Our Sixth President
Nick Popiel '56-'57

Our sixth club president, Nick Popiel Jr, was born December 1926 in California, Pa, a small coal mining town in southwestern Pa.  His father, of Ukrainian decent, worked in the mines.

He was the middle child of six siblings. Nick played varsity football during his high school days, before the family moved in 1943 to Dearborn to work in the Ford defense plants. Nick finished high school at Fordson, graduating in ’44.

After leaving school, Nick’s sister Nellie, a secretary at Ford, convinced him to apply for the Ford apprentice program.  He was accepted and went to work learning the “die making” trade.  In ’45 he took a leave of absence to enter the US Army Air Force, winding up two years later as a corporal (engine maintenance) in Linz, Austria .  During that time he played on his regimental football team against other army teams.  He received his discharge in ’47.

 After his military service, he entered the U of M under the GI Bill, graduating in ’51 with an Engineering degree in Math.  He joined Vinco Gear as a designer; leaving in ’55 to join Ford’s Advance Truck Engineering group.  During the next 30 years Nick advanced through Livonia Transmission,  Engine Development (working on the design of the Cardinal small car V-4 engine),  Auto Assembly Div – Quality Control (elec group) during the early Mustang days, finally ending up in Industrial Engine,  providing engines for New Holland tractors .  Nick retired in ’85 with 38 yrs of Ford service.

Nick learned to ski in ’53 from Louie Augee of “T.B Rails Sporting Goods” on Griswold in Det.  Nick purchased his first ski package (wooden skies w/Cubco bindings,  poles and leather lace boots for $29.00).  Augee gave lessons in a nearby high school gym. Nick’s first mountain experiences were weekend jaunts up to the Caberfae ski area, where he and friends stayed at the Welston Inn (between Cadillac & Manistee).  He further improved his skiing skills on the club’s first week long Mt Tremblant trip, which included twice daily lessons by professional instructors.  He remembers boarding railroad cars in Det., which were transferred to Windsor by Detroit River barge, hooked up to an existing Windsor train, then off to Montreal overnight, “partying all the way” (naturally).

Nick joined the Ford Ski Club in ’55.  Ford Employees Recreation Assoc (FERA) representatives Tom Shanahan and Steve Pliska convinced him to run for President for the ’56-57 seasons. Steve became Nick’s V/P.

In 1955 Nick met (obviously at a wild T/Bird Halloween party) Noreen Livernois, (7 yrs his jr) of Lincoln Park, a nurse at  the  Ford Rouge Medical Center.  They were married in ‘58 at the St Francis Xavier Church in Ecorse.  During the next years Noreen bore four siblings, three boys and one daughter: James (50), a grad of U of M Business  & Wayne State (MBA), works in sales for Quest Communications. He has two boys & one girl: Thomas (48), a U of M grad (Architectural Eng), is  owner of  a commercial Elec Engineering business, in Portland, Or. (no children): Anne (47) is a grad of U of D Mercy, and a dietician at Monroe St Mary’s Hosp. She has two boys and one girl: Larry (45), a U of M grad (Business Adm), owns an Insurance agency. He has two boys & two girls.  Note: Over the years Nick taught his four children and 10 grandchildren to ski, primarily at Schuss Mt near their 2nd home at Lake of the North, near Mancelona.  Noreen retired in ’89 after 20 years as a company nurse at the now demolished Ford North American Auto Operations (the old Ford Div) located on the S.W. corner of Rotunda and Southfield.

During Nick’s tenure as president :
-         Membership increased to 225, with the dues remaining at $2.00
-         A “Beginners Weekend” was organized with advanced skiers giving free lessons to newcomers
-         A “Pow Wow Weekend  was established where club members performed during an annual Mich ski weekend
-         Participated in a very active MDSC racing program, where the T/Bird team were top award winners

Ski activities during late ’56 & early ’57 were as follows;
Western – Winter Park, CO & Alta, UT
Michigan - Caberfae, Thunder Mt & Boyne Mt (Weekend ski trip prices were set @ $19.00 incl bus transportation, 2 night lodging, breakfast each morning, and dinner Sat)

Remembrances
-         ’57 – Played on the TBird touch football team (MDSC league) at the softball field (Rotunda Dr). Came out with a torn LCU.
-         ’58 - Lift chair accident at Nubs Nob, where the safety “clogs” failed and the chair slipped backwards, killing one person.

Noreen relates that in 2002, at Boyne Mt, her niece remembers seeing a skier beautifully gliding down the slope in perfect form (skies tight) looking like Stein Erickson.  When at the bottom, and he removed his hat, she realized it was her uncle “Nick”.

Nick last skied the Rocky Mtns in 2002 at age 75, when he took his three sons to Winter Park. He last skied Mich in 2007 at age 81, at Boyne & Schuss Mts.  “What a guy”.

Nick & Noreen spend half the year at their home at “Lakes of the North”.  At 83, Nick (and Noreen 76) remain active, enjoying  golf and international travel.  They mostly enjoy “vegging” in Northern Mich. with their children & grandchildren.

Nick & Noreen Popiel
25852 Shirley Lane, Dearborn Heights, Mi.48127
(313) 278-1066
popielnick@yahoo.com