40 Years Ago

Because eldest son, Claude Walker Jr., had passed away suddenly a week earlier at 38, another son, Richard, took over the weekly column of Ye Old Editor, Claude Sr. Dick wrote a beautiful and brotherly paean on Claude, Jr. to family, friends and the people of Forest Park. The following are his words:

“I thought I knew this town and its people pretty well. But I hadn’t really been touched by them until my brother, Claude Jr., passed away. Claude, or Scoop, as some of us called him, grew up here and joined the Review in 1952, after attending Northwestern University. He was on a first name basis with most people here.”

Walker paid thanks at the end of his column with, “So many, so many others, were so kind. Thank you. That’s Forest Park.”

From the Sept. 5, 1968, Forest Park Review

30 Years Ago

Good news – is it scarce or is it all over? It’s a conundrum. Depends on how you view things. Back in 1978, 12-year-old Mike Lowe of Ferdinand found a man’s wallet in the park district locker room, and turned it over to a park staffer. The staffer called its owner, Julius Rausch, who was grateful to reclaim his wallet intact. Mike was given an appropriate reward for honesty and example-setting.

This is a valid story, but is it news? As soon as you question it, you find yourself asking, are people naturally good? What is goodness? What’s your value system? Why bog down a perfectly good half-hour reading the paper with such head-banger questions? Get thee to the Internet, or check out the philosophy section at our library. Is good news news?

From the Sept. 20, 1978, Forest Park Review

20 Years Ago

Can you handle more good news? Sure you can. This town’s been full of good people. One of them was the subject of this on-the-mark 1988 letter to the editor:

“Forest Park has never known a finer, more competent pediatrician [than Dr. Phyllis Orland]. The reason I feel qualified to say this is that she cared for most of our nine grandchildren from birth to near adulthood. During the time we owned Andro Drugs, we became aware of Dr. Orland’s expertise and great compassion for her ‘babies.’ We knew so many of her patients who valued her medical knowledge, combined with her ‘motherly common sense.’ [When retired,] she will be sorely missed and never forgotten. God bless you, doctor, and best wishes for a fulfilling retirement.” – Vivian (Mrs. Robert) Andro and children.

From the Oct. 12, 1988, Forest Park Review

10 Years Ago

Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho;

Let’s rent a video

Uncle and nephew were driving near the Blockbuster store at 109 N. Harlem. Uncle – Charles Rogers, 45 – told nephew, age 17, he was going inside for a good movie. He entered the store, leaving the young man sitting in the car. Once inside, Uncle Charley set a terrible example for his youthful relative by pulling a blue .32-caliber revolver on the counterman, then scooping up $268.

Meantime, nephew, wondering why things were taking so long, left the car out of curiosity. Re-enter Uncle Charley, now moving quickly, who leaped in, put her in gear and split. Arriving police spotted the nephew, matched his description to that of the clerk’s and nailed Uncle Charley next day at his Chicago apartment.

From the Sept. 16, 1998, Forest Park Review

Bob was born in Yonkers, N.Y., in 1932. His family encouraged him to join the Air Force (ours) during the Korean War. There, he fell into the clutches of Barbara Miles. They still have two world-class daughters, Jill and Cara. “Each of the four of us likes the other three of us,” says Bob.