‘He really believed recreation is important for us all’

MADISON HEIGHTS — The rain clouds dispersed and the sun shined on Monroe Park June 26 as residents crowded under the pavilion there. Together, they raised cups of orange juice in a toast to the pavilion’s new namesake, Robert Gettings.

The late Madison Heights City Councilman was known for his love of parks and recreation, having worked for the city’s Recreation Department from 1969 to 2001, including two decades as the recreation coordinator. He also coached sports in both the Madison and Lamphere school districts — including volleyball, basketball and track — and Little League baseball as well.

A lifelong resident of Madison Heights, Gettings first joined the City Council in 2009, serving on and off until his passing in November 2021 at age 69. He had just been reelected earlier that month, and died from complications due to diabetes.                             

Now, a year and a half later, the city has christened the pavilion at Monroe Park in his honor. The park can be found at the corner of Dartmouth Street and West Dallas Avenue, and features a playscape next to the pavilion — perfect for birthday parties and other occasions.

“We’re dedicating this pavilion in his name because he is remembered most for his commitment to recreation in the community,” said Roslyn Grafstein, the mayor of Madison Heights.

She also noted that Gettings was never far from his cooler full of orange juice, hence the choice of beverage toasting him.

Perched at the end of a picnic table near a sidewalk lined with chalk art were Gettings’ cousins, Barbara Kastle and James Mikel, as well as his best friend, Brian Young. They reminisced about Gettings’ gentle nature and playful sense of humor.                                                                                             

“Bob was just such a giving and caring person,” said Mikel. “He always had some way to make you laugh. Any topic you talked about, he always had that little snicker of a laugh.”

Kastle nodded.

“It was hard to get him talking sometimes, but when you spoke about something that was true to his heart, he was so fun and comical,” she said.

“He’d always have that giggle,” said Mikel. “It was almost like a canned laughter, but it was his — Bobby G’s. And it was sincere.”

Kastle emphasized Gettings’ kindness.

“I don’t think I ever heard Bob, in my whole life, ever say anything bad about anybody, ever,” Kastle said. “Now, maybe he would get mad at you, for a minute, and he wouldn’t want to talk to you for awhile. But he still wouldn’t say anything bad about you. And that’s Bob, in a nutshell. How many people can you say that about?”

Young agreed.

“Bob was a giving person. Putting others down to get ahead, that just wasn’t his game plan,” Young said. “He would always try to mend things between two different sides.”

“Yeah, Bob would always try to talk about the good points of a person,” Mikel said.

“Even if people were running against him (for City Council), he would still line up their campaign signs on his front yard,” Kastle said.

The three agreed that Gettings was someone who wanted everyone to win. They also said he was deeply humbled by the privilege of public service and very diligent in his duties, striving to attend each meeting and understand every issue.

“You could say he was like a box of Band-Aids, always trying to fix any conflicts or problems, trying to solve things,” Mikel said.

They also remembered how Gettings was quick to praise others, but also reluctant to accept compliments about himself.

“If you said something nice about him, he would get very shy about it,” Kastle said. “He’d say, ‘No, knock it off, Barb. Knock it off.’ He was very sincere, too; it wasn’t phony baloney. If you tried to compliment him, he’d just divert your attention.”

Throughout his council career, Gettings remained a steadfast champion for improving parks with more amenities and programming. Today, Madison Heights continues to invest in recreation, including a new playscape installed at Civic Center Park last month. Other additions in recent years include a playscape for toddlers there, as well as rain gardens and two new pavilion roofs.

Elsewhere in town, a disc golf course was added to Rosie’s Park, along with new playscapes both there and at Edison Park, which feature modern safety and accessibility standards. Edison Park also received a new drinking fountain, with plans to add another at Wildwood Park. Over at Huffman Park, the Fitness Court opened, featuring a variety of outdoor exercise equipment.

Even more changes are on the way as part of the city’s five-year capital improvement plan, including renovations for the basketball court at Civic Center Park, the backstop and ballfield at Rosie’s Park, the parking lots at Edison Park and Rosie’s Park, the pavilion at Rosie’s Park, and the irrigation system at Huffman Park.

Gettings’ friends and family said he would be pleased with the city’s progress.

“He really believed recreation is important for us all, both the kids and adults,” Kastle said. “And he was just such a kind man.”