Cecil Burrous

May 27th, 1932 - March 17th, 2012

Cecil's Memory Wall

We encourage you to share your most beloved memories of Cecil here, so that the family and other loved ones can always see it. Share your favorite stories or comment on those shared by others.

I don't know where to start except to say that I just lost my best friend, my Dad

This is a little about my Dad and a few random memories.........

He grew up in Covert, Michigan. His parents owned a gas station when he was young, where the Covert Town Hall now sits. He scooped ice cream after school there as a boy. He had two brothers and 3 sisters. One sister was stillborn on his birthday. The other two sisters died as young children also. He managed Palisades Park Country Club all of my school years. He also worked at Everett Piano Company and for Drenth Construction during the winter months when the Park was quiet. After that he went on to have his own construction business until 2002. He worked for the Covert Township as a building inspector also. He put alot of area trades men to work over the years and I love hearing the stories about my dad that some of them have shared with me.

Growing up at Palisades Park was wonderful and even though there were not alot of kids to play with except in the summer months, we had plenty to do. One winter my Dad flooded a tennis court and turned it into a skating rink just for us. Another year he flooded the entire meadow for the same purpose. He knew every cottage owners name, over 140 of them, and had one heck of a key closet to keep track of all their keys. During the summer months, years ago, Palisades Park had a post office, a small grocery store and a soda bar down at what we called "The Circle". Most people in the area didn't know that place existed. So many wonderful memories growing up there.

He had a cottage in Newago on Bills Lake that he built on his off days from Palisades Park. The intention was to have a place to relax, but he was always busy there adding rooms and a second story. There were weekly trips to the cottage with the truck loaded down with building materials and the three of us kids in sleeping bags mixed in with the supplies. He did get some fishing in, and he "collected" an extensive array of Jim Beam bottles. We also played alot of cards. The cottage was sold in the early 2000's, When I would visit Michigan, I lived in Florida at the time, he and I would drive up to the cottage to see what the new owners had done to it. One trip up there the new owners were working on the cottage and invited him in to show him what they had done. He could have talked to them for hours. The last time we visited there was still a foot of snow on the back roads. We were less than a quarter mile from the cottage and I told him that my small rental car wouldn't make it through the snow, so we would have to turn back. He said "Look you Florida Cracker, give it some gas and stay in the tracks of the truck ahead of you". And that's what I did. He cracked me up.

My Dad visited as I lived all over the country. Nevada, California and Texas. We took a trip into Mexico by bus together when he visited in Texas. He looked forward to taking the month of February off work and heading to The Florida Keys camping every year. He visited me and my growing family as part of his drive to Florida as I moved to Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and finally the top of Florida, Jacksonville. He loved watching sports on TV and we sent him local sports clothing for birthdays and Christmas. I spent quite a few years in Jacksonville, Fl so he had a nice assortment of Jaguars logo stuff. Once when he came to visit we took him to a Jag's game, He loved it. When it got harder for him to travel 5 years ago I found a reason to move home to Michigan.

My Boys, Ben, Philipp and Cody remember their Grandpa as "The Donut Fairy". He rented a cottage on Lake Michigan for us one summer and every morning we woke to Custard Filled Long Johns from the Little Brown Bakery. When he visited us, He always made sure to pack two dozen long johns to give us when he got to our house. One year he packed them in a cooler in the cardboard box just sitting on top of ice. After the twenty plus hour drive when we opened the cooler the long johns were swimming in water.

As I sit back and remember a great man named Cecil Burrous, my grandfather, I gaze back to the days of the "Donut Fairy" which was a wonderful way to deliver us kids fresh Custard Filled Long Johns from the local bakery and an even more wonderful way for us to wake up. My grandfather always made sure we were happy on our trips up to Michigan and successfully, we always were. I remember the visits to DiMaggio's Pizza in which it seemed everyone there knew and greatly appreciated the presence of Cecil, just as his family did. DiMaggio's had to of been his favorite restaurant, right along with Cracker Barrel which we would visit several times on our driving trips to Michigan and I always think of him whenever I see a Cracker Barrel. Blueberries also come to mind while looking back, he would ship pounds upon pounds of blueberries all the way to Florida so we could experience and enjoy some of the best blueberries out there. I only wish I was able to spend more time with my grandpa but I am very thankful for all the memories I have and look forward to reading and hearing more stories about him.

