I have been a subscriber to your excellent magazine for years.
Recently I received a copy from the efficient folks at the Post
Office with an extra cover saying that this would be my last issue.
(I used to buy AmSpec at the bookstore because the union
thugs at the P.O. kept tearing the covers or losing the issues.
After notifying the Postmaster, the abuse stopped.)
I checked my account and it is not even close to expired. So I
checked the name on the cover, Gerald W. Oliver, to contact him to
see if he had my issue, or none at all—a terrible fate, as I had
already read, coffee-stained, and dog-eared his.
His phone was disconnected but I found the following obituary in
our local “Progressive” rag:
TRAVERSE CITY—Gerald W. “Jerry” Oliver, 85, of Traverse City,
passed away Sunday, May 29, 2011.
He was born on Oct. 11, 1925, in Jackson, the second son of
Harry E. Oliver, of North Dorchester, Ontario, Canada, and
Elizabeth Wines, of Howell. The family moved to Traverse City in
1937, and Jerry graduated from Traverse City High School with the
class of 1942.
A veteran of World War II, he enlisted in both the Canadian RCAF
and the United States Army Air Corps.
After discharge he enrolled in Alma College and graduated with
the class of 1949.
On Dec. 9, 1950, he was married to Jane Ann Zimmerman, who in
his words was, “The classiest woman in the world.” Jane Ann was
also a veteran of World War II, having served in the Women’s Army
Corps.
Jerry spent his entire life in the construction industry,
starting as a “Go-For” and timekeeper for a Detroit contractor
during the summer of 1938 at the age of 13. One of his personal
highlights was that he worked on the North Approach causeway to the
future Mackinaw Bridge in 1942 at the age of 17. Lawrence Rubin,
the first executive secretary of the Mackinaw Bridge Authority, met
with Jerry in 2005 and told him, “Oliver, you are in all
probability the last of the first to work on the Big Mac.”
During the 1950s he was involved in building Early Warning (Dew
Line) radar site housing and supporting facilities across the
Northern and Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In 1960 he studied under
Professor Rip Radcliff at the University of Nebraska. Professor Rip
Radcliff was instrumental in the development of C.P.M. (Critical
Path Method) used by the U.S. Air Force in management of
construction on its underground missile sites in the U.S. and
Europe, and P.E.R.T. (Project Evaluation and Reporting Techniques)
used by the U.S. Navy on its installations worldwide. These
programs were refined management tools developed and used in the
pre-personal computer days. Oliver adapted these systems for his
foreman to help building projects for the Department of Interior
for housing on Mid-West and Western Indian Reservations. He later
used this management tool in teaching for the University of
Michigan in its Out-State Real Estate and Building Programs.
In 1972 he was elected president of the Michigan Contractors and
Suppliers Associations while serving as the Northern Michigan
Chapter President. In 1973 and 1974 he was awarded the “Richard J.
Hooker Memorial Award” as Michigan Contractor of the Year. He was
also elected to serve on the Executive Committee of ABC National,
the “Merit Shop” method of construction, located in Baltimore, Md.
ABC was not a “Preserve the Status Quo” trade association, but
rather a crusade to reverse the abuse that the Building Trades
Union and their contractors had foisted on the American Consumer.
While union wages were outrageous, it was the “feather-bedding“ and
preclusion of entry opportunities to poor and disadvantaged workers
that was unacceptable. The union responses to ABC in many locations
nationwide, including, Detroit, Lansing, Grand Rapids and Kalkaska
in Michigan alone, was violence along with other illegal attempts
to stop this reform movement. During his involvement, the 70-30
percent union share of construction market reversed. This
conservative reform has brought competition to the nation’s largest
industry. He was proud of his contributions to this cause.
In 1976 in Boston, Mass., he was elected national president of
ABC, representing over 18,000 construction firms with chapters in
48 states. During his term as president, he was responsible for
moving the national headquarters to Washington, D.C. and taking
part in testifying before the House of Representatives and the U.S.
Senate Committees that led to the defeat of “Common Situs“
Legislation and reform of the “Davies-Bacon Act” regulations that
affected wage rate determinations.
One of the outstanding moments in Jerry’s life occurred in the
spring of 1976 on a private jet flight from Washington to Detroit
when the only other passenger was Ronald Reagan, then running the
Republican Presidential nomination. He always referred to this as
“My hour along with Ronald Reagan—in Consul at 35,000 feet.” He
became a great supporter and fan of the future 39th President of
the United States.
For the past 30 years he was engaged in real estate development
as well as building custom and multifamily homes, motels and condos
throughout Northwestern and Upper Michigan as owner of Zimmerman
Construction Company. He was also involved in fiber-optic site work
and building for AT&T.
Once at a speakers forum on construction associations being held
in New Orleans, Jerry was asked what qualifications and
preparations he had found helpful during his involvement with ABC.
He thought for only a few seconds before replying, “I have always
been lucky and blessed. People have always helped me. Talking and
speaking came easy, a gift from God. People are the difference.
Life for me has been a marvelous and rewarding experience. I am
indebted to so many people for the direction and advice they have
so freely given. My advice to you is to seek out these people and
let them help you; you will both be rewarded.” This remained his
creed.
I am honored to be in the same American literary company as
Jerry, and look forward to many happy discussions in the afterlife
with him.
Still don’t know who got my issue…
Tom Cutsinger
Traverse City,
MI
