1982-02-22; Central Michigan Life

              Central Michigan LIFE
Vol. 63 No. 60
? 1982 CM LIFE
Mount Pleasant. Mich. 48859
12 pages
Monday. Feb. 22.1982
Cat LiftU Kvtarta
The six hearses bearing the bodies of seven slain members of the Post family roP slowly down old U.S. 10 on the  way to the Surrey Township cemetery in Farwell.
Hundreds of mourners pay last respects
by MARK RANZENBERGER
LIFE Staff Writer
CLARE —Hundreds of mourners packed the small First Baptist
Church of Clare Sunday to pay their last respects to the seven people slain in Michigan's largest mass-murder in a decade.
"Looking at this tragedy, you look to me for guidance. I just don't
have any." said the Rev. Robert Russell, one of two ministers who
conducted the service.
The casket of George Post, 43. a World War II veteran, was
draped with an American flag. The simple gray caskets of his wife,
Vaudrey. 47, two of their slain daughters and three of their slain
grandchildren were covered with flowers sent by mourners.
The two youngest children killed in the tragedy, Thomas Gaff-
ney. 8, and his sister Amy, 7, shared a casket.
The six hearses bearing the caskets and the 11 cars bearing the 36
pall-bearers wound from the church on the banks of Clare's Tobacco
River to Farwell's Surrey Township cemetery where the victims of
Note slams frosh rep
"I told him I would be taking him back
and he shook his head okay. He didn't
seem hostile." — Gus Aleck, Clare
County Sheriff
the tragedy were laid to rest.
Clare County Sheriff Gus Aleck estimated the funeral procession.
moving slowly under leaden skies, was 300 vehicles long.
Post and his family were well-known and well-liked in the Farwell
area. He was a life-long resident and treasurer of the Veterans of
Foreign Wars and the Farwell Board of Education. He also was a
part-time farmer, and handyman, and a rural mail carrier. His wife
was an employee of the Farwell Public Schools.
"There was nothing you couldn't ask that guy for. He'd give you
the shirt off his back. It always seems like it happens to the good
ones," one mourner said after the hour-long church service.
The funeral procession stretched for more than a mile down old
UJ3. 10 between Clare and Farwell. Sheiffs deputies guarded the
gates of the cemetery, keeping out the curious and the media.
Overhead, helicopters from Detroit television stations circled,
videotaping the long line of mourners to the final resting place of
the dead.
The memorial card given out at the church listed one of the victims as "Garnetta Ronning." Ronning is the maiden name of Garnet-
ta Haggart. wife of Robert Lee Haggart. 31. accused of killing the
family at their rural home near Farwell Tuesday night.
Haggart spend Sunday afternoon in the Clare County Jail in Harrison, awaiting a preliminary examination on the seven counts of
murder with which he is charged.
He was arrested in Tennessee Thursday, driving a car missing
from the murder scene, and waived extradition to Michigan, where
(See "Funeral"—page 2)
SGA outraged by letter
by TERRI FINCH
and ROB ISELER
LIFE Staff Writers
An anonymous letter attempting to make public some
dissatisfaction with a Student
Government Association board
member has some board
representatives astonished and
outraged —and no one seems to
know who wrote the letter.
An unsigned letter, written on
SGA stationary, was sent to CM
LIFE'S SGA reporters last week
outlining 11 SGA bylaws the
author believes Freshman
Representative Scott Becker is
violating. The letter concluded,
"Giving this to you will hopefully produce action since the
Board Reps have no form of enforcement for violation of the
bylaws."
Several board representatives were questioned as to
the origin of the letter, and most
seemed astonished and outraged
that an SGA member would
write and send such a letter.
The letter accused Becker of
violating bylaws that deal with
specific duties of SGA board
representatives.
"That's terrible-I'm shocked," said Sophomore Representative Julie Krzeminski, of
Grand Rapids. "I can't even
think of anybody who would do
that It's pretty tacky."
"I'm more upset at whoever
wrote the letter than I am at
Scott" said Junior Representative Pat Donahue, of Grand
Rapids. "I can't believe the let-
"If people in the
organization are
going to start doing
that to each other,
I'm going to lower
myself to their
level and start
pointing my finger
at all of them."
— Kel Britvec,
student body president
ter was even written. I can't
believe one of our people would
do something like that"
Donahue said the ethical thing
to do in such a situation would
be to talk with the representative in question before going
to the press, or anyone else, with
the issue.
"If we're disappointed with
someone, first we talk to him.
Secondly, we do have a
recourse," he said, referring to
the portion of the letter which
stated there is no legal recourse.
"We vote someone out if we
want to."