Cody Krell

I'll remember Cecil forever. He had a way with everyone that was endearing to most. An authority figure I respected yet someone who was respectful in return.
Cecil rescued our powerboat's outboard during a high water storm in the late 60s, reprimanded me for hot rodding around the park on my snowmobile in the 70s (back when it was permissible to run a snowmobile in the park) and was instrumental in great conversation in the 80s and later. When we fulfilled our dream of owning our own cottage (second generation to buy a ctg) one day in the 90s I contested the property taxes with Covert. Yes, Cecil was the review board at the time and I felt he gave me a fair shake.
Cecil will live in our memories and will be missed

Rick Venner

Mia:

You have been a great friend since high school, and the presence of Cecil has been instilled in you. He was a very loving and caring man, as I know your caring and thoughtfulness is a trait he has passed on to you. I have been a part of your family for so many years, that I too have lost a "Dad". When you moved away, on every visit we would all make sure we went to Dimaggios. It was so much fun meeting up with Cecil there, along with other family members and friends. We filled the roome with stories and laughter. It was unusual for someone to not know "the Burrous" family when they came into Dimaggios. I have been truly blessed to know your Dad, and feel as if he was a "Dad", friend and mentor to me and all those that he came in contact with. I cannot express the loss I feel, as he has been a part of the majority of my life, through you. I pray the whole family will get through these times, and know that he is with the Lord and is smiling down upon us, knowing we will all be ok. Your friends and family will always be there for you. He will always be in our hearts and our wonderful memories. God Bless you and your family.

Connie Riston

Cecil is part of my first memories of the park and I started going there as a baby. I remember Cecil, Jr. catching frogs in the meadow and Lenny checking cars at the gate. There is so much history and Cecil was in the middle of it all making everything work. Pete says he propped up the Ferry cottage to keep it from sliding down the hill and had dozens of other practical solutions and other ideas to everyday problems. He was a natural engineer, architect, builder and problem solver. His mark is everywhere in Palisades Park.

Carolyn O'Connor Ferry and Pete Ferry

We first met Cecil in 1982 when he was the resident realtor at Palisades & we were looking for a cottage. We bought our present cottage the following May & over the next 20+ years Cecil helped us transform it into what it is today. Other than his obvious carpentry & design skills, Cecil always had a wonderful dry sense of humor plus a down to earth perspective on many issues in Palisades. He will be remembered by many as a true gentleman who always treated others in a kind manner.

Dillon & Mary Reed

Dillon & Mary Reed

All of my childhood memories include Cecil-he was a fixture at our PPCC cottage for so many years. He transformed Pottowatomie to what it is today and it seems each summer there was another list of things for Cecil to do. My parents, Doris and Boots Duesing, loved Cecil and knew he could solve just about any problem they threw at him. He was a jack of all trades and did exceptional work. My family respected him and loved everything about him. He will be missed but I know my parents are very happy to have him join them in heaven-another bright angel has joined the ranks. My deepest sympathy to your entire family and I hope all these wonderful memories everyone has shared about him will help ease your pain.

Respectfully,
Linda Duesing Neal

Linda Duesing Neal

It has been quite some time since I had the pleasure of spending time with Cecil. However, he still remains in my thoughts more often than not. He was a kind and gentle man who enjoyed spending time with family. When the kids where small, he made sure that the time he spent with them was fun and memorable. We will always cherish the memories of stories about the park, his bichons chasing the laser beam, Cracker Barrel breakfast, Michigan blueberries and many, many more.
He was an inspiriation in all of our lives!

tom krell

Hi!I was just surfin' aronud for some facts about dog dancing in Austria (where I live), when I finally saw your shows from the crufts on youtube.My first thought: Amazing!My second thought: How to teach a dog something like this! I have a pug, her name is Mia and she actually just does something like twist, jumping over my arms, legs, into my arms, stuff like that. I think that a pug may cannot do some of these special tricks I saw now, wich are easier vor bigger dogs.In just a few minutes watching the videos and reading this website I became a great fan of you two! I really enjoyed watching your performance!Best wishes PS: I hope my English was okay (;

Will

I just found Cecil's business card "Mgr., Palisades Park Country Club" in my father's things. Dad passed away in 2000, but he grew up going to his family's cottage at Palisades Park. After the cottage was sold he took our little family to Palisades Park & we stayed in Sturdevant Lodge. As a young girl I probably met some of Cecil's family during those summers. I remember parties in the sand dunes, the little store, the dining room, the long porches, etc. What happy memories!