Carl Maghielse

How is success measured? One might say success is measured by the amount of cash he has in his wallet, the kind of car he drives, the house he lives in, or the number of vacations a man might take every year. For Carl Maghielse, success was simple. It was feeling the wind on his face from the sails of his boat ripping across the river. It was catching that big pickerel on Lake Tomiko. Success to Carl was being able to watch a hockey game whenever he wanted or taking his wife, Shirley, out to dinner. Success for Carl meant the simple things in life. Taking walks in the yard with his Basset Hound, Holly. Reading a good western for the third time or eating homemade bread. Those were examples of success for Carl.
Back in Newago, Michigan, on July 6, 1922, Carl Lyle Maghielse was born to Chris and Eda Laura Redman Maghielse. As a young man, Carl spent many days on his grandparents farm in Newago, Carl & Tilly Redman. There he learned gardening and farming skills. Carl had a favorite horse he often rode, “Frisco Jane”, & would oftentimes give aid to his mother while his father was away on the battlefield during WWI in Europe. A deacon at Trinity Lutheran Church in Wyandotte, MI, Carl was active in his church while a young man. Carl was the older brother to Chris Maghielse of Lakeland, FL. Both Carl and Chris were avid cross country track runners at Roosevelt High School in Wyandotte where they graduated and where Carl was also the Captain of the Wyandotte Chiefs and Bruins hockey teams. This was hockey back in the day before there was plexi-glass or helmets in the arenas. Carl was instrumental in helping to obtain competitive hockey ice arenas in the Downriver Michigan area in the younger years of his life. Not only that, but Carl was once scouted by the Detroit Red Wings hockey team in the 1940’s. One might consider THAT success right there. But Carl had other plans.
Carl had his eyes set on meeting a certain dark haired, brown-eyed beauty named Shirley Chenevert, who worked at Lincoln Park Industries in Lincoln Park, Michigan, where he was an industrial manufacturer in the late 1930’s, early 1940’s. He decided one day to follow her home, knock on her front door, introduce himself, & ask her out on a date. The couple were often seen sailing on the Detroit River or riding around in Carl’s 1940’s Chrysler Convertible. The rest was history. The couple were married 63 years until Shirley’s passing .
Carl was the owner of Mak Tool & Gage Co., Inc. for over 40 years where he was a manufacturing engineer of precision tooling & gaging for General Motors, Nissan, the U.S. Military, & others. He employed over 50 employees over a 40 year range, training many young men in the field of precision gaging & industrial manufacturing.
One might say that success is measured by material things. Carl Maghielse’s success was written in the pages of his life. He lived a busy 95 years, driving his car up until the age of 93, diving & swimming the length of his swimming pool (2 laps) underwater at the age of 90 in his speedo, eating a good steak with a glass of wine well into his 90’s, traveling to visit old friends & family, flirting with the ladies until he was unable to speak, and giving everyone he loved a firm handshake up until the day he died.
Carl Lyle Maghielse is survived by son Craig Maghielse of Waynesboro, daughter Cynthia (husband Larry Baiocco), son CB Maghielse (wife Polly) Waynesboro, daughter Claudia Maghielse, Lawrenceburg, & daughter Cathryn (husband Doug Shelton) of Lawrenceburg. Grandchildren who survive include: Valerie Rudddle, Victoria Gambrell, Vanessa Maghielse,(Waynesboro) Veronica Maghielse, Nathan Baiocco, Nicolas Baiocco, Branden Baiocco, Chris Maghielse, Shane Maghielse, (Lawrenceburg), Kyle Maghielse,(Waynesboro) Jacob McGee, (Colorado), Kurt McGee, (Texas), Courtney Shelton, Caitlyn Shelton, (Knoxville), & Cacey Shelton. (Alabama). 19 great grandchildren, & 2 great great grandchildren, & a very special caregiver, Mrs. Brenda Pulley of Wayne County.