Forty Years Ago

Dr. Lew Wallace Gade, pastor of the Forest Park Presbyterian Church and one of the most popular clergymen in town, died at his cottage retreat in Cook, Minn. The Rev. Gade was a dedicated scholar and speaker who was as “at home” in the pulpit as in front of a media microphone, and was in demand as much locally as he was throughout Chicagoland. Dr. Gade was a close friend of the well-known Dr. Preston Bradley who often visited here.

You might think this was part of a dream sequence, but it’s just another 1967 realty ad: BEST BUY! Forest Park … 8 room, 4 bedroom residence on a 50 foot lot, 2 baths, full basement, with knotty pine rec room, wall-to-wall carpeting, living and dining room, modern kitchen cabinets, 2-car garage. Price: $21,900.

From a Forest Park Kiwanis news release: John Farrell received the Mario Lanza Award for leading the singing. (Does this mean Mario Lanza finished second?)

From the Dec 21 and 28, 1967, Forest Park Review

Thirty Years Ago

The word on Harlie Merritt was “critical.” The Forest Park police sergeant who collided with a snowplow during a blizzard on the New York State Thru Way was on the return leg of a car trip to visit his parents in upstate New York when the accident happened. Merritt was taken to a Buffalo hospital where his wife, friends and some family members joined him.

“Good Psychology,” a back-pages feature, offered tips to help the domestic scene run more smoothly: “Children should be allowed to learn to be more independent. No matter how young they are, there is probably something useful they can do around the house … Even a 2 year old is capable of shutting a door when leaving a room … Even a pre-teen can make a pitcher of iced tea with tap water and a mix. Such small successes can make future training easier.”

There’s news coverage from the trivial to the sudden, dramatic and terminal end–as in the tragic death of a 24-year-old woman who was electrocuted in her bathtub at 445 Desplaines Ave. When the husband of Sandy Sussex had failed to be picked up after work by her, he called a friend to check. The friend found Ms. Sussex in her bathtub with a plugged-in electric dryer submerged beside her. Before he notified the fire department he sustained a shock himself in an attempt to revive her.

From the Dec 14 and 21, 1977, Forest Park Review

Twenty Years Ago

The bound binder is missing still/the server is on vacation./Though there’s a column to fill/There’s not a thought in creation./Then from the ’60s and ’50s/come along those good ol’ Tom Swifties:

“Looks like I just can’t af-Ford that foreign car,” Tom Saabed … “My name is Fidel Castro,” he dictated … “So how’s things at the tower?” he Babeled …”Sure is a bumpy road,” he said tirelessly … “I picked all that cotton,” said Tom, balefully … “I’ll not sing one more aria,” said Marie, callasly …”Fortunately, there’s Time for Life,” said Henry Luce-idly. “I feel A-1,” said Tom, saucily … “Time is made of past, present and future,” said Tom tensely … “I’ll have a Bavarian beer,” said Tom, bushed. “My camera broke again,” said Tom, bellowing and howelling … “I wish I ordered ketchup,” said Tom, heintzsightedly … “Please pass the Log Cabin,” he said surreptitiously … “Darn, I don’t have my air rifle,” said Tom, lackaDaisically.

From the missing pages of 1987

Ten Years Ago

The Fireside Ministry, 4645 W. Jackson Blvd., received a $5,000 donation from the Rev. Bill Winston of the Living Word Christian Center in Forest Park. According to Rev. Charles Cairo of Fireside, his outreach organization would use the funds to complete a building project in Andrah Predesh, India. In addition to the building fund contribution, Living Word also donated $1,200 so that Fireside Director Rev. Ratna Kumar could purchase a motor scooter to help with transportation. Cairo spoke for his ministry and members when he thanked Winston and Living Word for its generosity and largeness of spirit.

From the Dec. 3, 1977, Forest Park Review