KALAMAZOO, Mich. — May 13, 1980 — 38 years ago, a F-3 tornado slashed through downtown Kalamazoo, killing five people and injuring more than 70.
The tornado and its aftermath left a lasting impact on the Kalamazoo area.
In Bronson Park, the changes that resulted from the tornado are visible, with much fewer and younger trees.
Thirty eight years later and the memories are still fresh for many who lived through the tornado.
“It essentially knocked all of the windows out of the building,” Gordon Miller said.
Local attorney Gordon Miller remembers May 13, 1980 vividly. Miller, then a young attorney was working on the fourth floor of the ISB Building, now known as the Comerica Building, when the tornado ripped through his office.
“My firm’s papers ended up in Comstock. The tornado sucked most everything out of the building,” Miller said.
The path of the tornado struck in Van Buren County before sweeping toward Kalamazoo, where it sliced through neighborhoods, toppling trees in Bronson Park and battering the downtown area. Five people were killed. The twister caused $50 million in property damage and displaced more than 1,200 residents.
“There were cars, trash, debris everywhere, people stumbling around. Walking like zombies,” Patty Keller said.
Patty Keller worked in the second floor of the office of Dimitri’s Restaurant on Portage Street.
“It had slammed my door shut. I remember when I hit the floor, I could not get the door open,” Keller said.
Keller said immediately after the tornado, a friend came to rescue her.
“He had come to get me because I wasn’t in the basement,” Keller said.
Keller said immediately after the tornado she started dating that friend, which turns out to be her husband. The two started dating after the tornado and have been married for more than 30 years.
“[The tornado] kind of threw us together,” Keller said.
Despite the bittersweet memories of the tornado, Keller feels lucky to have survived.
“I don’t know how I did not get hurt,” Keller said.
When the tornado hit, many people remained inside their homes and offices. Gordon says in the days leading up, there had been several false tornado sirens.
“People didn’t really take the warning seriously,” Gordon said.
by Michael Krafcik (2018, May 13) Newschannel 3
