Remembering

He came to town with a dream of owning his own restaurant – a Cajun/Creole restaurant as authentic as it could be, since many of the recipes were from his own family. This man’s family had spent many years in the restaurant business during his childhood in the belly of Louisiana. He was no stranger […]

Charlie Brittin was a true renaissance man. He was interested in so many different things that even now I’m learning new facts about him. Many knew Charlie as a fine musician, which he was. He was a member of several different bands here in Springfield, playing bass. Tom Irvin in his column last June gave […]

Twinkling eyes, slow smile lighting up a handsome face. That’s Celia, a “Tinker Bell” spirit in a statuesque body. Those who knew Celia delighted in her presence, a persona filled with light, love and laughter. I met Celia 30 years ago while working at the Illinois State Board of Education. Her enthusiastic, independent nature drew […]

When Rosetta Bowen first laid eyes on her daughter, Helynda Thompson, 23 years ago, two words came to mind – angel face. From that moment on, Bowen looked forward to waking up each day to her beautiful daughter and her “trillion-dollar smile.” But on July 21, fate took that smile away. The day began like […]

What qualities make a superior university professor: intelligence, the ability to work hard, a caring attitude for students of all ages and backgrounds, research skills, enthusiasm and aptitude for teaching, an endless curiosity about one’s field of study, as well as a curiosity about all things intellectual – the life of the mind? Prof. Dennis […]

For decades, Don Hickman spent his evenings in thousands of homes around Springfield, beamed over the airwaves as the face of Channel 20 news. Many people knew him as the second most recognizable face in Springfield after Abraham Lincoln. But Hickman was more than “Old Stoneface,” the nickname he earned for his serious on-air persona. […]

On Oct. 10, 2011, Kealy Alexa Carlson was on her way to ballet class when she died in an automobile accident. She was seven years old. Those of us who knew and cherished Kealy discovered a unique personality embedded in an otherwise typical little girl. Typically, Kealy demonstrated only a grudging tolerance for fruit and […]

Greg and his family moved to Pleasant Plains about eight years ago. He is the father of six wonderful kids: Marissa, Caleb, Paige, Blake, Shaina and Colin Graham. He married Julie Jackson on July 25, 1987. Greg was always a hard-working man, working many jobs. Before retiring due to his health he was an Illinois […]

Anthony had a smile that would light up any room and a heart as big as all outdoors. Anthony started work at McDonald’s on MacArthur before going to Lindsay’s. Then he pursued an associates degree in culinary arts, attending Lincoln Land Community College, then Joliet Junior College. He earned a bachelor’s degree in hotel and […]

A crowd of sleepy-eyed family members, friends and well-wishers waited anxiously at the Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield. They were not waiting for a rock star or even the President of the United States, but instead were waiting for the return of the Honor Flight to touch down. My father, Joseph F. Henderson, Jr., […]

For followers of contemporary Illinois politics, the name Charles Percy needs some refreshing. In an earlier day he served as a Republican for three terms in the U. S. Senate (1967-1985) and established a record for independence that today would be admired – or feared. He died Sept. 17 in Washington at the age of […]

Jerry Gladu was a national-caliber talent in the world of philanthropic development. He spearheaded the founding – and funding – of the St. Francis Foundation, the endowment for the 13 hospitals of Springfield-based Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS). During Jerry’s tenure at HSHS from 1985 to 1996, charitable giving grew from about $2 million to […]