CRYSTALANA - Key Persons

The precipitous lowering of the level of Crystal Lake, and the unexpected creation of some 2,000 A of new beach, was an epochal event that led to the future development of Benzie Co. As chronicler and author, he assumes the role of his alter ego, Archibald Jones, Jr., as "President pro tem of the Benzie Co. River Improvement Co., Est. 1873". Stacy has portrayed his alter ego since inaugurating "Archibald Jones Day" with an historical marker in 2010 et seq., reenacting "the pulling of the plug", and promoted the celebration of the 150th anniversary "SESQUI-CENTENNIAL - The Lowering of Crystal Lake (1873-2023)", see: www.crystalana.com/sesqui.htm. Stacy and Carol sponsored the Archibald Jones Historical Research Center (AJHRC) addition to the Benzie Area Historical Museum to facilitate archival storage, research, library, and display (to be completed and dedicated (2025). Stacy is an original "Townie"-"Lakeie" of Frankfort and Crystal Lake (Benzie Co., MI), where his family has had cottages for five generations. His father was the Superintendent of Schools, and his mother was a former English teacher. In 1944, he moved with his parents to Midland, MI, where he grew up, and attended Midland High School (Class of 1955). After graduating from The University of Michigan in 1967, he and wife, Carol Yvonne (Parker) Daniels (13 Sep 1935-), a high school science teacher, returned to Midland. Their family includes: their daughter, Julie Lyntha Cavanaugh, a former elementary school teacher, now an estate planning attorney, married to son-in-law, Thomas Paul Cavanaugh, also an estate planning attorney, and beloved grandsons, Tommy, Drew, and Brock. Carol and Stacy have lived in Midland for the past fifty-five years in the same house they designed and built themselves in 1969. They became eyewitnesses to the Tittabawassee River (Four Lakes) "disaster" (ne' flood) which unfolded (19 May 2020) near their own back yard 1,000 ft from, but 21 ft "higher and dryer", than the floodplain of Sturgeon Creek, a major tributary! This event surpassed the prior record "inundation" at Crystal Lake (23 Aug 1873) to become "the largest inundation from an inland lake system due to dam breaching in U.S history"! They also recovered from the aftermath of a severe lightning strike on their house (12 Sep 2021). They recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary (18 Jul 2024), and look forward to future adventures - living in their house, by the side of the road, by a river, with smiles and tears, as friends to man!