that suffered in silence you don't know who these people are. Nobody knows." Jerry Newberry, communications director for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, said most communities either update existing monuments, or create new ones. "I would say that a great, great number of communities already have memorials honoring those of past wars.

Those that don't, there are many more that are working on doing something like that," Newberry said. "Someone in the community, says, 'Hey, geez, they don't really have a memorial for those who Learn The 4 Key Issues About Funerals Borek Without Talking Jennings Funeral Home to a Funeral Cremation Service Director or Lamb Howell Chapel, Stepping Foot in 517-546-0100 a Funeral Home. Arvid Northrop, Mgr. You will learn how to Call avoid feeling overOur 24-Hour whelmed, to navigate Pre-recorded through the planning process and make Information sure you never pay Hotline more for a funeral 877-231-7900 than you have to. Read Then Recycle HOME Mid-Michigan Physicians, P.C.

Total Vein Care Clinics FDA -Approved Laser Therapy Treating Varicose Veins, Spider Veins, and Various Vein Conditions Accepting New Patients Woodland Health Center 7575 Grand River Suite 202 Brighton, MI 48116 1-800-200-7212 Gregory Board Landis, Certified D.O. MMP Mid-Michigan Physicians, P.C, Cardiovascular Surgeon We Accept Most Insurances OBITUARIES ALISON A. CRABTREE MICKEY L. CORNUTT Age 46, of Hartland, January 22, Age 63 of Howell, formerly of 2005. Beloved wife of: Barry Pontiac, died Thursday, January 20, Crabtree.

Dear mother of: Inga Vitins. 2005. Arrangements by Step-mother of: Kevin Crabtree. McDonald's Funeral Home, Howell Loving daughter of: Barbara and the 517-546-2800 late David Amerman. Sister of: Linda Habay.

Also many loving extended family members and friends. Funeral from Lynch Sons Funeral Home, 404 East Liberty, Milford, Friday, 11AM Pastor Ronda Hawkins to officiate. Burial Hodge Cemetery, Hartland. Friends may visit Wednesday 6-9PM and Thursday 2- 9PM. Memorials may be made to Joslin Diabetes Center or American Diabetes Association.

For further information call 248-684-6645 or www.LynchFuneralDirectors.com WALTER R. CALDWELL Age 81, of Howell, passed away at home on Saturday, January 22, 2005. He was born on September 6, 1923, to James and Helen (Griffin) Caldwell in 1 Brighton. He married Doris E. Stilson on December 14, 1946, she preceded him in death in 1997.

Walter served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He is survived by 4 daughters; Mrs. Patricia (Don) Rose Howell, Mrs. Delores (Jim) Steffen of Manistique, Mrs.

Carol (Marvin) Tyler of Howell and Mrs. Annie Andersen of Howell, 1 son-in-law; Dennis Reynolds of Johannesburg, 1 brother; Floyd Caldwell of St. 3 sisters; Emma Seger of Howell, Mary Gruda of Howell, Ann Hartman of Howell; 14 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren. Visitation, Monday 6-8 p.m. and Tuesday 1-8 p.m.

Funeral, Wednesday, 11:00 a.m. at Hermann Funeral Home, Brighton, with Pastor Tim Flickinger officiating. Burial to follow at Fairview Cemetery, Brighton. OBITUARY POLICY The first seven lines of an obituary are published free of charge. After that, there is a fee of $3 a line.

Pictures may be published for $25. for obituaries is 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday for publication in the next morning's newspaper. Obituaries received Friday or Saturday by 1 p.m. will be published in Sunday's newspaper.

For more information. call 888-999-1288. or contact your funeral home. deadlines are subject to change. BARBARA SATTLER Cedar Springs, Mi.

(Formerly of Brighton). Age 86, died Jan. 23, 2005. Mass of Christian Burial, 11 AM Wed. Jan.

26, 2005 at Holy Sprit Church. Visit Tues. 4-8 Pm Borek Jennings Funeral Home, Hamburg Chapel. JEFFREY RICHARD TURNER Age 30, of White Lake Township, died January 20, 2005. Funeral 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, at Phillips Funeral Home, 122 W.

