Dexter Lavearn Van Wicklin was the eldest child of Frederick Van Wicklin and his wife Ethel Swain. He was born on February 20, 1920, in Detroit, Michigan. He had a sister, Shirley, who lived only one day before she passed away so essentially, Dexter was raised as an only child. His school years were notable for his participation in the ROTC and for becoming an Eagle Scout. Decades later his two sons and later a grandson would also become Eagle Scouts too. Dexter's training in the ROTC facilitated his transition from civilian life to military life during World War II.
Also, during Dexter's high school years, his father, Frederick took ill and traveled down to Florida to convalesce at the summer home of his employer, Mr. McLaren, in which they were great friends and shared Tiger games and vacations together. We have a few postcards from Fred to Dexter during this time period in which he wanted to keep Dexter advised upon his whereabouts. Sometimes he felt better and could travel on business trips to New York or Pennsylvania or just a note to tell him that he was coming home for a visit. While home on one of these visits, on September 28, 1937, Dexter's father passed away. After this Ethel and Dexter traveled for a year. They drove down to Florida and spent some time with family and friends as they were morning the loss of their husband and father.
When they came back to Michigan, Ethel started doing clerical work and Dexter went to work for McLaren Tool & Die. At about this time, Dexter met Charlotte Swartz and took her to her senior prom. They would go on to marry on February 1, 1944. They took the train to Chicago, where they had seen multiple plays and musicals, for their honeymoon.
Dexter enlisted in the Navy on September 17, 1943. According to his discharge papers, he received 16 ½ weeks of training. He became a Navy Seebee and specialized in demolitions. Charlotte finished high school a semester early so that once Dexter came home from his training that they could be married. After their honeymoon, he was ordered to report for duty and was shipped overseas to the Pacific Theater.
Dexter served during World War II on Iwa Jima and Okinawa. On Mt. Suribachi on the island of Iwa Jima, Dexter told me one day that the famous picture of the Marines that raised the flag up on top of the mountain, was actually the second round of men to do so. He was very upset that the generals ordered another set of men to risk their lives just so that they could have a bigger flag on top of the mountain. He may have disagreed with their decision, but he did what he was told to do and defended the Marines as they passed by on their mission to raise the second flag. This was in March of 1945 and in April of 1945, Dexter was shipped over to Okinawa. Even though the war was over in August of 1945, Dexter's date of separation was December 17,1945 because with so many millions of men going home, all at once, they had to wait their turn with a point system.
In 1950 they started their family. Their firstborn child was a little girl by the name of Cherie who did not survive infancy. The baby had flu symptoms and passed away before they could take her to a hospital. This was a great tragedy for this family. Charlotte would go on to have five more children: Bonnie, Robin, Frederick, Gary and finally Lorraine. Whenever I would go over to their condominium, I noticed that the collage in their hallways showed pictures of all the kids, and Cherie's picture was always in the mix.
This group of people really enjoyed their family life together. They built a new house in Farmington and watched the family grow. They also had a boat and took it out almost every weekend, quite often to Strawberry Island. They had a 25' Carver in the early 1970's and a 36' Chris Craft for the last ten years of their family outings. Sometimes they would join up with Char's sister, Helen and her husband Norm on their boat. Once they went down to Cedar Point amusement park and several times, they would go over to Port Huron to watch the sailboat races.
Charlotte and Dexter enjoyed going to Commodore Balls and had many friends. There was always an event to go to.
In 1965, Dexter received a phone call to make a wellness check on his mother. Her porch light was left on during the day and the neighbors questioned it. Dexter loaded up the car with his wife and kids and drove over to Grandma's house. He found his mother, Ethel Van Wicklin, murdered in her home. He came out of the house and told Charlotte to take the kids home because his mother was murdered and that the police were on the way. The police found that one of the kids next door did it and he served the next 44 years in the state penitentiary.
For the next two to three decades, Dexter worked as an engineer in the tool and die industry and in the mid-1970's he knew that, due to automation, that his job was being eliminated. He needed to switch careers and with a family at home to support, he needed to be successful with his choice. He wanted to purchase a bar and because of his reluctance to just jump into a new career, he worked as a bartender for five months to see if this career move was a good fit. Everything worked out well and Dexter purchased Al's Lucky Lounge and then Ye Olde Pub, both on Eight Mile Road in Detroit. In between being a school bus driver, Char helped out at the bar as much as she could. Their son Gary was the daytime manager and Dexter was the nighttime manager. They were in the bar business for about 15 years. They really enjoyed this line of work because of the family atmosphere with all of the customers. When Charlotte retired from driving a school bus, it was time for them to sell the bar and enjoy the next chapter of their lives.
