ESCANABA– From 1954 to 1987 Charlie Cretens served as the janitor of Holy Name Catholic School. While his job was to clean and fix things that needed attention around the building, he was more than just the school’s handyman.
Janitor who worked above and beyond his duties honored tonight
Follow @WJMN_Local3 Like Local 3 News on Facebook: ESCANABA– From 1954 to 1987 Charlie Cretens served as the janitor of Holy Name Catholic School. While his job was to clean and fix things that needed attention around the building, he was more than just the school’s handyman .
Joe Carlson, Holy Name Catholic School Principal says, “He worked with students. He drove them to get them to school to receive a Catholic education those students who couldn’t receive or afford a Catholic education, he’d give them jobs at the school to help pay for their tuition and so he was just really dedicated.”
And one of the duties most important to him was maintaining the school’s gym, often referred to as his palace.
Ron Deloria, student janitor under Cretens says, “Every summer four of us would come in strip the varnish off and redo it. And once you started, you couldn’t stop. He was so proud of it. It was the number one rated gym floor in Michigan for a number of times for no hollow spots on the floor.”
The gym was originally dedicated to Cretens when he retired in 1987. This summer the gym floor went through a $20,000 renovation.The school thought it was only appropriate to rededicate the floor to the man it was most precious to.
Carlson says, “We’re going to have a nice plaque that we hang in his honor with the history of Charlie here at the school and the man he was.
Friends and family of Cretens as well as the school community gathered tonight to rededicate the floor in his honor. And even though Cretens passed away about 18 years ago, the school is determined to have his name live on.