My grandfather was left-handed. And so am I. I get it from him because my parents are both right-handed.
Grandpa holding me, his first grandchild, 1955
I’ve written about both Adriaan Zuijdweg/Adrian Zuidweg (the elder) and Cora DeKorn Zuidweg, my great grandparents. They had one son, my grandfather, Adrian Zuidweg (1908-2000). He owned a Sunoco “filling station” on the corner of Burdick and Balch in Kalamazoo where his father had previously owned the soda shop. In the photos above and below, he’s wearing his Sunoco uniform.
When I was a kid, I loved the fold-out maps Grandpa carried inside the station. Out back, he planted a strip of petunias and vegetables. He knew how to make use of a small space for gardening. When I visited, he would climb out of the pit where he worked under a car. The most memorable part of the station for me was the lettering on the front door:
Adrian Zuidweg, Proprietor
A – Z Lubrication
I loved how it played off his initials A.Z.
“Adie” “Zuidy” by the pump
The Family Kalamazoo 
It is interesting that he had a garden out back. I guess if farming is in your blood there is always a way to do it. Thank You for a little bit of history.
Take Care.
Jose
Jose, I think being Dutch he was trained to find whatever land he could and make good use of it ;). He always kept a garden and my grandmother who grew up on a farm was a great cook using those ingredients!
Great story and pix. I never met my grandfather–he died the year before I was born–but about half his grandchildren are lefties, including me and my brother. My grandfather was said to be ambidextrous but “did his best work with his left hand.” He was a draftsman for Ford and other companies.
Wilma, I never knew that about your grandfather. That is a wonderful story. I hope you write it up, if you haven’t!
Back then Services Stations really were service stations.
That’s right–he did almost everything! Thanks for reading!
Where was this station located???
The corner of Burdick and Balch. And at the other end of the Burdick block, my grandparents lived at the corner of Burdick and Emerson. And my great great grandfather’s house was and still is across the street from where the station was.
I love entries that combine great photos, family history and personal remembrances. I remember gas stations like this, too. We had many with pumps just like this one. At Christmas some of the stations sold toy trucks that many little boys wanted to see under the tree.
EmilyAnn, I’ve seen some of these vintage service station toys on TV and in antique malls, and I love them. Thanks for reading!
The picture of you and your grandfather is really special. He has such a wonderful expression on his face. He looks like he was very proud of his granddaughter.
Sheryl, that’s really sweet that you say that. I think he was and I can see that in his face, too, now that you brought it up.
[…] Michigan University and chose Grandpa as her subject. I’ve written about Grandpa in a post about our left-handed […]
Left-handedness is a recessive gene. Because Europe’s royal families are all related, most of them are lefties, too. Queen Victoria was a southpaw, as are Elizabeth, Charles and both William and Harry. Elizabeth’s father, King George, had a dreadful stutter because his father insisted he use his right hand.
My dad and I are both lefties, and when I started school he was appalled that I was being taught to use my right hand “because it will be easier”. He put on his clerical collar, stiffened his Australian accent, and marched down to the principal’s office. “My daughter is left-handed, d’ye understand? If it’s good enough for the king, it’s good enough for her.”
And that, as they say, was that!
What a great story! Nice to know I might be related to royalty ;)!
Ah, when he got home, he told my mum “the head teacher (Oz for principal) didn’t if she should salute or genuflect”.
That remark always made me chuckle.
I can imagine so! What a wonderful sense of humor!