In retirement they got a fifth wheel and took it on the road every winter. When the weather gets cold in Michigan, they simply would drive away to where it was warm. At first, they were going to Texas then they switched it up and would go to Florida.
They went to Hawaii for their 50th wedding anniversary. Dexter went through Pearl Harbor during World War II on his way to fighting in the Pacific, and always wanted to go back and visit it in peacetime. For his 50th anniversary, he did just that.
They later sold the fifth wheel and purchased a home in Florida in a senior park complex, in Punta Gorda. They really enjoyed their friends down in Florida. Charlotte passed away in a local hospital in Florida and Dexter would move back to their Waterford, MI home where he would pass away a few months later. They were married one day shy of their seventieth anniversary. They are buried in the Great Lakes National Cemetery, in Holly, Michigan.
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Written by: Esther Van Wicklin Rev. 4/9/2023 Biography of Dexter Van Wicklin
Also, during Dexter's high school years, his father, Frederick took ill and traveled down to Florida to convalesce at the summer home of his employer, Mr. McLaren, in which they were great friends and shared Tiger games and vacations together. We have a few postcards from Fred to Dexter during this time period in which he wanted to keep Dexter advised upon his whereabouts. Sometimes he felt better and could travel on business trips to New York or Pennsylvania or just a note to tell him that he was coming home for a visit. While home on one of these visits, on September 28, 1937, Dexter's father passed away. After this Ethel and Dexter traveled for a year. They drove down to Florida and spent some time with family and friends as they were morning the loss of their husband and father.
When they came back to Michigan, Ethel started doing clerical work and Dexter went to work for McLaren Tool & Die. At about this time, Dexter met Charlotte Swartz and took her to her senior prom. They would go on to marry on February 1, 1944. They took the train to Chicago, where they had seen multiple plays and musicals, for their honeymoon.
Dexter enlisted in the Navy on September 17, 1943. According to his discharge papers, he received 16 ½ weeks of training. He became a Navy Seebee and specialized in demolitions. Charlotte finished high school a semester early so that once Dexter came home from his training that they could be married. After their honeymoon, he was ordered to report for duty and was shipped overseas to the Pacific Theater.
Dexter served during World War II on Iwa Jima and Okinawa. On Mt. Suribachi on the island of Iwa Jima, Dexter told me one day that the famous picture of the Marines that raised the flag up on top of the mountain, was actually the second round of men to do so. He was very upset that the generals ordered another set of men to risk their lives just so that they could have a bigger flag on top of the mountain. He may have disagreed with their decision, but he did what he was told to do and defended the Marines as they passed by on their mission to raise the second flag. This was in March of 1945 and in April of 1945, Dexter was shipped over to Okinawa. Even though the war was over in August of 1945, Dexter's date of separation was December 17,1945 because with so many millions of men going home, all at once, they had to wait their turn with a point system.
In 1950 they started their family. Their firstborn child was a little girl by the name of Cherie who did not survive infancy. The baby had flu symptoms and passed away before they could take her to a hospital. This was a great tragedy for this family. Charlotte would go on to have five more children: Bonnie, Robin, Frederick, Gary and finally Lorraine. Whenever I would go over to their condominium, I noticed that the collage in their hallways showed pictures of all the kids, and Cherie's picture was always in the mix.
This group of people really enjoyed their family life together. They built a new house in Farmington and watched the family grow. They also had a boat and took it out almost every weekend, quite often to Strawberry Island. They had a 25' Carver in the early 1970's and a 36' Chris Craft for the last ten years of their family outings. Sometimes they would join up with Char's sister, Helen and her husband Norm on their boat. Once they went down to Cedar Point amusement park and several times, they would go over to Port Huron to watch the sailboat races.
Charlotte and Dexter enjoyed going to Commodore Balls and had many friends. There was always an event to go to.
