Railroad Days Person of the Year 2011- Sue Hatherill

The 2011 Railroad Person of the Year is Sue Hatherill. Her connection to railroads dates back to her childhood when her parents, Cal and Willey B Cates, were agents for Grand Trunk Railroad. Sue hired in at Grand Trunk in 1967 and worked for agencies in Richmond, Romeo, Rochester, Oxford, Dryden, Flushing and Owosso. As an agent, she handled duties that included janitorial chores, waiting on customers, billing, rates, tariffs and working with train crews. When positions at Grand Trunk were consolidated, Hatherill came to Durand to work. She was a telegraph operator, car checker and relief agent, and her last job was as a clerk for the production engineer’s office. Sue took a buyout when positions were moved to Flint in 1987, retiring after nearly 21 years on the job.

Since then, Sue has been active with Durand Union Station and working on various Railroad Days committees. She was president of Railroad Days for a number of years, served on the car raffle and centennial celebration committees, and was the longtime announcer with WOAP (1080 AM) for the Railroad Days Parade.

Sue and her husband Ed own and operate the BP gas station in downtown Durand. They have two children, Todd and Elizabeth Hatherill and three grandchildren, Madison, Jared and MaKenna.

On May 14, Sue will ride in the Railroad Days Festival parade followed by an invitation-only reception in the ballroom at the Durand Union Station.

Past Railroad Person of the Year

2010 Cliff & Marie Semple
2009 Don Gray
2008 Herbert Scrivener
2007 David Lewis
2006 Philip Perri
2005 Robert "Brake Shoe" Brancheau
2004 Jon Hayes
2003 Pat Post
2002 Robert Buck
2001 William "Mac" McLaughlin
2000 Ray Russell
1999 James Mohn
1998 Forest C. Hines
1997 Wayne N. Roddy
1996 J.J. Casady
1995 Chester "Chet" Liestenfeltz
1994 Margaret Powell
1993 John Walworth
1992 Lloyd Russell
1991 Ernie Spicer
1990 Earl Hart
1989 Sherwood Weichner
1988 Clare Jewell
1987 Lloyd Eicher
1986 Perry Parsall
1985 Clyde Hayes
1984 Arthur VanRiper
1983 Tracy McClure
1982 Anthony "Tony" Kolman
1981 Noble Haver
1980 Ora Goul
1979 Eddie Crane
1978 Frederick Tranzrow
1977 Glenn Willie