WILLIAM P BRISKY – CLASS OF 1954
WILLIAM P BRISKY – CLASS OF 1954
Brisky, William P of Kalamazoo, Michigan
1932 – 2019
William P. Brisky, of Kalamazoo, died on March 7, 2019. When reflecting on the life of Bill, he was a man of great purpose and even greater values. He worked hard and played hard but was never far from his family as a beloved husband, father, and grandfather. Bill was always active and applied what he learned to his everyday life, inspiring those around him. A man who knew what was important in life, Bill will be missed and treasured.
The Great Depression was ravaging the country in 1932. The year was bleak and dark for many people, but even during these troubles, there was a spot of sunshine for Samuel and Victoria (Stimac) Brisky. On May 14th, they welcomed not one, but two baby boys into their hearts and home. The twins were named Bill and Bob, and Bill, the older of the two, was born only minutes before his twin brother. The family lived in Copper City, Michigan, for years. Bill adored his brothers Jim, who was the oldest of the family, Fred, the youngest, and his twin brother, Bob. While the Depression crippled much of the economy for many years, his father provided for his family working in the mines and as the town's postmaster. Bill's mother stayed home to raise the children. When he was 10 years old, his father moved the family to the lower Peninsula, purchasing a grape farm in Mattawan.
Throughout his life, Bill was known for his incredible work ethic. During his teen years he learned the value of hard work and applied it to all that he did: at home on the farm, in his work at school and in sports at Mattawan High School. Bill was an outstanding athlete, earning varsity letters in football, basketball, baseball, and track and field, which later earned him a place in the 2018 Mattawan Hall of Honor, alongside his brother, Bob. In fact, he was such a good athlete that he had the opportunity to play ball professionally, however, he decided to focus on education and enrolled at Western Michigan University. He graduated in 1954, then returned for his master's degree after two years of service in the Army as a First Lieutenant, stationed in Fairbanks, Alaska.
A man who wanted to make a difference, Bill became an educator. In 1958, he began teaching at Covert High, which included a coaching position. His roommate and girlfriend in Covert thought highly of Bill. On New Year's Eve 1960, they arranged a blind date with a friend. Bill went on a second date soon after and they discovered that they were "meant to be". They were married on November 23rd at St. James Church in Grand Rapids.
Also that fall, Bill moved on to teach and coach at Bangor High School. It wasn't long before Bill and Marilu were welcoming their first child. In 1964, they decided to move to Portage, where Bill took a position in the Science Department at Portage Central Middle School. There, he taught science until his retirement in 1989.
In Portage, they raised their two daughters. Bill loved his children and taught them all he could to help them thrive in life. He was funny and quite a tease, and he supported his kids in all their activities. To provide for them, Bill worked on the weekends and summers. Bill strongly believed in the importance of education and encouraged his children to go to college. He was proud when they both graduated from Michigan State University.
Bill was always on the go. Even in retirement, he worked part time in the meat section at D&W Grocery. Bill enjoyed interacting with the customers. He also, following D&W, did more of what he loved to do. He and Marilu traveled. They went to Germany, England, Scotland, Austria, Italy, and several other countries. Bill enjoyed the beauty of the world and learning from the locals. Bill's favorite place was The Old Course in St. Andrews in Scotland. He was an avid golfer and spent every Wednesday at the Old Mill Golf Course in Schoolcraft with friends. In "off season", Bill and his buddies shot pool at the Shakespeare Pub in Kalamazoo.