In 1965, Dexter received a phone call to make a wellness check on his mother. Her porch light was left on during the day and the neighbors questioned it. Dexter loaded up the car with his wife and kids and drove over to Grandma's house. He found his mother, Ethel Van Wicklin, murdered in her home. He came out of the house and told Charlotte to take the kids home because his mother was murdered and that the police were on the way. The police found that one of the kids next door did it and he served the next 44 years in the state penitentiary.
For the next two to three decades, Dexter worked as an engineer in the tool and die industry and in the mid-1970's he knew that, due to automation, that his job was being eliminated. He needed to switch careers and with a family at home to support, he needed to be successful with his choice. He wanted to purchase a bar and because of his reluctance to just jump into a new career, he worked as a bartender for five months to see if this career move was a good fit. Everything worked out well and Dexter purchased Al's Lucky Lounge and then Ye Olde Pub, both on Eight Mile Road in Detroit. In between being a school bus driver, Char helped out at the bar as much as she could. Their son Gary was the daytime manager and Dexter was the nighttime manager. They were in the bar business for about 15 years. They really enjoyed this line of work because of the family atmosphere with all of the customers. When Charlotte retired from driving a school bus, it was time for them to sell the bar and enjoy the next chapter of their lives.
In retirement they got a fifth wheel and took it on the road every winter. When the weather gets cold in Michigan, they simply would drive away to where it was warm. At first, they were going to Texas then they switched it up and would go to Florida.
They went to Hawaii for their 50th wedding anniversary. Dexter went through Pearl Harbor during World War II on his way to fighting in the Pacific, and always wanted to go back and visit it in peacetime. For his 50th anniversary, he did just that.
They later sold the fifth wheel and purchased a home in Florida in a senior park complex, in Punta Gorda. They really enjoyed their friends down in Florida. Charlotte passed away in a local hospital in Florida and Dexter would move back to their Waterford, MI home where he would pass away a few months later. They were married one day shy of their seventieth anniversary. They are buried in the Great Lakes National Cemetery, in Holly, Michigan.
________________________________________
Written by: Esther Van Wicklin Rev. 4/9/2023 Biography of Dexter Van Wicklin
Dexter Lavearn Van Wicklin was the eldest child of Frederick Van Wicklin and his wife Ethel Swain. He was born on February 20, 1920, in Detroit, Michigan. He had a sister, Shirley, who lived only one day before she passed away so essentially, Dexter was raised as an only child. His school years were notable for his participation in the ROTC and for becoming an Eagle Scout. Decades later his two sons and later a grandson would also become Eagle Scouts too. Dexter's training in the ROTC facilitated his transition from civilian life to military life during World War II.
Also, during Dexter's high school years, his father, Frederick took ill and traveled down to Florida to convalesce at the summer home of his employer, Mr. McLaren, in which they were great friends and shared Tiger games and vacations together. We have a few postcards from Fred to Dexter during this time period in which he wanted to keep Dexter advised upon his whereabouts. Sometimes he felt better and could travel on business trips to New York or Pennsylvania or just a note to tell him that he was coming home for a visit. While home on one of these visits, on September 28, 1937, Dexter's father passed away. After this Ethel and Dexter traveled for a year. They drove down to Florida and spent some time with family and friends as they were morning the loss of their husband and father.
When they came back to Michigan, Ethel started doing clerical work and Dexter went to work for McLaren Tool & Die. At about this time, Dexter met Charlotte Swartz and took her to her senior prom. They would go on to marry on February 1, 1944. They took the train to Chicago, where they had seen multiple plays and musicals, for their honeymoon.
Dexter enlisted in the Navy on September 17, 1943. According to his discharge papers, he received 16 ½ weeks of training. He became a Navy Seebee and specialized in demolitions. Charlotte finished high school a semester early so that once Dexter came home from his training that they could be married. After their honeymoon, he was ordered to report for duty and was shipped overseas to the Pacific Theater.
Dexter served during World War II on Iwa Jima and Okinawa. On Mt. Suribachi on the island of Iwa Jima, Dexter told me one day that the famous picture of the Marines that raised the flag up on top of the mountain, was actually the second round of men to do so. He was very upset that the generals ordered another set of men to risk their lives just so that they could have a bigger flag on top of the mountain. He may have disagreed with their decision, but he did what he was told to do and defended the Marines as they passed by on their mission to raise the second flag. This was in March of 1945 and in April of 1945, Dexter was shipped over to Okinawa. Even though the war was over in August of 1945, Dexter's date of separation was December 17,1945 because with so many millions of men going home, all at once, they had to wait their turn with a point system.
