Richard Edward Erwin attended Orchard Hills Elementary School in Novi, Michigan, from 1959 to 1966. He was a good student who loved baseball, football, hockey, and basketball. In his upper elementary school years he received his Little League Team's "Most Valuable Player Award" for his outstanding record as a pitcher. He played basketball and served as a quarterback on the Novi Junior High School team before he was tragically killed in a car accident on January 21, 1967. His dream was to play on a sports team for Michigan State University during his college years.
After Richard's death in 1967 his parents, Edward and Betty Erwin, established the Richard Erwin Memorial Scholarship to be given annually to a male and female Novi High School student who demonstrated both academic and athletic achievement and planned to go to college to further their education. The athletic achievement requirement was eventually dropped to make the scholarship more accessible to a broader range of students.
The Erwin family has been actively involved in the community from the time that they moved to Novi in the 1880s. Richard’s grandparents Frances Sittlington and James Erwin both attended Novi School through eighth grade, before transferring to Northville to complete high school. After their marriage they established Erwin Orchards in Novi in 1920 and later purchased land in Lyon Township in order to expand their orchard business. Richard’s father, Edward, was a member of the Novi School Board at the time Orchard Hills School was built. Richard’s two sisters, Kathleen Erwin and Patricia Erwin Zandstra, both attended Novi Schools. Kathy was valedictorian of her Novi eighth grade graduating class and then completed high school in Northville as class valedictorian. Pat was Vice President and salutatorian of the first graduating class of Novi High School in 1969. 1969 was also the first year that the Richard Erwin Scholarship was awarded.
The family of Richard Erwin is grateful for the opportunity to award these scholarships to two outstanding students each year.
He loved his classmates and the family is grateful for all the wonderful friendships he had with all of you.
Pat Zandstra (Erwin) (1969)
Richard Erwin Memorial Scholarship.
Richard Edward Erwin attended Orchard Hills Elementary School in Novi, Michigan, from 1959 to 1966. He was a good student who loved baseball, football, hockey, and basketball. In his upper elementary school years he received his Little League Team's "Most Valuable Player Award" for his outstanding record as a pitcher. He played basketball and served as a quarterback on the Novi Junior High School team before he was tragically killed in a car accident on January 21, 1967. His dream was to play on a sports team for Michigan State University during his college years.
After Richard's death in 1967 his parents, Edward and Betty Erwin, established the Richard Erwin Memorial Scholarship to be given annually to a male and female Novi High School student who demonstrated both academic and athletic achievement and planned to go to college to further their education. The athletic achievement requirement was eventually dropped to make the scholarship more accessible to a broader range of students.
The Erwin family has been actively involved in the community from the time that they moved to Novi in the 1880s. Richard’s grandparents Frances Sittlington and James Erwin both attended Novi School through eighth grade, before transferring to Northville to complete high school. After their marriage they established Erwin Orchards in Novi in 1920 and later purchased land in Lyon Township in order to expand their orchard business. Richard’s father, Edward, was a member of the Novi School Board at the time Orchard Hills School was built. Richard’s two sisters, Kathleen Erwin and Patricia Erwin Zandstra, both attended Novi Schools. Kathy was valedictorian of her Novi eighth grade graduating class and then completed high school in Northville as class valedictorian. Pat was Vice President and salutatorian of the first graduating class of Novi High School in 1969. 1969 was also the first year that the Richard Erwin Scholarship was awarded.
The family of Richard Erwin is grateful for the opportunity to award these scholarships to two outstanding students each year.
He loved his classmates and the family is grateful for all the wonderful friendships he had with all of you.
Family Contact Information: Patricia Erwin Zandstra, 3734 Bayou Place, Holt, MI, 48842, <patzandstra@gmail.com>, 517 394-7234
Submitted by his sister, Pat Erwin Zandstra, class of 1969