By David Schriemer
Some people live life with gratitude for the people and events that have shaped them and given them direction. Bob Crissman, retired teacher and resident of Schoolcraft since 1972, is one of those people. His joy is contagious.
Bob and future wife Peg were born and raised in Frankfort. He struggled as a student with severe stutter and difficulty with math. He graduated from Frankfort High School in 1963 without a sense of direction and floundered at Northern Michigan College for 5 terms. When a friend joined the military, Bob followed, choosing the Air Force for its uniforms.
The Air Force assigned him to Air Frame Repair School where he excelled and was asked to be an instructor. Unknowingly his first instructional session was an audition. Had he known he was being evaluated, he thinks the stress would have made his stutter and speech fluency much worse and he may have failed. He taught for one year, catalyzing his career path.
In 1967, instead of being sent to Vietnam, he was stationed in Iceland in charge of the airframe repairs for F-102s. It was here he really overcame his stutter. Bob stuttered badly when he talked on the phone with strangers. His girlfriend and future wife Peg had to tell her roommates not to hang up if no one answered immediately as it was likely Bob. Frequent repetitions of “57th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Airframe shop, Sgt. Crissman speaking” improved his fluency.
Peg graduated from MSU and Bob was transferred to Wichita, Kansas. They were married in 1968. Peg taught math in a local junior high while Bob worked on the base. He was discharged in 1968 and worked at Beech Aircraft while Peg completed the academic year.
They moved back to Michigan. Peg found a job teaching in Plainwell. Bob sought to enter the industrial education program at WMU but his grades were not sufficient. He attended KVCC, improved his transcript, and gained admission. With Peg’s help he passed algebra and trigonometry. Summers spent building homes gave him practical experience that proved invaluable.
Bob’s student teaching coordinator, Art Christensen, learned of an unexpected opening for a shop teacher in Schoolcraft and recommended Bob for the job. Bob started teaching before graduating in December 1972. Shortly after, he was tasked with creating a building trades program which evolved from constructing school facilities to building houses. He and his students constructed 32 homes. Bob saw his work as “a career awareness program” exposing students to multiple trades.
Bob’s heart for students with challenges led to the development of a KRESA special education building trades program which he team-taught with Jim Bird.
Bob retired from teaching in 2002. His desire to give back to the community and his many contacts in the construction trades have allowed him to spearhead many local projects. They include construction of dugouts and concession stand in 1988 for Little League, major repairs and renovations for the historic Schoolcraft Presbyterian Church, restorations at the Nathan Thomas Underground Railroad House, the 2010-2011 expansion of the Schoolcraft library and his most recent project, the construction of 103 “Little Free Libraries”.
Larry Meyer was a student of Bob’s from 1985-1988. His high school experience led him to eventually start his own building business. Larry noted Bob had a knack for putting the right student on the right job to set them up for success. Like many who have worked with Bob it’s been a lifelong relationship. After graduation, Larry helped out on the church and library projects. “I would never say no to Bob. It’s too much fun to work together.”
Bob marvels at his life journey and the satisfaction he has had. He is so grateful for the right people in his life when he needed guidance and assistance and is dedicated to pay it forward.