In 1950 they started their family. Their firstborn child was a little girl by the name of Cherie who did not survive infancy. The baby had flu symptoms and passed away before they could take her to a hospital. This was a great tragedy for this family. Charlotte would go on to have five more children: Bonnie, Robin, Frederick, Gary and finally Lorraine. Whenever I would go over to their condominium, I noticed that the collage in their hallways showed pictures of all the kids, and Cherie's picture was always in the mix.
This group of people really enjoyed their family life together. They built a new house in Farmington and watched the family grow. They also had a boat and took it out almost every weekend, quite often to Strawberry Island. They had a 25' Carver in the early 1970's and a 36' Chris Craft for the last ten years of their family outings. Sometimes they would join up with Char's sister, Helen and her husband Norm on their boat. Once they went down to Cedar Point amusement park and several times, they would go over to Port Huron to watch the sailboat races.
Charlotte and Dexter enjoyed going to Commodore Balls and had many friends. There was always an event to go to.
In 1965, Dexter received a phone call to make a wellness check on his mother. Her porch light was left on during the day and the neighbors questioned it. Dexter loaded up the car with his wife and kids and drove over to Grandma's house. He found his mother, Ethel Van Wicklin, murdered in her home. He came out of the house and told Charlotte to take the kids home because his mother was murdered and that the police were on the way. The police found that one of the kids next door did it and he served the next 44 years in the state penitentiary.
For the next two to three decades, Dexter worked as an engineer in the tool and die industry and in the mid-1970's he knew that, due to automation, that his job was being eliminated. He needed to switch careers and with a family at home to support, he needed to be successful with his choice. He wanted to purchase a bar and because of his reluctance to just jump into a new career, he worked as a bartender for five months to see if this career move was a good fit. Everything worked out well and Dexter purchased Al's Lucky Lounge and then Ye Olde Pub, both on Eight Mile Road in Detroit. In between being a school bus driver, Char helped out at the bar as much as she could. Their son Gary was the daytime manager and Dexter was the nighttime manager. They were in the bar business for about 15 years. They really enjoyed this line of work because of the family atmosphere with all of the customers. When Charlotte retired from driving a school bus, it was time for them to sell the bar and enjoy the next chapter of their lives.
In retirement they got a fifth wheel and took it on the road every winter. When the weather gets cold in Michigan, they simply would drive away to where it was warm. At first, they were going to Texas then they switched it up and would go to Florida.
They went to Hawaii for their 50th wedding anniversary. Dexter went through Pearl Harbor during World War II on his way to fighting in the Pacific, and always wanted to go back and visit it in peacetime. For his 50th anniversary, he did just that.
They later sold the fifth wheel and purchased a home in Florida in a senior park complex, in Punta Gorda. They really enjoyed their friends down in Florida. Charlotte passed away in a local hospital in Florida and Dexter would move back to their Waterford, MI home where he would pass away a few months later. They were married one day shy of their seventieth anniversary. They are buried in the Great Lakes National Cemetery, in Holly, Michigan.
________________________________________
Written by: Esther Van Wicklin Rev. 4/9/2023 Biography of Dexter Van Wicklin
Also, during Dexter's high school years, his father, Frederick took ill and traveled down to Florida to convalesce at the summer home of his employer, Mr. McLaren, in which they were great friends and shared Tiger games and vacations together. We have a few postcards from Fred to Dexter during this time period in which he wanted to keep Dexter advised upon his whereabouts. Sometimes he felt better and could travel on business trips to New York or Pennsylvania or just a note to tell him that he was coming home for a visit. While home on one of these visits, on September 28, 1937, Dexter's father passed away. After this Ethel and Dexter traveled for a year. They drove down to Florida and spent some time with family and friends as they were morning the loss of their husband and father.
When they came back to Michigan, Ethel started doing clerical work and Dexter went to work for McLaren Tool & Die. At about this time, Dexter met Charlotte Swartz and took her to her senior prom. They would go on to marry on February 1, 1944. They took the train to Chicago, where they had seen multiple plays and musicals, for their honeymoon.
