Remembering

Two hundred words is not enough. The impact John had on the lives of those he touched during his short time here will always be remembered. He was a proud father of two wonderful daughters, a beloved brother and son, a loyal friend and so much more. John was a known and well respected Springfield […]

Ryan Cannon met his future wife, Lisa, through an online dating site. “That was about three or four months before her cancer resurfaced,” he said. Nicknamed “Lisa Lu” (short for her maiden name, Lukaszewski), Lisa had been a little over two years cancer-free at the time they met. When her diagnosis came, the couple realized […]

She was a ray of sunshine whose sparkling eyes never met a stranger. My mom, Alfreda “Freda” “Allie” Katauski – a timeless beauty with a heart of gold and passion for fun. Growing up in Gillespie, she was the first grandchild and only granddaughter and niece for many years, making her quite spoiled by her […]

Catherine Staab had just seven nieces and nephews, but if you included the people who called her “Aunt Catherine,” that number would have been in the triple digits. She never knew a stranger – everyone called her Aunt Catherine. A woman dedicated to her career as funeral director, Aunt Catherine served the Springfield community alongside […]

“The only good thing about the good old days is they’re gone.“– Dick Gregory Dick Gregory, who passed away in August at the age of 84, had the rare gift of combining humor with social commentary in a way that created understanding and unity rather than division. As a stand-up comedian starting out in the […]

I met Uncle Bill in the summer of 1962 when I was 3½ years old. My parents, older sister and I had made the trip from Springfield to Uncle Bill and Aunt Nan’s home in Connecticut. When we arrived, they were welcoming and loving. I also met my three cousins that day. It was such […]

Jim Forstall just had this twinkle in his eyes and a smile that drew one into him. Whether it was at a meeting of the Chamber’s Business Education Partnership discussing ways business and education could unite for students, or at one of the many community organizations that Jim participated in, he showed a gentleman’s demeanor. […]

Strictly on paper, no one should have given much of a rat about Mary Therese Vann. She was a recovering alcoholic and perpetually late. A person who flitted between jobs and businesses and appointments like a hummingbird on methamphetamine. She held no public office, accumulated no power, was rarely quoted in newspapers and kissed no […]

My mom had the biggest heart and was a phenomenal woman. Mom graduated from the U of I and received her master’s from SIUC. She was proud that three generations of women in her family had received SIUC master’s degrees (my mom, her mother and I). Her first job was teaching in Paxton, Illinois, and […]

Thomas R. Jones dedicated his life to serving his country and his fellow man. He spent eight years in the U.S. Navy, which included a 13-month tour of duty in Vietnam, followed by a long and distinguished career in public service. Having experienced firsthand the horrors of war and the difficulties of adjusting to civilian […]

An old boss of mine died earlier this month. Former Representative John B. Anderson was really more political mentor than boss. I am glad and proud to say that. John B, as he was commonly known around the 16th Congressional District of northern Illinois, was a Republican. So was the house where I grew up. […]

If you were to mention the name Al Lewin anywhere in the central Illinois emergency services community, there would be instant recognition. For many years, Al served the Illinois State Police, as well as fire departments in Auburn and Chatham. He could be seen often running to emergencies of all kinds. He served as an […]