Remembering

Springfield lost a legal community stalwart on July 16 when Judge Richard “Dick” Mills of Springfield passed away. A child of the Great Depression, Richard grew up in the river town of Beardstown, weaned on small-town values he learned at home, in church and in a one-room schoolhouse. Mills had many dimensions to his life, […]

Radio legend Rich Bradley left us in 2023. Countless NPR listeners across central Illinois will remember him as the comforting voice over the airwaves going back to the mid-1970s.  Rich was a constant, from the early days when Sangamon State University’s WSSR went on the air in 1975, and long after its transformation to WUIS by […]

Sam, the neighborhood basset hound, knew where to find a kind heart and comforting hand. “Every time it would rain, that poor dog would become afraid and come to our back door and start scratching to be let in. Of course, Mel would always let him in to our house. One time, that dog walked […]

While washing dishes, I feel her come up from behind. After Paula nestles my neck, she grabs my hand, turns me around and we begin dancing to the tune in her head. Then she begins to sing, leaving me to wonder if it was a real song or something she was creating. Paula loved to […]

Proshanta Nandi is remembered for the cultural bridges he built between the Indian and larger Springfield community. However, on a personal level as characterized by a good friend of his, “Proshanta Nandi was one of those few people who maintained his integrity forever.” This was clearly consistent with Proshanta’s belief in humanity, equality and justice […]

During our Zoom introduction, I first recall hearing a lovely and calm voice in the background who offered coffee to the Rev. Dr. Wesley G. Robinson McNeese. With his endearing grace and style, he first acknowledged his wife of 46 years, LaVern Ollie-McNeese, for her love and care, while boasting of her excellent skills as […]

We all know the saying, “Life is a journey.” None of us know how and when each journey will end or what joys and challenges are along the way. One little girl, June Dallas, was only given three years on this side of eternity, but what a difference her journey made. And continues to make. […]

Todd Maisch never held elective office, but he was a fixture in Illinois politics for more than 30 years. Tall, handsome, always smiling, his face was one of the best-known in the Statehouse. At a time when folks jump from job to job, Maisch had the same employer for almost 30 years. As president of […]

When it comes to memorable people in my life, Vince Speranza ranks in the top tier. He was born into a large Italian American family in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan and grew up on Staten Island. During World War II Vince was eager to do his part and enlisted in 1943. After completing […]

It’s probably fair to say that Eric Welch never got over SOHO. A gregarious and unfailingly humorous presence at local music events for years, Eric founded the SOHO Music Festival, which ran every summer from 2004-2016. The festival was both a showcase for original musical acts from the area and a charity event, raising thousands […]

Springfield-area residents read and heard Michael Leathers’ name many times in Illinois Times and The State Journal-Register and on television and radio as he spoke on behalf of Memorial Health for 20 years. Yes, he was a PR guy for an important health care institution in Springfield, the one that operates Springfield Memorial Hospital and […]

Thomas Allen Gum was a kind, quiet, gentle man who always put his family first, from giving up smoking when his daughters developed asthma, to spending his two-week vacation driving to various parts of the country to give his daughters educational and fun experiences. He was a man of faith and attended the First Church […]