Dexter enlisted in the Navy on September 17, 1943. According to his discharge papers, he received 16 ½ weeks of training. He became a Navy Seebee and specialized in demolitions. Charlotte finished high school a semester early so that once Dexter came home from his training that they could be married. After their honeymoon, he was ordered to report for duty and was shipped overseas to the Pacific Theater.
Dexter served during World War II on Iwa Jima and Okinawa. On Mt. Suribachi on the island of Iwa Jima, Dexter told me one day that the famous picture of the Marines that raised the flag up on top of the mountain, was actually the second round of men to do so. He was very upset that the generals ordered another set of men to risk their lives just so that they could have a bigger flag on top of the mountain. He may have disagreed with their decision, but he did what he was told to do and defended the Marines as they passed by on their mission to raise the second flag. This was in March of 1945 and in April of 1945, Dexter was shipped over to Okinawa. Even though the war was over in August of 1945, Dexter's date of separation was December 17,1945 because with so many millions of men going home, all at once, they had to wait their turn with a point system.
In 1950 they started their family. Their firstborn child was a little girl by the name of Cherie who did not survive infancy. The baby had flu symptoms and passed away before they could take her to a hospital. This was a great tragedy for this family. Charlotte would go on to have five more children: Bonnie, Robin, Frederick, Gary and finally Lorraine. Whenever I would go over to their condominium, I noticed that the collage in their hallways showed pictures of all the kids, and Cherie's picture was always in the mix.
This group of people really enjoyed their family life together. They built a new house in Farmington and watched the family grow. They also had a boat and took it out almost every weekend, quite often to Strawberry Island. They had a 25' Carver in the early 1970's and a 36' Chris Craft for the last ten years of their family outings. Sometimes they would join up with Char's sister, Helen and her husband Norm on their boat. Once they went down to Cedar Point amusement park and several times, they would go over to Port Huron to watch the sailboat races.
Charlotte and Dexter enjoyed going to Commodore Balls and had many friends. There was always an event to go to.
In 1965, Dexter received a phone call to make a wellness check on his mother. Her porch light was left on during the day and the neighbors questioned it. Dexter loaded up the car with his wife and kids and drove over to Grandma's house. He found his mother, Ethel Van Wicklin, murdered in her home. He came out of the house and told Charlotte to take the kids home because his mother was murdered and that the police were on the way. The police found that one of the kids next door did it and he served the next 44 years in the state penitentiary.
For the next two to three decades, Dexter worked as an engineer in the tool and die industry and in the mid-1970's he knew that, due to automation, that his job was being eliminated. He needed to switch careers and with a family at home to support, he needed to be successful with his choice. He wanted to purchase a bar and because of his reluctance to just jump into a new career, he worked as a bartender for five months to see if this career move was a good fit. Everything worked out well and Dexter purchased Al's Lucky Lounge and then Ye Olde Pub, both on Eight Mile Road in Detroit. In between being a school bus driver, Char helped out at the bar as much as she could. Their son Gary was the daytime manager and Dexter was the nighttime manager. They were in the bar business for about 15 years. They really enjoyed this line of work because of the family atmosphere with all of the customers. When Charlotte retired from driving a school bus, it was time for them to sell the bar and enjoy the next chapter of their lives.
In retirement they got a fifth wheel and took it on the road every winter. When the weather gets cold in Michigan, they simply would drive away to where it was warm. At first, they were going to Texas then they switched it up and would go to Florida.
They went to Hawaii for their 50th wedding anniversary. Dexter went through Pearl Harbor during World War II on his way to fighting in the Pacific, and always wanted to go back and visit it in peacetime. For his 50th anniversary, he did just that.
They later sold the fifth wheel and purchased a home in Florida in a senior park complex, in Punta Gorda. They really enjoyed their friends down in Florida. Charlotte passed away in a local hospital in Florida and Dexter would move back to their Waterford, MI home where he would pass away a few months later. They were married one day shy of their seventieth anniversary. They are buried in the Great Lakes National Cemetery, in Holly, Michigan.
________________________________________
Written by: Esther Van Wicklin Rev. 4/9/2023 Biography of Dexter Van Wicklin
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