Jack Leonard Elzerman, age 86, of Clinton Township, Michigan passed away on Monday, September 30, 2024. He was born January 5, 1938 in Roseville, Michigan to the late Harvey and Jessie (Wager) Elzeman.
Jack Elzerman was a devoted husband, caring father, loving Grandpa, special brother, and a loyal friend to many others. But, if you were to ask him who he was, he would say he was a farmer and a Ford lathehand.
Jack was raised on the family farm in Roseville, Michigan. He and his brothers were responsible for all the chores that come with farming. And that meant, of course, no play time until the chores were done. He maintained that same ethic even into retirement. While attending Roseville High School and excelling at playing the trombone in the band, he met his future bride Alice. Nobody could predict back in 1957 that those high school sweethearts would be together forever.
Jack did leave the farm and started working in small shops around the Detroit metro area. He worked for many small shops at low rates of pay, but as he kept learning his trade, the shops got bigger and he and Alice had enough money to buy their first home. It was then in the late 1960s that Jack became a father to Mike and Allen. He then landed his career position at Ford. He worked at Ford for more than 30 years. He was active in his union local and started teaching new lathe hands the craft.
When not working, he would be with his family camping throughout Michigan, especially Corner Lake near Munising in the Upper Peninsula. He would also spend time riding his Gold Wing motorcycle along with golfing and fishing. And of course, Jack loved to play cards. Give Jack even a few spare minutes, and he’d round up people and start dealing a game of euchre or pinochle.
Jack started doing safety training at his Ford plant. Because he developed the training on his own, his program was the only one like it in Ford Motor Company. Because of the success of increasing safety at his plant was measurably better than others, Jack started training all plant safety trainers for all of Ford Motor Company.
Eventually Jack decided to retire. This gave him and Alice time to spend golfing at their vacation home in North Carolina. And, it allowed him to return to the family farm in Roseville and farm the land with his father, until the farm was sold. In his later years, Jack spent lots of time with each of his two grand kids. And he spent time with his brothers and brother in law playing cards every week. But more importantly, he spent time with Alice, his high school sweetheart and wife of 64 years.
Jack is survived by his loving wife, Alice; their children, Michael (Deborah) Elzerman, Allen Elzerman; grandchildren, Dalton (Becca) Elzerman, Kayla Elzerman; his siblings, Clarence (Connie) Elzerman, Richard (Carol) Elzerman; sister-in-law, the late Carolyn (Emerson) Seiberling, Pat Marshall; and several nieces and nephews. Jack was preceded in death by his parents, Harvey and Jessie Elzerman; a brother, Raymond (Francis) Elzerman; and a nephew, Raymond Elzerman Jr.
A visitation for Jack will be held Thursday, October 3, 2024 from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Kaul Funeral Home. A visitation will occur Friday, October 4, 2024 from 10:00 am until a Funeral Service at 11:00 am at Kaul Funeral Home, 35201 Garfield Rd, Clinton Township, MI 48035.Burial will be at Cadillac Memorial Gardens East, Clinton Township, Michigan.
