Hi my name is Kimberlee Gruden Bush I am the great niece of Eleanor and Robert Heald! I grew up on Union Country Club golf course and have written a story about my time there! My Grandmother Beverly Simmons is still a member she will be turning 90 this June, our connection to the course is held in our heart because of Aunt Eleanor and Uncle Bob! The stories title is The Mayor and First Lady of Union Maine! this story is about their love and commitment to their community of Union Maine! My grandfather Donald P. Simmons grew up in Union with Eleanor as his sister, Bob his brother in law are all buried on the hill over looking the home and loved Union Maine and Union Country Club!

The Mayor and First Lady of Union Maine By: Kimberlee Gruden Bush Brighton MI  48116 Hi this is Kimberlee Kay we are off to visit Aunt Eleanor and Uncle Bob Heald today!  Down route 17, Past lake Chicawakee, there is the old rope swing where the kids ought to be!  The mountains trees leaves are orange, yellow, green and red a beautiful picture I keep in my head.   Union Maine is snug in the hills the street signs are bluebird houses uncle Bob lovingly builds.  If one should get broken he tends to it with a fresh coat of paint all over it.   Baxter road across from Union high school, the Simmons farm across the street my grandfather's childhood home is really neat!  I am told he was late for school every day right across the street?  No way! Their barn red house sits on hole number 9, Union Country Club what a view from the porch, Aunt Eleanor there holding open the screen door.  Just then I hear someone yell fore, a map of Union is painted on the porch floor, with every street mountain or store!  My Uncle Bob hand painted for my aunt Eleanor he really adores.  Her eyes are blue grey her smile is warm, she hugs Nannie and Mom and all three of us girls.  As she's rubbing mom's arm “there's my girls welcome home sit down” she gives my hair a twirl.  She says “it's been to long” just then the clock in the living room dongs. The table is covered with special treats, ice tea, coffee pilot crackers with olives and cream cheese.  Pop overs made by hand, fresh blueberries raspberries and orange marmalade jam.  “Milks in the ice box help yourselves the glasses in the kitchen up on the shelf”.  “Uncle Bob's out cutting green number 3 he should be back soon wait and see”!  As we eat and talk we watch the hills for uncle bob a top his old green tractor, trailer in tow with rakes and shovels and a wheel barrel.  Over the hills he slowly travels the tools in the trailer make a rattle.  A couple of golfers pulling their bags they wave to Uncle Bob he stops to chat.   Impatiently waiting we finish our snack we are wishing uncle Bob hadn't stopped to gab. So while waiting we head down to the basement with the pine covered walls and there are buckets and buckets of white golf balls.  There is a slot machine and golf tees and a shuffle board painted on the floor.  Outside I hear an engine roar as I hear the tractor pull up out back, the monkey bank on the shelf, symbols go clickity clack.  I run upstairs I grab my hoody off the rack, uncle Bob's in the kitchen pulling off his cap.  He said “girls how are you” he ruffles my hair he takes off his boots as runs up stairs.  “Hello Beverly and Donna too my is it great to see you, I will meet you girls outside” I yell out “I'm first to drive”!   “Okay Kimm the tractor is out back in front of the club house” he was gone in a flash. I am twirling cartwheels across the grass, my sister Cyndee is spinning in circles real fast.  Stacey is finishing her book her legs hanging from the elm trees crook.   Uncle Bob yells “girls come here” with a smile on his face from ear to ear.  “Please sign my walls of fame” he hands me a marker “Kimm sign your name”.  From the ceiling to floor names there was a governor, Musky I think was his name, lobsterman, neighbors and a famous golfer too Fuzzy Zeller was his name it's true!  So I picked out my spot next to the door Kimberlee Kay is the name I forged.  My sister Cyndee is down on her knees, Cynthia she wrote her name in between, a woman named Betty and one named Sue, my sister Stacey wrote hers upside down in blue!  We are allowed to write on the walls like my mother had told us all! The Mayor and First Lady, to which the town claims, spend their love and time benefiting their town, the feeling of community is all around!  Everyone knows them wherever they go Good Mornin' Good Evenin' Bob and Eleanor.  Heald is their last name everyone know the mayor and the first lady love Union so. We are off to the tractor for a spin around the golf course again and again.  The clubhouse outhouse the big oak tree, the thing made of metal looks like the tin man to me, waving to golfers all over the course careful not to interrupt their game of course.  A couple of golfers on green number 2 I shut off the tractor and take in the view.  Two men golfing clapping their hands the one with plaid pants hit it right in!  The mountains the sky is so blue a beautiful spot on hole number 2! This is such a beautiful day, off to the clubhouse to put the tractor away!  Boy I love Union Maine! Uncle Bob, Bumpa and Dad are standing under the elm tree with 3 white golf balls sitting on tees, “time to drive some balls for fun, back up girls Kimm your up”!  I was the first to go.  I line my thumbs up as I'd been taught kept my eye on the ball, pulled my arm back with a swing, I miss the ball it is still on the tee?  Uncle Bob walks up to me “we call that a mulligan Kimberlee” with a smile a mile wide “come on give it another try”,  okay one more time, I swung my club it's called a drive, in the air the ball sailed it looked like a seagull without a tail.   Everyone cheers way to go nice hit Kimm, Cyn give it a go?  There we are till the sun set low giving off an orange glow.  Oh no it is almost time to go my mom gives the car horn a quick blow.  Back to Grandmother Nannies to chase fire flies, kiss and hug Aunt Eleanor and Uncle Bob good bye! Thank you for this wonderful day we love the Mayor and his First Lady, Union Country Club is the place to go. Take some time to enjoy the view hit a golf ball or two, sign the wall of fame or remember the mayor and first lady, Eleanor and Bob Heald of Union Maine! So the story goes many years later though, route 17 is no longer so, Robert Heald highway is the name, Union High School is dedicated just the same on a rock out front with a plaque.  The Mayor and First lady would really love that! The Bluebird houses are still there I'm not sure who tends to their care?  It must have been and old friend, who knew what these bluebird houses meant!  Since then they have passed on Bob and Eleanor Heald are gone, they leave their love for Union behind, old route 17 just take a ride. Union Country Club where to go the mayor and first lady loved it so!  They are watching over Union Maine sometimes I visit their grave, talk about the days past lying on the green grass just taking in the view with the Mayor and First Lady we miss you!   Union Maine a must see the town the mountains the sense of community.  Please always remember and never forget Eleanor and Bob Heald really loved it!