Husband's Ashes Blew Up In A Firework Shell

Monday, April 13, 2009

JEAN SPENNER

THE SAGINAW NEWS

Richard Hanley's love of fireworks and explosives was such that his wife ''blew him up in a firework,'' sending his ashes into a starry summer sky a year ago.

With that, and by raffling his custom 1984 Pontiac Fiero to raise money for the Saginaw Area Fireworks Inc. spectacle, ''I couldn't think of a better way to honor him,'' Gloria J. Hanley said. Richard Hanley died Feb. 13, 2007, after a short battle with leukemia.

Saginaw Area Fireworks Inc. will raffle his car for $5 per ticket. The car, from the first year of production for the model, is worth about $5,000.

''He always liked blowing things up,'' said Gloria Hanley, 55, of Thomas Township. ''He was always exploding things. He loved the fireworks.

''I thought we might as well blow up the money we would have gotten for his car and give it to the fireworks.''

Proceeds go to the group, sponsor of an $85,000 display from Ojibway Island starting around dusk Saturday, July 4. The extravaganza draws about 100,000 spectators.

Street Freaks, Hanley's car club, will draw the winning ticket at

3 p.m. Sunday, May 3, at Culver's, 5369 Bay in Kochville Township. Ticket holders do not have to attend.

Fireworks organizers are ''always looking for interesting methods to raise money,'' said Gary Shepherd, the group's president. ''We want to reach out to the community so everyone can enjoy the fireworks.''

Ticket sales for the Fiero have gone well, he said.

''The car was donated, the tickets were donated. If somebody buys a $5 ticket, all $5 goes to the fireworks,'' he said.

Hanley met her husband while both were employed at Saginaw Steering Gear, now Delphi Steering, in Buena Vista Township. She calls him ''the love of her life.'' The couple married in 1995.

You may buy raffle tickets at Adorned with Envy, 7871 Gratiot in Thomas Township, and Big Ugly Fish, 1418 State in Saginaw. Those with questions may call (989) 781-3689.

The Fiero is making the rounds to drum up on-site sales. See it at the fifth annual Saginaw Area Fireworks Auction at 6 p.m. Friday at Horizons Conference Center, 6200 State in Saginaw Township; beginning at 4 p.m. Friday, April 24, at J.B. Meinberg, 116 S. Hamilton in Old Saginaw City; all day Saturday, April 25, at Fuzzy's, 1924 Court in Saginaw; and at Freeland Elementary School, 710 Powley in Freeland, on Sunday, April 26, during the Walleye Festival. v

Jean Spenner covers business for The Saginaw News.