Community leader Mike Marx honored as Nautical Festival grand marshal

by Peter Jakey–Managing Editor
A well-respected member of the Rogers City community has been selected as the 2018 Nautical Festival grand marshal.
The kind-hearted Mike Marx, 58, who has worked in Rogers City since arriving with his family at the age of 13, will represent the town during the early August parade.
“I’m confused about it, let’s just say that,” said Mike of his selection. “I am honored and humbled. Let’s just say, I rode a lot of coattails.”

“It’s so very sweet,” said Mike’s wife Alison, who became emotional when talking about her husband being recognized. “Friends, family and this community carried us through this.” She is referring to the stroke Mike suffered March 20, 2016.
“My wife is a huge driving-force in my recovery,” said Mike. “I will recover. I still go to therapy. I am still learning to walk correctly.” It’s the left side of his body that became affected by a blood cot that got to his brain. It was a side effect of a procedure that took place a few days before the stroke. The stroke happened on Palm Sunday. While in the hospital, all he could think about was missing the choir’s performance in church that morning.
“Now, I have to teach the other side of my brain to work this side of my body,” said Mike. “It’s slow. It’s coming back.”
Along with being one of the dedicated members of the Rogers City Optimist Club for 17 to 18 years, he served on the Rogers City Area Schools board of education, the Rogers City Area Chamber of Commerce and is the current president of the Rogers City Community Theatre, going on seven years. He also was involved in a group that spearheaded the renovation of the baseball diamond at Gilpin Memorial Field. He received the community-spirit award from the chamber for his efforts on the project.
Mike’s father, Donald, became partners with Joe Micketti and the family moved from Redford Township in suburban Detroit in 1972 to Rogers City. “It actually was a choice between Pinconning and here, and we picked here.”
Mike became an apprentice, “by relation,” he said with a laugh. “We sold appliances at that time. We helped move washers and dryers up and down basement stairs. I was a grunt.”
Mike and his brothers, Scott and Chris purchased Zgorski-Micketti Plumbing and Heating Inc. from their father about a decade ago.
During Mike’s 13 ½ years on the school board, he served nine as its president. He provided leadership and direction for the district when the superintendent had to be placed on unpaid leave because of pending felony charges.
At a meeting in November 2008, he said, “This school district performed admirably,” said Marx in an Advance article that month. “Probably one of the bigger emotions I felt this week was pride, the pride of staff.”
Today, Mike is on disability from Zgorski Micketti, but he still shows up at work to be at his office. He believes it is important to be there, to come in.
It’s an office decorated with posters from the plays he has been in at the Rogers City Community Theater.
Mike’s most famous roles were his portrayal of the lead, Pseudolus in “A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum” and Albert Soady in “Escanaba in DaMoonlight.”
He is anxious to return to the stage after being cast in “Beer for Breakfast” that opens May 4.
“The play is about a guy’s weekend in the cabin,” said Mike. “They were buddies in high school and they have been doing this for years.
“They all have their problems. The character I play, the problem he has is he suffered a stroke. It’s not the afflictions I have. I have to slur my words a lot,” he commented. “I have to act that. I thank the Lord, I am fine.”
The Nautical Festival parade will be in fine hands come the first Sunday in August with one of its special communit