Lake (10 Mile) South Lyon with final visitation at 10:15. MAXINE TAYLOR Age 53, long-time Howell area resident, died at home Saturday, January 22, 2005. She was born April 30, 1951 in Pineville, KY, the daughter of Alp and Edna A. (Hambree) Lane. Maxine was a member of Faith Temple Church, Brighton and loved to crochet, cook and camp.

She is survived by her husband, Timothy P. Taylor whom she married October 22, 1994 in Hamburg, MI. Also surviving are their children, Anna (Mike) Bensinger of Williamston, Dale (Tonya) Falin, Jr. of Howell, Doug Taylor of South Lyon, Jeff Keyes of New Hudson, David Taylor of South Lyon and Kimberly (Jim) Green of 12 grandchildren; brothers, Alfred Lane of Jarvis, KY, Lonnie Lane of Bryants Store, KY, Thomas Lane of London, KY, R. L.

Gibbson of Scott County, TN, sisters, Jane Thornhill of Brighton and Myrtle Garrett of Howell. Funeral services were held Monday at McDonald's Funeral Home, Howell with Pastor Bill Carpenter officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to Maxine's husband, Tim. Continued from page 1 While several monuments exist that honor war veterans, Reeves said there are none honoring families left behind, or those with loved ones currently overseas. "They go through just as much hell as the veterans themselves.

They never know what's going on," Reeves said. "Let's show a little respect to those families. Nobody gives them the time of day." Hardesty was unsure if the community's tax dollars could be applied to a memorial project. She's in the midst of contacting veterans and other organizations about possible grants or donations. "It's not something that we've addressed or researched to see if it's an appropriate use of public funds, if we can in fact do that.

I've worked real hard with Bill to try to get the funds raised," Hardesty said. Hardesty said the sculpture can be erected before the garden is in place. The garden will be used by seniors and people with disabilities. Reeves, a Korean War veteran, "They go through just as much hell as the veterans themselves. They never know what's going on.

Let's show a little respect to those Bill Reeves Hamburg Township resident recalls growing up with his brother serving in World War II. During his own tour of duty, Reeves left his mother and wife at home. "When he was in the Korean War, he left behind a young wife and a mother," Hardesty said. "His mother was very elderly and he wanted to do something to show her that he recognized her sacri- -INCREASE YOUR MONTHLY CASH FLOW: Call The Mortgage Professional CREATIVE PROGRAMS No Income Verification TRADITIONAL PROGRAMS 0 Down 0 Cost Conventional Jumbo Challenged Credit Unusual Properties 1, 3, 5, 7. 10 Yr.

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Entered as periodical matter at the Howell, Michigan (48843) Post Office under Act of March 3, 1897. Subscription rates 50 cents per single on Sundays. Sunday only subscription $52.00 per year inside Livingston County. $91.00 per year out of county inside the state of Michigan. $106.60 per year out of state.

6-day subscription rates $104.00 per year inside Livingston County. $182.00 per year out of county inside the state of Michigan. $213.20 per year out of state. AL Vice Lifestyle Lukowski; General Perlberg Sports Tim Robinson Managing Stuart Sports Rick News Mike Malott Sports Fred Costello Metro Moorehouse Graphic Diana Wells Copy Clayton Sales Gary Loftus Copy Smith Sales John Utter Copy Bryce Pico Sales Glubzinski Photographer Gillis Benedict Sales Jarvis Ward Sales Shannon Munce Staff Dan Meisler Sales Weston Staff Medd Sales Wheeler Staff Nagy Sales McClanahan Staff Totten Sales Ciccone Staff Behnan Sales Patricia Orndorf Roose-Church Special Sections. Candy Spiegel Staff Susan Demas Special Grochowski Postmaster: Send address changes to Livingston County Daily Press Argus, Box 470, Howell, MI 48844 BUSINESS OFFICE.

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