Starkweather Family Participate in the Parade of 2003

The photo of the parade of 2003 was loaned to us by the Starkweather family. It shows Liberty Starkweather as Queen and Stuart Starkweather marching with the members of the Flint Scottish Pipe Band. (His girl friend, Emily Schell, was the runner-up Queen this year, and he accompanied her to the Irish Ball. (Wore a tux, he did.) He piped all over Flint on St. Paddy's Day, and all over Bay City on Parade Day.

The Starkweather family ancestor, Ezra Franklin Starkweather, came to Oakland Co., Michigan in 1837. His wife, the former Ruth Weston, had migrated with her family in 1827. They were some of Michigan's earliest pioneers, married January 30, 1848, and moved to Birch Run Township where they lived on an 80-acre farm.


Our Queens pageant provides scholarship monies for the Queen and court. Each year a Queen and two princesses are selected based on a personal interview and creativity. Scholarship awards total $2000.
http://stpatparadebaycity.tripod.com/

Maureen Doll

Maureen wears knitted designs of intricate character which are associated with the Aran Islands. The secrets of these knitted patterns were passed down through the ages and reflected family or local traditions. Maureen's sweater shows the famous Fishermans Rib pattern which has strong folklore connotations. Doll courtesy: Mary Ann O'Brien

Lace and Shamrocks

Mary Ann O'Brien and her mother, Grace Tanner O'Brien are framed in Irish porcelain.

Hand Embroidered Hanky

The lovely work of Betty Durocher is displayed by her son, city employee Greg Durocher.

Past Parade Marshals

Larry Piotrowski (Irish Larry), Roswell P. Tanner, Sharon Piotrowski and Mary Ann O'Brien


First husband and wife Parade Marshal team, Irish Larry and Sharon

Photos courtesy: Mary Ann O'Brien

Mary Ann O'Brien's Ireland

Amy Schabel earned the medals displayed here. Click on the link to the left to find out more about the Bay Area Runners Club.

Irish Walking Stick

The walking stick in our display was carried in the Bay City St. Patrick's Day Parade in 1986. It was brought here from Ireland by Grace Tanner O'Brien, wife of Marcus for their daughter, Mary Ann O'Brien. Mary Ann was Marshall that year and also carried the bouquet gracing the display. The bouquet and stick were decorated by past-parade-Marshall Sharon Protrowski.