Forty Years Ago

Not every news item reverberates like a .5 earthquake, but any mishap can truly shake things if you’re personally involved. Where would you put these on your own bad luck Richter Scale?

All from the same May 13, 1965 issue: Robert McConachie of Berwyn suffered severe lacerations of his neck and shoulders when he fell against a plate glass window at a Madison St. laundromat. He was rushed to Oak Park Hospital for two hours of surgery to stitch several cuts.

Patricia Bowers, 8, of 521 Beloit, suffered a possible fracture of the collarbone when she fell from a tree. She was taken to Oak Park Hospital by local police.

A cat was not Fireman Ray Weatherford’s best friend. Ray was called to rescue the animal from a tree (same one Patricia fell out of?) with a predictable end-result. Oak Park Hospital.

Herst Ollman of Broadview, suffered lacerated fingers while repairing a power mower. Same place. Cops took him.

Finally, Kyle Warren was born to Mr. and Mrs. Warren Loseke. No accident, presumably (While this may not be noteworthy to you, it meant everything to Kyle). Loretto Hospital, for a change.

From the May 13, 1965 issue of the Forest Park Review.

Thirty Years Ago

Richard Wood, the perennial candidate of yesteryear, was re-running for mayor against Howard Mohr. His strategy? To write a series of columns for this newspaper, voicing his political opinions.

It appears his efforts were lost on this letter writer: “Richard Wood, the comatose carpetbagger who last won an elected post when Haward Mohr was in diapers, seems intent on becoming a local Lar Daly. I’ve enjoyed his weekly articles, but I wonder why someone who has so little to say always takes so long to say it.””A south side Forest Parker.

His name appeared in the Police Reports as much or more than any police officer. Even more than the most hardened criminal. Gary Doss, a hometown product, had received a remarkable 26 commendations and seven injuries his first 11 years of duty on the force.

His arrest record included the apprehension and shooting of an armed robber who was in the process of assaulting an 80-year-old man (this can require some delicate doing). Twice he arrested trios of burglars and frequently took in suspects on crimes from armed robbery to purse-snatching.

Responding to a citizen’s call, local cops nabbed four South Side Chicagoans who had broken into the Trage Bros. appliance store after midnight. First to arrive was you-know-who, along with Det. Richard Archambault and Officer Albert Tagliola.

From the April/May 1975 issues of the Forest Park Review.

Twenty Years Ago

After 13 years, one of our village’s most popular and respected leading citizens stepped down as Superintendent of Forest Park Schools. Dr. Arthur E. Jones would be accepting a position at the Glen Ellyn school system. He said the decision was not easy because he and his family had invested in the community.

“Most of our good friends are here,” said Jones, “and we plan to live here in the foreseeable future.”

A man of his word, the good doctor still maintains a residence here with his wife, Sally. As the architect of Main Street, Jones has had everything to do with the resurgence of our village and is in his sixth year as president of the Forest Park National Bank.

Publisher Bob Haeger, in his ‘Once Over Lightly’ column, defined Father’s Day as when the kids get a chance to use the change they got back after they bought their Mother’s Day presents. Haeger also reported he was accepting the aging process peacefully; that he didn’t mind growing old, but that his body was getting upset about it.

From the May 1985 issues of the Forest Park Review.

Ten Years Ago

A Father and son team from Berwyn relieved Famous Liquors on Roosevelt Road of $2,250. Charles Novak, 41, and his son, Charles Jr., entered the liquor store, pulled guns and demanded money from the cash register. The clerk handed over the receipts, then told the manager, who rushed to catch the license plate numbers of their car. Within a minute, a police dispatch had reported a collision at a nearby corner. When another officer there overheard the plate number he saw a match and knew he had the armed robbers.

Who Remembers? … Harlow Shapley … Jean Harlow … Jean Arthur … Arthur Lake (Dagwood) … Lake Louise … Louise Lasser … whitewalls … hood ornaments … running boards … fountain pens … blotters … carbon paper … mimeograph machines … Gary Dotson.

From the May 1995 issues of the Forest Park Review.