An Oxford man who was a close friend of Henry Ford, met Thomas Edison, invented many gadgets and installed this town’s first-ever radio system for dispatching police and fire died last week.
Alfred H. Oberstaedt passed away Friday, December 22, 2006. He was 91.
‘Al was the kind of guy, if they said it couldn’t be done, Al wanted to take on that challenge and do it,? said Oxford Village Police Chief Mike Neymanowski, a good friend of Oberstaedt. ‘He was just a master of electronics.?
Growing up in Dearborn, not far from Ford’s house, Oberstaedt loved tinkering with electronics, taking anything and everything apart, then putting it all back together.
Childhood curiosity later turned into a lifelong passion when Oberstaedt attended the Henry Ford Trade School (which operated from 1916 to 1952) and went on to earn a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Detroit.
Over the years, Oberstaedt’s knowledge, talents and love of a good challenge landed him many unique jobs.
His early years were spent working for Ford, who became a personal friend of the automotive industry legend.
Oberstaedt worked at the Willow Run plant during World War II where he, according to Neymanowski, designed an electrical system for the B-24 bomber which operated the plane’s bomb bay doors.
In an Oakland Press article from the late 1980s, Oberstaedt recalled sitting on Ford Lake Dam in Ypsilanti and chatting with its namesake and builder. At the time, Oberstaedt worked as chief engineer for the dam’s hydroelectric power house.
Oxford Fire Chief Jack LeRoy recalled Oberstaedt telling him how he did some wiring at Ford’s home Fairlane Manor and even invented and built a special bug zapper for him.
‘He got to know Mr. Ford real well,? LeRoy said.
But Ford wasn’t the only historical giant Oberstaedt encountered in his life.
He also got to meet Thomas Edison at the opening of Greenfield Village in 1929, which was also the 50th anniversary of the electric light’s invention. It was there that Oberstaedt witnessed Edison reenact the creation of his famous device in his reconstructed lab.
Being around all these great inventors and technological innovators must have rubbed off on Oberstaedt.
‘He invented a lot of things,? said LeRoy. ‘He held several patents during his life, a lof of them expired after so many years.?
The fire chief recalled how in the late 1940s or early 1950s Oberstaedt invented one of the first phase converters for the Higby Corp. plant in Leonard. The converter allowed factory equipment that ran on three-phase power to operate off a single-phase power source.
Oberstaedt spent much of his life working for Waterford Township. He began as a temporary electrical inspector in September 1966 and stayed on as an electrical engineer for the township’s water and sewer department until his retirement in April 1999.
It was there that he invented a pump that adjusted the amount of electricity it used based on the volume of what it was pumping.
When the volume being pumped was low, the amount of electricity operating the pump was decreased, thus conserving energy and saving money.
For this invention, Oberstaedt received a commendation from Waterford for saving the township money, according to LeRoy. The pumping station Oberstaedt designed and built on Clinton River Drive in Waterford was dedicated to him in 1982 in honor of his service.
But Waterford wasn’t the only community Oberstaedt helped.
In Oxford, where he built a house on Granger Road following World War II, Oberstaedt was a friend to the local police and fire departments, starting with his installation of the first dispatch system in the mid-1950s.
‘He was very helpful to the police department in my tenure there,? said LeRoy, who worked as an officer and served as chief prior to joining the fire department. ‘He was always available to offer help with problems with the communications system and give technical information.?
Whenever there the radio system was out, Oberstaedt was the first to stop in and offer assistance. ‘He helped me get things up and going many times,? LeRoy said.
Locally, Oberstaedt served as electrical inspector for the village and township for many years.
A veteran of the U.S. Navy, he was also a member of Oxford American Legion Post 108.
Beyond his mastery of all things electrical, Oberstaedt was just a nice guy, who was full of energy and vigor.
‘Al was a very likeable man,? LeRoy said.
Neymanowski described him as a ‘very caring individual? who ‘helped out several people in this community when they were down on their luck,? but always did it in a ‘low-key? manner.
‘Whenever someone needed money, he stepped up,? the chief said. ‘He’ll be missed.?
A memorial service for Oberstaedt will be held 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 28 at Huntoon Funeral Home (47 N. Washington St.) in Oxford.
A time of gathering will be held one hour prior to the service.
Donations in Oberstaedt’s memory can be made to McLaren/Visiting Nurses Hospice. Envelopes are available at the funeral home.
‘Al was a very likeable man,? LeRoy said.
Neymanowski described him as a ‘very caring individual? who ‘helped out several people in this community when they were down on their luck,? but always did it in a ‘low-key? way.
‘Whenever someone needed money, he stepped up,? the chief said. ‘He’ll be missed.?
A memorial service for Oberstaedt will be held 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 28 at Huntoon Funeral Home (47 N. Washington St.) in Oxford.
A time of gathering will be held one hour prior to the service.
Donations in Oberstaedt’s memory can be made to McLaren/Visiting Nurses Hospice.
Envelopes are available at the funeral home.