Student Body President Kel
Britvec said it's "unfortunate
that someone would send CM
LIFE a letter before talking to
the person who they feel isn't
doing their job."
"If people in the organization
are going to start doing that to
each other, I'm going to lower
myself to their level and start
pointing my finger at all of
them." Britvec said, adding
there is room for improvement
in all of the SGA members, including himself.
Britvec, Battle Creek junior,
said he had no knowledge of the
letter, but said he suspects the
author is Junior Representative
Kevin Shanahan. Several other
board representatives also mentioned Shanahan as the probable
author of the letter, mentioning
his reputation as an outspoken
member as one reason for their
suspicion.
Shanahan, of Mount Pleasant,
denied having anything to do
with the letter, but said he isn't
surprised some representatives
suspect him, as he said he's "not
the favorite board rep.
"I'm rather vocal," Shanahan
said. "When I have something to
say about an issue, I talk about
it."
But Shanahan said in this
case, he's "not going to be the initiator," even though he admitted he feels strongly about
Becker's performance on the
board this semester.
Shanahan said the author of
the letter could be "just about
anybody." including SGA staff
workers or simply a freshman
student who might be
dissatisfied with Becker.
The specific bylaws the letter
stated Becker violated deal with
his participation and involvement in SGA activities, including being politically active.
(See "Letter"—page 11)
PB lends financial hand
to campus groups
by ROGER HITTS
LIFE Staff Writer
Citing management and availability problems
in their own programming. Program Board coor
dinators have boon tending a financial helping
hand to other campus groups and departments.
The English Department. Organization For
Wack Unity. Little Brother little Sister Weekend
Committee and the Karate Club have received PB
support, ranging from financial assistance and
back up to management and promotional help, ae
cording to PB Adviser Sharon George.
"Our goal is to program for the students."*
George, assistant director of Student Affairs.
said. "If it means helping other groups with the
particular projects they have, then I think that is
super."
The lack of specific programming with PB can
be attributed to lack of funds in many depart
ments. according to George, while other PB com
mittees such as concerts and performing arts
have had difficulties in securing available dates
from touring companies.
•'People think our $32,000 budget is a lot of
money, but it goes really quickly." George said of
the group's budget. "We've run into a void where
February we usually have a concert or two. But
you have got a ton of programming still going on.
so it's not like PB has to do everything, every
month."
Karen Pickering, chairwoman of the Student
Budget Review and Allocation Committee which
allocate*; funding to student organizations, said
PB's involvement with other organizations is part
of the group's job.
"We really recommend it. that is part of the PB
function. Pickering. Livonia junior, said. "They ?|
have got the capabilities to put on their own pro- v
gramming. but also the resources and experience
to help other organizations put on a successful ~J'H$
program."
The English Department is the l.ite^t
beneficiary of PB resources. At its x\eekl>
meeting last Tuesday. PB approved Performing
Arts Coordinator Chris Jar.lonski's motion in
allocate $MK) toward the English Departments
presentation of w. riter and, poet Stephen Spender
in the University Auditorium. No date has been
determined.
Jablonski. Farmmgton Hills junior, said he was
approached by Marilyn Zorn. .i<sistant professor
(See "Program Board"—page II)
Cheap Trick
slides by CMU
It ia another case of "the. one that got away" for
Program Board ' as midVestern chart-toppers
Cheap Trick agreed to perform at Rose Arena on
March 6.
., The only problem was that Marc* 6 ts also the
final night of the annual •'Superdance,'* also in
Rose Arena- ■   ' ■
~We had the opportunity to do Cheap Trick
March 6, but the Superdance will still be going on.
and we certainly can't cancel that." Sharon
George. Program Board advisor, said. "We've run
into problems with the facility.•"
-" According to Tim McCarty, Program Board
concert coordinator. Cheap Trick will be touring
'the Midwest in March including a slop at East
Lamrfng..
J|mpli&gPrT>d«ciio«
'    >a»nU<^ered two March da tea, McCarty.
j*kmmlm*1mrmm*M »&* ttfr datC* fait
In Brief
Students ar£ advised there is an increase in
upper respiratory infections. To avoid waiting,
students experiencing any illness should make
an appointment at University Health Services
774-3055.
Campus
Little siblings invaded Central's campus
this past weekend in
what is being called
the most successful
Little Brother/Little
Sister Weekend ever,
page 3
U.S. Rep. Donald
Albosta speaks out in
favor of the
Guaranteed Student
Loan income ceiling
and against increased
education spending.
page 3
Sports
The CMU men's
basketball team romps
over league leading Ball
State.
page 8
Index
Arts and Leisure 6
Classifieds 11
Comment 4
Donnesbury 4
Off the Wire 2
Sports 8
Spotlife 11
Weather 11