michigansthumb.com
RESORTER
FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2020
7
A Pirate’s life for him: Harbor Beach coach, teacher says community is something special MARK BIRDSALL mark.birdsall@hearstnp.com HARBOR BEACH — Despite being an Upper Peninsula native, Pirates coach Jim Tamlyn believes Harbor Beach is a truly special place that is ideal to raise a family. Jim is the head coach of the Harbor Beach varsity girls basketball team, track and field and an elementary school teacher. As a graduate of Northern Michigan University, he spent time student-teaching in his hometown of St. Ignace and went on to serve as a graduate assistant at Central Michigan. Jim and his wife, Tracy, moved to the Thumb about 11 years ago after he accepted his job at Harbor Beach. His passion is coaching, but after getting a taste of college-level coaching life, he decided that was not the path he wanted to follow. Jim and Tracy, who is the high school administrative assistant at Harbor Beach, now have two children, an 11-old-son and 9-year-old daughter. Over the past decade, he’s built a career as an educator and coach and has impacted many lives. As proud as he is of his players’ accomplishments on the court or on the field, he takes even more pride in what they’ve achieved off the court. The 2020 team finished second in the state in its division for academics. As an educator, among the things he finds most rewarding is working with younger children, who “keep him young” and require high levels of energy. “They not only demand it, they
MICHAEL J. Continued from page 6 night.” Under a man named Norman Gornbein, Affholter learned to earn his own pay; It was an apprenticeship with benefits. “I had to promote sell and fix,” Affholter said. In doing so, he worked across the bench from a De Beers award winner. “He would show me how to put things together,” Affholter said. “He was a very smart man. There are probably 10 guys that could do what he could. I learned a lot. Then, went on my own.” One day, Gornbein approached Affholter with $11,000 cash, shook his hand and sent him on his way. “He said start a business,” Affholter said. “You are ready.” Gornbein continued to work with Affholter for many years, helping him sell and fix things that seemed unfixable. He became a subcontractor and the two kept a good relationship for many years. While playing hockey and perfecting his trade, Affholter married Bad Axe native Vicky (Schmitt) Affholter. “When we came up here, I had a whole different feeling of life,” he said. That was when the decision had been made. Affholter was running his own small jewelry repair shop at the time, as a subcontractor for Herman Hiss & Company.
Harbor Beach teacher and coach Jim Tamlyn takes pride in the accomplishments of his students and players both on and off the court. (Tribune File Photo) expect it,” Tamlyn said. He also takes a great deal of satisfaction in the success his students achieve after they have graduated, proudly relating the story of how he recently sat in on a video conference during which one of his former students recently defended her doctoral dissertation in chemistry.
“It’s great what we’ve accomplished on the court, but what we’ve accomplished away from the court … you just don’t forget that stuff,” he said. Tamlyn said the Thumb reminds him of the Upper Peninsula in many ways, but Harbor Beach is a truly special place. It’s a great place to
raise a family, and in many ways, the school is the heart of community. There’s a strong work ethic, and the people of Harbor Beach support their school. “It’s a community that you want to be a part of,” he said. “I wouldn’t trade it.”
“My cousin worked for me and I asked if she were ready to move?” Affholter said. “I laid out $20,000 on the table and said I sold the store and we are going up north.” The couple moved into his wife’s family’s homestead farm, the place where all the parties and special holiday events took place. “This is where everyone came and they still do today,” Affhiolter said. He talked about having big Christmas gatherings, with multiple kids running around. “It didn’t take me long to make friends and make me a part of the community. We took part in all the events and became part of the Bad Axe Free Methodist Church. My wife’s family is all here, so we blended easily. And, I learned there are certain things in the county you just have to understand.” He said it was refreshing to see a such strong community spirit and referenced Unionville-Sebewaing’s varsity team going to finals. “All these people came together,” Affholter said. “In the city that would never happen. I believe moving here added 10 more years to my life.” He rented business property from Jean Talaski, who is a customer today. “I needed a building to work for and was still working for Herman Hiss,” Affholter said. “I was speaking with Jean. She met me downtown and there was this little hallway that was the size of a medium bedroom.” She charged Affholter $250 and
handed him the keys without so much as a deposit — only faith in his business. The two became good friends and even found they share a birthday of June 26. Who is younger or older may be up for debate. Today, Affholter owns and operates Michael J’s Design Studio & Goldsmith Shop. They sell to customers throughout the nation and have become the official jeweler of the American Power Boat Association. “We race boats,” he said. “That’s my hobby. That’s what makes me go to work.” Like father, like son, Affholter followed in his dad’s footsteps and started racing at the age of 14. His whole family has joined the sport, including son William and daughter Marissa. Both of them have had some involvement in the family business. His daughter still works for her father today, doing the books, selling and marketing. His wife can even be found helping out from time to time. “She has helped out throughout the years, behind the scenes,” Affholter said. “She is my energy when I don’t want to work. It is difficult at times.” At Michael J’s, the focus is on making personalized pieces. He recycles metal and gemstones, whole doing total repair work. The result is customized jewelry that nobody else has. For example, Affholter likes to turn heirlooms into unique art that resembles the love between a mother and her daughter, or a grandfather and his grandson. Sometimes, the jewelry
left behind is just too much to wear or old and could be made into the perfect piece. Affholter sat next to his father, who now stays in the family’s full house after losing his wife two short weeks ago. He went on to explain that she lived with them for four days, before going to the hospital and passing away peacefully. The Affholters found comfort in knowing she was with family, at a time when many cannot be. Keeping grandpa company in his son and daughter-in-law’s home are his granddaughter, great-granddaughter and grandson. “We’ve got a full house,” Affholter said. “I couldn’t have scripted the way that we are together. We were able to spend time with mom and my kids are home. We had time together. Normally, the kids would’ve been in school and I would’ve been at the store.” The sequence of events that transpired out of “Stay Home, Stay Safe” have changed the entrepreneur’s whole mindset. “Now, my belief is to limit myself to time,” Affholter said. “Not the six-day grind. This is my time to semiretired, but I am not in any hurry to retire. I went into the shop the other day to work. I love the creation part.” Affholter does not question how he and his family have been able to move forward and live happy lives in a loving community. “To look back, you know God’s hand was on our lives,” Affholter said.
