Credits

Creative Development

Writer, Producer and Developer: Michelle Chambers (I take all responsibility for errors, omissions, fabrications and asset thievery)
WordPress Developer and All-Around Amazing Technical Guru and Friend: David Barberich from Codearium in Philadelphia
Graphic Design Consultant and Creative, Blunt, Honest Friend: Rotem Meller of Haifa, Israel
Editor, Photographer, Helpful Researcher and Creative Confidant: Donna Tramontozzi
Voice Talent: My dear friends Andrew More (Fay and Mac) and Dean Poirier (Fenton)
Early Readers: Hallie Touger, Connie Biewald, Pat Rathbone, Clarissa Atkinson
Details: Kelly Cammerota, Project Manager Extraordinaire, with a great eye for the little things

All of the family photos are the property of the Chambers or Lusk families and they have been used with permission from my siblings and cousin.

I purchased some of the photos, illustrations and video footage from a variety of sources.

But, mostly, I just made use of whatever images, illustrations and audio recordings that I found on the internet. Many of the images probably have copyright protection and/or are owned by someone and I am grateful that I was able to use them to best tell Fay’s story, but I neither asked for nor received permission to use these assets. I hope it’s okay and I’m sure I’ll hear about it if it isn’t.

I changed the names of anyone outside the family that I was unable to talk to as it didn’t feel like I had their permission to tell what I understand to be their story. So, hopefully, I have not sullied anyone’s reputation if I got the facts wrong. If I did, let me know.

Research

I started working on Fay 10 years ago and kept at it in fits and starts all of this time. I talked to a lot of people both about Fay and the years in which he lived. Everyone has been amazingly generous with their time and I am so grateful for all that you shared with me.

My mother, Barbara Chambers, spent many hours answering my questions and refining my assumptions. She died in December 2019, probably hoping that I would never finish this thing. My Aunt Shirley, who died in 2015, wondered why I wanted to know about her father, but she talked to me at great length anyway. My Uncle Butch, who died in 2017, helped clarify the relationship between his dad, my Grandpa Keith, Fay and Thelma.

My brother Jerry and my cousin Georgia gave me their time and memories and filled in a lot of holes in the story for me. See the videos at the end of Chapter 9 to get a glimpse of all that they shared. My sisters Tricia, Beki and Janene also set me right on a few facts and responded graciously to my many photo research requests.

Glenn and Bernie Kroft were so kind in letting me pick their brains about who Fay was and what made him tick. Their affection for my grandfather was really important in helping me get a perspective on Fay that I wouldn’t have found otherwise.

I also talked to many folks about the history of the many eras in Fay’s life and they included the following. I am incredibly thankful for all of their time and knowledge. I hope I have represented it well.

Tracy Baim, publisher of the Chicago Reader and amazing expert on Chicago LBGT history https://www.chicagoreader.com/author/tracy-baim

David Miles, Harsha House Museum, Charlevoix Historical Society, curator of the Bob Miles Photographic Collection and local historian – many of the photos from historical Charlevoix in Fay are the property of Bob Miles (David’s father) https://chxhistory.com/bob-miles/

John D’Emilio, professor emeritus of history and of women’s and gender studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_D%27Emilio

Sharon Ladenson, Gender Studies and Communications Librarian, Michigan State University

Julie Schroeder, Mecosta County Clerk’s Office

William Beachler, Lansing Association for Human Rights (LAHR), publisher of The LGBT News newsletter http://supportforstudents.msu.edu/articles/2016-remembering-william-bill-beachler

Dr. Tim Retzloff, teaches history and LGBTQ studies at Michigan State University https://placesjournal.org/author/tim-retzloff/

Jim Maclean, Head of Community Outreach at Capital Area District Libraries in Lansing, Michigan

Jim Sunkes, Beaver Island genealogist https://www.beaverisland.net/beaver-island-history/Genealogy/index.htm

The amazing webmasters Connie and Carl of the 106th Infantry Division Discussion Group

Jim. D. West, webmaster of www.IndianaMilitary.org

I also spent many hours at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans and the Churchill War Rooms in London to help me better understand the horror of that war and its effect on everyone who survived it.

And along the way I read parts of many books on the subject including: The Other Side of Silence by John Loughery, Coming Out Under Fire by Allan Bérubé, Letters to ONE edited by Craig M. Loftin, Boys Like Us edited by Patrick Merla and Quiet Fire Memoirs of Older Gay Men by Keith Vacha.