From The Macomb Daily
By Erica Stark, Macomb Daily Staff Writer
Jack Schramm, one of the founders of the Michigan Transit Museum in Mount Clemens, died Feb. 24 after a long illness.
Mr. Schramm had a great interest in history, especially Detroit and its railways. He obtained a job with the city of Detroit’s Department of Street Railways after graduating from Denby High School in 1942.
He worked there for 40 years until his retirement in 1982. His employment was interrupted during World War II when he served in the Army from 1943 until 1946 in Europe and the South Pacific with the 1275 Engineer Combat Battalion.
His job as superintendent of payroll with the DSR required him to keep accurate records which served him well later when he chronicled the history of the railway system from the horse-drawn streetcars to the demise of the streetcar system in 1956.
His son Kenneth recalls him as a great guy with a keen mind for detail, which he retained throughout his life. In addition to the history of streetcars, Mr. Schramm also authored several magazine articles on the history of Detroit and southeastern Michigan bus companies.
His great love for the streetcars resulted in several books written on the history of the Detroit Department of Street Railways and its predecessor company, the Detroit United Railway.
The Michigan Transit Museum group was able to save the old Grand Trunk Train Station where Thomas Edison learned telegraphy, as well as one of the last DSR streetcars that operated in Detroit.
“My father was a dedicated city of Detroit employee for 40 years who worked hard at preserving Detroit and southeastern Michigan’s rich transit history,” Kenneth Schramm said. “It was just a shame he couldn’t have lived a bit longer to see the light rail system they are working on now and perhaps been amongst the first to take a ride.”
A memorial service for Mr. Schramm will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday (3/9/10) at Historic Trinity Lutheran Church, 1345 Gratiot Ave., Detroit. Memorial contributions may be made to the Capuchin Soup Kitchen, 1820 Mt. Elliott St., Detroit MI 48207.
Article source:
http://www.macombdaily.com/articles/2010/03/06/news/srv0000007756251.txt