WELLAND – Marilyn Blazetich Sarkis is in possession of a vast cache of memorabilia from her late father, Michael Blazetich.
It is rich in its diversity: items from his career as a firefighter, instructor and deputy chief; gifted athlete, particularly baseball; time in the military during the Second World War; personal life and more.
It came into her care when she and her husband Ray purchased, then moved into, the Blazetich homestead last year.
Here’s a small sampling:
Fire department records, scrapbooks of black and white fire photos, concrete marker from the Crowland Fire Department circa 1935, nozzles, ambulance call records from when firemen had that duty, playday ribbons and medals from the 1930s, OBA cards of all the players from the 1950s, ball mitt, cleats, lunch pail from Page-Hersey days, military dog tags, Morse code notes, and more. Poring over the contents shows time travel is possible, Marilyn says.
She talked about the collection, her emotional attachment to it and the responsibility that comes from having it, for a newspaper interview published recently. It can be accessed at:
https://www.wellandtribune.ca/opinion-story/9642216-joe-barkovich-hey-i-m-a-blazetich-memorabilia-from-a-life-well-lived/
