My Best Friends Growing Up

I was very blessed to live on Lawnel Avenue and have many kids to hang out with in the neighborhood.

Kara Filius lived down on the corner of Lawnel and Lincoln, next to the farmhouse.  I met her when I was 4 years old.  Mr. Crab lived in the farm house next door. We used to go to his house to get cookies and candy.   He was the nicest older guy we had ever met.      He made it to 100 years old.

Eric Anderson and Jeff Anderson lived behind me at 2260 Columbus Ave.    I met Eric when I was 4 years old.   We went to each others houses almost every day.   His mom, Patty, was the greatest 2nd mom to me. She used to make us sandwiches and punch and we would sit on this small picnic table in their back yard.

There was one morning when I got up around 7:30 a.m. and ran in my pajamas through the backyard over to Eric's house and yelled for Eric.    His mom yelled out the window that he was still sleeping and he could come out later. I was so excited to hang out with him.    We all laugh to this day about that.

Their younger brother, Matt Tomasiewicz, came along in 1984.   He was like a little brother to me all growing up. I would take him to the movies, bike rides, ice cream, stores, and play baseball, kickball, and tennis outside with him. 

Justin Sternberg lived next door to Eric and Jeff.     He was always so humorous growing up.   

Next door were Ted and Pat Zimmer's family.  They had 5 children (Kim, Lori, Sharon, Debbie, and David).   Debbie and David came over when I was little to play with me.   

Across the street were Bill and Kim Daugherty.   Bill was my age and Kim was about 5 years younger.     Next to Bill and Kim were Anne and Tony Ruthkowski.   Their grandchildren, Jessica, Alison, Karen, Joe, Jeff, and Kelli came over to play.      Across the street from the Zimmers were Anne and Tony Kulikowski.    I played with their granddaughters, Alexia, Alissa, and Aleah Wysozan.

On the corner of Lawnel and Leon was Mike Keith.    He wasn't there very long.  When he moved to Grand Haven Rd, he came back one day and told us how lucky we were to have so many kids to play with in the neighborhood.

Later on, I met Nicole Sanchez, Paresh and Priya Hansji, who lived on Columbus street.     Between all of these kids, I always had someone to hang out with.    

My dad's friend, Bob Dykema, had 2 kids, Kim and Steve, who we went to visit in Jenison on several occasions. They had a pool in their backyard which was so fun. Also, my dad's friend, Ron Morse, had 3 boys (Dan, Jim, and Phi) who we saw during the year.  They lived in Spring Lake on Carol St.

I met Sue Arnouts in grade school. She lived on Reneer St.  I didn't hang out with her much as a kid, but when I got to high school, we became great friends.     I have enjoyed hanging out with she and her daughter, Ashley.      Ashley was born in 1993.  I hung out with Sue and Ashley all the time.     They have been wonderful friends.

In 2002, I met Cody and Conner Schotts.  They moved in next door.  They were like my other little brothers. They came over to visit me.  I taught them how to play croquet and we played video games. I will never forget them looking out their bedroom window and yelling over to me and I would yell hello back.

Even though I was an only child, I never felt like one, as I always had someone in the neighborhood.