Q&A
Q. What was Micki Zorn's first job? Did he/she like it?
Q. What did Micki Zorn dream of doing with his/her life?
Q. If Micki Zorn could have any job, what do you think he/she could have done?
Q. What do you think would have been a good/alternative job for Micki Zorn?
Q. Who was Micki Zorn's childhood best friend?
Q. What Micki Zorn's favorite book or TV show?
Q. Did Micki Zorn compete with any groups or sports teams?
A. Micki was born in the spring of 1936 in the flat, gray working class town of Toledo Ohio. Her parents, Ted and Bertha Dykhuis had been married eight years and were in their mid-thirties, struggling through the Great Depression while running a chicken feed business. Her dad was a hardworking Dutch immigrant, a traveling salesman and a shrewd entrepreneur. Her mother was a soft spoken school teacher, raised in privlege, but forever marred by her family’s loss of fortune in the Depression. The influence of her parent’s different dispositions played a huge part in Micki’s persona. The Dykhuis family was growing, and in 1937, Micki was joined by a sister Carol. Her earliest memory at age eighteen months was that of being hled up to view her newborn sister at the hospital. When Micki was four years old the family moved to Morenci in southern Michigan. Micki recalled a small town where she walked to school and to the downtown library, where she played in a vacant lot next to her house and chased the ice delivery truck every day in for free ice chips. She even attempted the ambitious project of excavating a swimming pool – with a table spoon. She did it her way. Micki’s father Ted was now working as a traveling salesman and his journeys took him all over the state of Michigan. He was smitten with the fresh clean beauty of the Traverse City region of Northwest Michigan and had soon focused on a future in the small village of Beulah. It was a bucolic resort town of 300 struggling souls, built on the sandy edge of a magnificent deep azure lake. And after World War II the Dykhuis family relocated there. Micki was then eight years old and attended school in nearby Benzonia. She joined the local 4H club, learning to sew, cook and can foods. She fondly remembered a childhood spent swimming and playing on the beach with her sister Carol, fishing from the dock, and in the winter, skating on the huge frozen lake and exploring the ice caves. After a stint managing Beulah’s Dimestore, Micki’s father opened his own business – T.J. Dykhuis Drygoods, a very successful enterprise which played a big part in Micki’s middle school years. She shared her father’s quick wit, frugality and industriousness and at a very young age took on many responsibilities at the store. At age eleven she was sometimes placed in charge of the store and its adult employees while her father traveled to Chicago on buying trips. In his absence, she often handled real estate transactions for him. It was a fortuitous indicator of her future inclinations of her future inclinations – reviewing contracts and reading plats – while still in the sixth grade. Ted Dykhuis was a hardscrabble hustler who firmly believed that anything could be achieved through hard work and determination. He rose from ruthless ethnic poverty by picking cabbage for five cents a day. He was hard and pragmatic and he generally cursed household pets. Conversely, Bertha Dykhuis had a big heart and encouraged in Micki a love of nature. She intervened in the drownings of cats and even brought a beloved pet into the Dykhuis household. Duffy, a black Mutt who even won over Ted’s heart in time. It is easy to see both of these influences prominent in Micki’s character.
MNZorn (Apr 22, 2008)
Q. What did Micki Zorn want to be when he/she grew up?
Q. What scared Micki Zorn as a child?
Q. How did people see Micki Zorn – class clown, bookworm, social butterfly?
Q. What is a funny childhood memory you have of Micki Zorn?
Q. What was Micki Zorn's favorite subject? Least favorite?
Q. Describe Micki Zorn's high school experience?
A. Micki was a wonderful friend, we met at Leelanau School in Glen Arbor, Michigan where we were both high school students, I remember Micki knew then that she wanted to be a lawyer. Nancy Pavy and I were roomates with Micki and lived in the Honor House on campus, we used to open all the windows and let some snow in. Through the years we kept in touch, seeing each other every few years, the last time I saw Micki was four years ago when we stopped to visit Dick and Micki on our way to Maine for the summer. I am so glad we were able to see each other at that time. We used to write letters often, then on to email, I will always miss her.
Dorothy Drawdy (Apr 28, 2008)
Q. What was Micki Zorn's social group like?
Q. Who was Micki Zorn's favorite teacher?
A. I would say in high school Micki's favorite teacher was Mr. Horace Whitamore, he taught English Literature and made it come alive. He was my favorite and I think hers also.
Dorothy Drawdy (Apr 28, 2008)
Q. What did Micki Zorn do after high school – college, start his/her career?
Q. How did Micki Zorn change through his/her school years?
Q. Where did Micki Zorn go to school?
Q. What was Micki Zorn's family life like?
Q. Did Micki Zorn have siblings? Were they close?
Q. Did Micki Zorn have a favorite or memorable family story?
Q. Did Micki Zorn have a philosophy on life? Something he/she always said?
Q. What were Micki Zorn's religious or spiritual beliefs?
Q. Was Micki Zorn athletic? Attend sports games?
Q. Did Micki Zorn enjoy the arts – painting, writing, or music?
Q. Was Micki Zorn an avid collector? Any quirky hobbies?
Q. Describe the perfect day for Micki Zorn?
Q. Was Micki Zorn a romantic?
Q. What were some of Micki Zorn's favorite foods?
Q. What were Micki Zorn's favorite travel destinations?
Q. Did Micki Zorn visit museums when traveling? Try the cuisine?
Q. Where did Micki Zorn dream of traveling?
Q. Did Micki Zorn feel at home in another country?
Q. In what other country could you imagine Micki Zorn living?
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