Arthur Siebert was born in Detroit in 1955. Living near Fischer Street and Gratiot Avenue, Arthur spent much of his time riding his bike along the long streets with other neighborhood kids. He especially loved tagging along with his older sisters, who kindly let him follow in their footsteps during the dog days of summer.
Sometime around second grade, however, his parents told him to pack his bags—the Sieberts were moving out of the city. Arthur had to wave goodbye to his friends, most of whom he eventually lost touch with. There was no Facebook, no smartphones, no instant way to keep in contact. Life moved on.
At age 34, Arthur and his family bought a house in Sterling Heights, where he’s lived ever since. He raised a family, retired, launched his own lawn-cutting business, and made new friends along the way. In 2024, he began weekly morning visits to the Sterling Heights Community Center to walk the indoor track—getting in some exercise and a little socializing all in one trip.
That’s where he met Jerry Boekhout. Although he didn’t realize he’d already met Jerry Boekhout.
“We were walking for a while and sat down in the lobby, and he said his name was Jerry Boekhout. That rang a bell in my head,” Arthur said.
As the group of walkers relaxed after their laps, Arthur name-dropped street names and corner stores from his old neighborhood—details that started to paint a picture in Jerry’s memory.
“I asked Art, ‘Do you know anybody named Siebert?’” Jerry recalled. “His wife said, ‘We’re the Sieberts!’ We just randomly met here after 60-some years. You don’t know until you start talking, you know?”
Eight years his senior, Jerry went to Nativity High School with Arthur’s older sisters and remembered spending time with the Siebert family. While life may have kept them from becoming friends back then, they’ve taken the opportunity to become great friends now. They meet regularly at the Community Center a few times a week, occasionally go out for breakfast, and bond over their similar life paths—both owning small, self-run businesses.
Arthur and Jerry both emphasize the importance of staying active as they grow older and making time for daily exercise.
“The best thing to do is keep moving. I’ve got friends my age or younger who can hardly move,” said Jerry, who visits the Community Center every morning. “I walk four miles, cut my lawns, and I’m helping my brother-in-law flip a condo. Just keep on moving.”
“We’re at the age where we’re coming down on the roller coaster,” Arthur added with a laugh. “I keep a positive attitude, but it’s reality. I know people dealing with heart issues, some who’ve had heart attacks. I don’t want to be in that same boat.”
While the “keep moving” part of their mantra could happen anywhere, both men love the social aspect that comes with their walking group—especially when it leads to the kind of serendipitous reconnection they experienced.
“You pick up a lot of friends [at the Community Center.] A lot of us seniors like to talk. We get a lot of laughs,” Jerry said. “This is a great facility. Sterling Heights is putting a lot of money into everything. It’s a blessing.”
Their story is a testament to the simple joys of movement and meaningful connection. As they walk side by side, lap after lap, their voices heard around the track, they remind us all that it’s never too late to rekindle old friendships—or to take the first step toward forming new ones.