Last Sunday was bright outside, but inside the Kuratko-Nosek Funeral Home there was only heartbreak. The Decosola family has had more sorrow than anyone can understand. A few weeks ago, Rose died. Now, just a short time later, Joe Decosola has left us. Neighbors and Forest Park friends send deepest sympathy to young Joey (his son), Gary Decosola (his father), his brothers Mike and Matt, his nieces, nephews and all his friends.
Two corrections from last week’s column: The aunts who sent Valentines to Ruth Johnson Marquardt in 1911 were my aunts, not Carolyn Kelly’s. Those darn prepositions, ya gotta watch ’em!
Saint Peter’s Church has not closed, just slowed down. Services are held there once a month. Loretta Woeltje has moved to Westchester Rehab at 2901 S. Wolf Road in Westchester, for those who would like to remember her with a card or a visit.
Speedier get well wishes to Sandy Byrnes, who has been recovering from what was diagnosed at first as an injured toe, which turned out to be several broken bones in her foot and a stress fracture in her leg. Ouch! Fortunately, nothing was wrong with her hands, so Sandy has been busy finishing a few more quilts, some purses, dresses, etc.
Let’s all meet at the Howard Mohr Community Center for pancakes this Saturday, March 3, between 8:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Jill Wagner and her Cub Scouts will welcome us and give us A+ service, along with delicious pancakes, sausages and orange juice.
The musical event of the decade will take place on Monday, March 5 at Orchestra Hall – excuse me, Symphony Center, 200 S. Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Our very own Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest along with the Symphony Chorus and the Chicago Chorale of Hyde Park will perform Beethoven’s giant masterwork, Missa Solemnis. It begins early, 7 p.m., so you’ll get home at a reasonable hour.
It was a lively gathering of voters at the park building last Saturday morning. Voters were there to hear candidates for 7th District state representative. Our own Rory Hoskins gave an enthusiastic presentation, followed by enlightened responses to many questions. Princess Dempsey of Westchester also charmed the audience. Unfortunately the other two candidates didn’t show up, and we’ll never know why. Lack of interest in the voters of Forest Park?
Happy 26th wedding anniversary to Judy and Derick Gist this week. Judy and Derick have two big kids of whom they are very proud, Rachel and Leonard. Both are students at Proviso East.
March is here and it’s happy birthday time for Gerry Kowalski, Kim Reina, Roland Scott, Jim Breseman, Bill Brown, Abigail Fletcher, Isabella Calenzi, Heather Babcock, Joe Breseman, Grace Spence, Diannemarie Williams, Jill Swentek, Rich Green, David Rodenbostel, Brandon Thompson, Barbara Coleman, Vicki Fipinger, Tevian Russell, Christian Schremser, Grant Heyer, Gina DiJulio-Swan, Lucy Landaeta, Steve Blazek, Corwin Lindel, Ed Martinski, and Scott Novak. Happy anniversary to Lucy and Joe Gianelli.
Jackie is a former Chicago and Elmwood Park schoolteacher with an undying love for music, friendly pets and a host of life’s other treasures too numerous to list. She was born on the far southwest side of Chicago in a great neighborhood when it was a great time to be young.
