Oxford couple ready to cruise

(Editor’s Note: Last week’s article on two area residents taking their vehicles to the Woodward Dream Cruise spurred another local to reach out about their memories.)

By Don Rush

The family that cruises together, stays together – at least that’s what Oxford Township residents Sherene and Bruce Parris, believe.

“We have been attending Woodward Dream Cruise since the very first one in 1995 and haven’t missed one yet,” Sherene said. “We sit at the same spot at Normandy and Woodward. The business on the corner has changed over the years but we are still there. The cruise is a family affair for us. Several members of our extended family will show up during the week of the cruise as we are down there multiple days leading up to the official day.”

The couple will take down two cars this year. Bruce’s 1970 SS Chevy Camaro and Sherene’s 1966 Ford Mustang. “Bruce is also in the process of restoring his 1966 Corvette Coupe which when finished we hope to take it down to Woodward in the near future,” she said.

The couple, who have lived in Oxford for 30 years, have many memories from the Woodward Dream Cruise.

“There are so many stories in my mind,” Sherene said. “The Blackout of 2003 and the storms that ripped through Royal Oak and taking cover during Dream Cruise in 2011. Crazy times.”

They also attend local, weekly car shows like the one in downtown Oxford every Wednesday.

Bruce has owned his Camaro since high school – for 46 years. He completed the car’s restoration in the early 1980’s. Recently, he upgraded the powertrain.

Sherene has owned her Mustang for seven years. “It has always been my dream car since I was 10-years-old and I have a banner in my back window, ‘Beautiful Dream.’ Bruce searched for the car for over a year without me knowing and found it in LeRoy, MI. We rebuilt the powertrain together and detailed the car and I nicknamed her Mustang Sally. I was so excited when I won my first car show award for Best Overall Ford. I am Sally’s fifth owner.”

The couple say they enjoy hanging out with family, seeing old friends, meeting new people from other states and seeing all the classic cars.

“Our brother-in-law, Bill Worley, of Lapeer takes care of securing our location on Woodward Ave., every year,” Sherene said. “Bill has his own RAT ROD that he brings down to the cruise. Bruce’s brother Bob attended the cruise with us for several years in his 1970 SS 540ci Pro Street Chevelle that Bruce built for him, until he passed away in 2021. My dad, Rich, also attended the Woodward Dream Cruise over the years and in 2019 we gathered for our last family photo down there, as he passed in 2021.”

Bruce and Sherene have a daughter, Danyelle, 36, and two sons, Kaleb, 22 and Seth, 20.

This year will mark the 28th running of the Woodward Dream Cruise, which celebrates America’s first highway and classic cars that cruised up and down the highway. This year the cruise starts at 9 a.m. on Aug. 19.

 Photos courtesy of the Parris Family