HOLLAND, Mich. — The 54th Tulip City Gem and Mineral Show is scheduled for September 12-14 at the Holland Township Community Center. Longtime club member Bob Sherwood is looking forward to the event, despite it being his first show without his wife, Julia.
Sherwood credits his father for his enduring love of rocks.
“It began with a Petoskey, polished Petoskey stone that a friend of his gave to him to give to me when I was real young, probably under 10,” he said.
He joined the Tulip City Gem and Mineral Club in 1967, the year it was founded by Joe Moran.
He soon found someone to share his passion with and that was Julia.
“We met on the beach. She always denied it. I say she was out picking up a rock in the lake at the time. I know she was out in the lake, but she would deny that she ever did that,” Sherwood joked.
Julia was also an active member of the club and was known for making necklaces from the lapidary work he did. Lapidary is the art and craft of cutting, shaping, and polishing stones and gems.
“She made necklaces from some of the material that I would collect, grind and polish and others she would buy too. So she'd do the whole thing,” Sherwood said. “She would see something that she thought needed to be done. She'd go ahead and do it, run it."
Julia was heavily involved with the Seaman Museum, Michigan's geology museum, organizing exhibits for the annual show.
“She made arrangements through the curator for many years to bring a display, an exhibit to put up at the show, and then we'd send it back at the end,” Sherwood explained.
She also advocated for the club to contribute to the Midwest Federation of Mineralogical Societies.
After 31 years of rockhounding together, Julia passed away five months ago.
“Now with my wife gone, I am so looking forward to doing this show, even though she won't be with me, you know, she'd be there in spirit," Sherwood said.
Current club president, Jodi Miller, emphasized Julia's lasting impact on the club, saying, “We will see Julia everywhere in that show; Julia had a touch into every aspect of it.”
Miller has her own special connection with Julia.
"I went up to her last year at our show, and I said... what I would really want is a stone that you and Bob found that Bob cut, polished and made into the cab, and then you did the beading around it and made the necklace. And so, this is one of those necklaces of hers," Miller gestured to the pendant around her neck. "The other really beautiful thing that Julia always does is she will put the name of the stone on the back of the piece, so that you have that with you at all times. So this is very, very special to me. Both, both Bob and Julia are very special to our family."
Admission to next weekend's show will cost $5 for adults while children under 18 can attend for free.
The show will include an educational station with hands-on activities for children, including touch rocks and games.
“It's all about education, educating kids. That was her entire focus," said Sherwood.
The club also maintains a junior group to ensure its continuity.
“If you have a junior group and you have programs specifically pointed to them, then that way you maintain progression with a club keeps it going, keeps us strong,” Sherwood added.
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