John Milkovich Jr., helped found Detroit Dragway, located on the corner of Sibley and Dix roads in Brownstown Township, died at the age of 87 on Jan. 28. The raceway closed for good in 1998.

Mr. Milkovich, the longtime owner of Mt. Clemens Marine Center on South River Road, served on the Mount Clemens City Commission from 2004-2008, where he was involved in several squabbles involving his personal life that spilled over into his public role as a commissioner.

The Pennsylvania native found himself in the media spotlight in 2004 when he was overheard at a commission meeting describing a Black minister as that “colored fellow.” He later said he didn’t realize the term “colored” could be offensive to anyone.

Earlier in the year, while questioning a hefty lawyer applying for the city attorney job, Mr. Milkovich asked the lawyer if he intended to lose any weight should he get the position. The little “joke” resulted in a lawsuit.

In another episode, Mr. Milkovich said his insurance company threatened to cancel his coverage because the city placed a lock on a fire hydrant on the property of Mt. Clemens Marine Center. The lock was placed on the hydrant following allegations he may have been using municipal water from the fire hydrant to wash boats at his facility.

The marine center serviced millions of dollars’ worth of boating vessels every year and also had a large amount of flammable materials on the grounds in fuel and other chemicals.

“I never stole one drop of the city’s water,” he said at the time.

Barb Dempsey, a former Mount Clemens mayor and city commissioner who served with Malkovich, recalled him as a “good man, and he lived a colorful life.”

“During the time that John was on the city commission, he definitely kept us all on our toes,” she said. “He came across as a tough person who definitely didn’t have a filter and would say what he felt.

“But there was another side to him that many people may not have seen. He was kind and would give the shirt off his back to anyone who that needed it. There’s so many people that he helped, even his critics.”

In an obituary notice, family members said he lived “an extraordinary life defined by service, craftsmanship, competition, and unwavering patriotism.” They said he was a champion Corvette racer and made mention that he helped build the former Detroit Dragway in Brownstown Township.

In the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, he helped deliver cargo to Ground Zero at the World Trade Center as part of the Mount Clemens Convoy, his family said.

He is survived by his two daughters, a grandson, and two brothers.

A funeral service will be held at 6 p.m. today at Kraatz Funeral Directors, 226 Crocker Boulevard, Mount Clemens. Visitors will be received 1-8 p.m. today.

Tribune News Service

Ismael Ahmed, a pioneering Arab American leader who helped reshaped community services, cultural institutions and led civil rights advocacy in Michigan, has died.

Word of his passing Saturday prompted an outpouring of tributes from cultural and civic leaders who described him as a builder and bridge-maker across communities.

Ahmed was the founder and longtime executive director of ACCESS (Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Service).

“Ismael was a dear friend to so many, with a long and distinguished career dedicated to public service and community. He helped shape ACCESS in its earliest days, played a key role in its growth, and served as a longtime Executive Director,” said ACCESS President and CEO Maha Freij in a post on Facebook.

“The impact of his contributions to ACCESS, our community, and the State of Michigan cannot be overstated,” Freij said.

A lover of music, Ahmed co-founded the Concert of Colors in 1993 and helped build it into a long-running multicultural festival. He also shared global music as the host of a WDET radio show.

“Our mission is to bring people together,” Ahmed told The Detroit News in 2016. “There is a sense of urgency in Detroit that we really have to bring together the cultures and the communities.”

The Concert of Colors called Ahmed “our shining light” in a Facebook post, and said he “leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of music, dance, and cultural connection that brought communities together and celebrated the richness of our shared humanity.”

Rev. Horace L. Sheffield III, CEO of DABO Detroit, recalled Ahmed as “a great friend, collaborator, and social justice fighter,” citing their shared advocacy following the killing of Vincent Chin and opposition to the Dearborn Parks ban.

“Ismael Ahmed was always concerned about the marginalized,” Sheffield said.

Noting that Ahmed also played a key role in co-launching the Arab American National Museum and served on its advisory board for many years, the American Arab Chamber of Commerce called Ahmed “a foundational leader whose vision, generosity, and lifelong commitment to justice helped shape the Arab American community and the broader civic fabric of our nation.”

Ahmed’s public service extended into state and national leadership.

He served as a director at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services under Gov. Jennifer Granholm, becoming the first Arab American to hold one of Michigan’s most significant cabinet-level roles.

He later returned to his alma mater, the University of Michigan-Dearborn, as an associate provost, and was appointed to the National Council on the Arts by President Joe Biden.

Nasser Beydoun, chairman of the Arab Civil Rights League, issued a statement calling Ahmed “a giant in our community whose life was defined by service, compassion, and an unshakable commitment to human dignity.

“He built institutions that cared for people when they needed it most and inspired generations to believe that justice, equity, and community are not ideals, but obligations.”

The Detroit News chose Ahmed as one of its 1994 Michiganians of the Year.

“Ahmed’s intensity about issues and his concern for others is hard to match. … His ability to go over, around and through barriers to accomplish a goal is what makes him so good at what he does,” the accompanying article said.

“But as zealous as he is, Ahmed has the knack of being a moderator and peacemaker. He is at his best when it comes to tearing down walls between ethnic groups.”

Ahmed is survived by his wife, Margaret, their children and grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to the Concert of Colors.