I worked at Camp Maqua as the Camp Health director 2 summers 1973 and 1974. I was pre-med at Albion College. I had spent my childhood at another YWCA camp, near Flint Camp Tyrone and worked 2 summers 71/72 at Forest Beach Camp in New Buffalo, MI from the Chicago YWCA. As soon as I met age requirements I took the Health Director course so I could keep working at camps but earn a bit more money.
I applied to several camps and Sue Patenge came to interview me at Albion. That first summer was a normal employee/boss relationship but I certainly saw how hard she worked and I can’t tell how how hard the “horse situation” was for her. She was all about the kids and was willing to be silly with the little ones but yes she was much more straight laced with her staff. Please remember she was only 26 herself. We bonded one night when Edna the cook who also stayed in my health cottage woke me up in terrible pain at 2 AM. She had appendicitis and after waking Sue up we took her to the hospital. We got back to camp around 5 AM a little silly and giddy with no clue how we were to manage the meals. We woke up the kitchen aides and yes it was a cold cereal and toast morning. Sue’s Mother Betty arrived later that day and helped us for the 2 weeks until Edna returned.
We became close friends and kept in touch that off season. I returned in my position the next summer after graduating from Albion. I had been accepted to medical school and intended to pay my way by joining the Navy. I had applied in December and was assured I would be all set. In August I learned I had not been accepted after receiving a letter about ” a few good men” who were later candidates. I had no money and no back up plan for financing school. I scrambled for loans and Sue offered me a place to stay in her home. We became the best of friends and lived together until Early Onset Alzheimers took her entirely too soon.
She was an excellent caring teacher no matter what subject she was thrown into. She was a successful swim team coach and worked hard at a Synchronized Swim team that was hugely popular selling all 3 nights of their performances. The desire to travel and just the need to decompress fueled her decision to retire from her summer job at Maqua but she never forgot the good times or people she met there. She was always willing to help her fellow teachers and was well liked. Because of her I became the team physician for her high School Mt Clemens and continued even after her illness. Her teacher friends became my friends and helped my decision to practice in Mt Clemens and I treated many of the staff and family of MC schools. AS I said before Sue never met a stranger and could talk to every type of person. She never talked down to her students or their parents and taught me much about acceptance. I taught her to love cats and we always had at least one.
On another subject, I can’t remember the waterfront ever looking bad and never saw a parent upset with her. The year we had the exchange counselors she took them traveling around Michigan after camp before school started for her and they were to fly home. She drove and arranged places to stay at no/low cost to the girls. Yes she was strict but that was because it was all about the kids and she was receiving pressure from the YWCA to save money but not change the quality. She set high standards for herself and her staff.
Carol Hulett