December 13, 1977: A day of tragedy and tears

December 12, 2017 By Leave a Comment

(Editor’s Note: Tomorrw– December 13 — marks the 40th anniversary of the plane crash that killed the entire University of Evansville basketball team. Three players from Southern Illinois — Mike Duff and Kevin Kingston, of Eldorado and Greg Smith, of West Frankfort — died in that crash. 

In 2007, as publisher of Southern Illinois Sports Connection Magazine, I wrote a story about the 30th anniversary of that rainy, dreary and tragic day in 1977, the 30th anniversary of the Evansville disaster.  I spent more time and more effort on that story than anything I’ve ever written, mainly because there were so many people that had to be interviewed and so many story lines to weave together. To honor those who died in the crash this is the story in its entirety.   JM)

December 13, 1977 – A Day Forever Etched in Our Memory

By Jim Muir

There are moments in life that are so shocking and so surreal that they are forever etched in our minds and seared in our conscience. The memories of those events are so vivid that we can pinpoint exactly where we were at, who we were with and in some instances even what clothing we were wearing.

Think of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger and in more recent times the 9-11 terror attacks.

The same can be said, particularly for area sports fans, about the date Dec. 13, 1977 – the day that the entire University of Evansville basketball team died in a fiery plane crash less than two minutes after take-off from Dress Regional Airport, in Evansville. In all 29 people died in the crash including 14 players, head coach Bobby Watson, one trainer, two team managers, the school’s sports information director, a longtime radio sportscaster, the assistant athletic director, three crew members and two airline officials.

Three members of that team – Mike Duff, Kevin Kingston and Greg Smith – were Southern Illinois high school basketball standouts that had thrilled fans with their athletic abilities. All of Southern Illinois was proud that the three area players had taken their considerable skills to Evansville, who had just made the move to Division I basketball.

Following news of the crash the sense of loss and the grief throughout Southern Illinois during that Christmas season was immeasurable. On the 30th anniversary of that event and to honor those who died Southern Illinois Sports Connection looks back at that fateful, foggy night through the eyes of six people that were intimately entwined in the lives of those who perished.

A Young Reporter and the Story of a Lifetime

On the night of Dec. 13, 1977 Rich Davis reported to work at the Evansville Courier & Press expecting it to be a typical Tuesday night.

Davis had worked at the newspaper for four years covering hard news stories but said nothing had prepared him for what he would experience that December night.

evansville 1Davis, now 58, still works at the newspaper and recently recalled the events of that night three decades ago. Davis remembered that word was received in the newsroom shortly after 7:30 p.m. that a plane had gone down near the airport.

“The first indication was that it was a commercial flight,” said Davis. “Nobody even suspected it was the Aces because they were supposed to fly out at about 4 p.m. but we didn’t know then that the foggy conditions had prevented their charter flight from arriving from Indianapolis. Even when we got to the sight and started making our way toward the wreckage we didn’t have any idea.”

The plane had taxied down the runway at 7:21 p.m. and less than 90 seconds later crashed in a hard-to-reach area east of the main runway near Melody Hills subdivision. Davis and two other reporters headed to the scene. He described the weather conditions as “miserable, just terrible.”

“I really don’t remember it being that cold but it was just a misting rain all day long and very foggy, a pea-soup kind of night,” Davis said.

The three reporters traveled as far as they could by car until they encountered a dead-end street. At that point they exited the vehicle and what Davis described as “an odd event” took place.

“We were standing there trying to figure out how to get to the crash site and by then there was security everywhere and from out of nowhere this kid walks up to me, he couldn’t have been more than 10 years old, and says ‘Mister, I can get you down there, I know how to get there.’ So we start following this little boy through brush and thicket and woods and there was mud everywhere,” Davis recalled. “When we got down there the plane had actually crashed in a ravine by a railroad track. As we got closer I could see the tail of the plane up on this ridge above us and there were still some small fires. When we arrived they had already started trying to recover the bodies.”

Even as he made his way to the wreckage Davis still believed the crash was a commercial jet.

“When we got close enough I saw a bunch of Aces’ duffel bags and tennis shoes scattered everywhere,” recalled Davis. “It would have been horrible regardless, but when I realized it was the Aces I just had this overwhelming feeling of grief.”

Davis explained that the 1977-78 basketball season was a milestone for the Evansville program as they made the jump to Division I for the first time. He said the Aces enjoyed unrivaled stature in the community due in large part to winning five Division II national championships during a 12 year span under legendary Coach Arad McCutchan.

Davis said one particular moment stood out that night during the recovery of bodies.

“Because of where the crash took place the only way to get the bodies out was to bring a train in,” said Davis. “It was very foggy and I still remember the light of that train cutting through the fog and the misting rain and when they blew the whistle I remember how mournful it sounded. They transported the bodies from there downtown to a makeshift morgue.”

Davis said on a national scale the grief associated across the nation with the 9-11 attacks was comparable but regionally he has never encountered – and he doesn’t expect he ever will – any story as devastating as the plane crash.

“As the horror of what happened took hold the entire community was just absolutely devastated,” said Davis. “That night I was so caught up in it that I didn’t have time to even think about what had happened. It was just surreal. The grief was everywhere because people just couldn’t comprehend something of this magnitude. I mean, in one horrible moment this city lost something very, very special. The coach, the team … everything was just wiped out that night.”

Diamond Avenue and U.S. Route 41

Marie Kothe was a senior at the University of Evansville on that tragic night 30 years ago. Kothe, who ironically works at Evansville Regional Airport (formerly Dress Regional Airport), said the details of the plane crash are just as fresh today as they were in 1977.

“I had just gotten out of a night class, it was a nutrition class, and was driving home when I heard on the radio that the Aces’ plane had crashed,” said Kothe. “I remember that I was sitting at a red light at the corner of Diamond Avenue and Route 41. I was immediately in a state of shock. I remember looking over in the direction of the airport and it was cold and rainy and dreary. I drove on home but I don’t remember the drive. I remember staying up all night watching television.”

Much the way reporter Rich Davis remembered it, Kothe said the grim reality of what had happened and what had been lost didn’t sink in for a few days.

“When they started announcing names and I could put a connection with the names it was worse,” said Kothe. “The word that comes to mind when you talk about the community as a whole is stunned, I just think the entire city was walking around stunned about what had happened. I don’t think I even cried for a couple of days and then all of a sudden it hit me about what had happened.”

Kothe has worked at the airport for four years and noted that the plane crash was on her mind even when she applied for the position.

“I mean you can just look across the field there,” said Kothe pointing in the direction of the crash site, “and you automatically remember what happened. The people that were here in Evansville will never forget that night.”

A Coach Remembers

Aside from family members perhaps nobody had more connection to the three Southern Illinois athletes that died in the Evansville plane crash than Bob Brown.

A legendary high school player at West Frankfort in the late 1950s and early 1960s Brown played college basketball at the University of Illinois. He still holds the single game scoring record at West Frankfort, a 52-point explosion against Herrin where he scored 29 points in the fourth quarter.

Brown took over as head coach at Eldorado during the 1972-73 season and coached at the Saline County school for five years, compiling an impressive overall record of 121-30. During that span Brown coached Kevin Kingston two years and coached Mike Duff three years. That five year span included two unbeaten regular seasons and three trips to the Elite Eight, played in Champaign during that era. In 1975 the Eagles finished fourth, were beaten in the quarter-finals in 1976 and then returned in 1977 to finish in third place.

“Every year I was at Eldorado was very special,” Brown said. “Those kids worked so hard for me, they were just warriors.”

Brown’s oldest son, Mike, was born during his coaching days in Eldorado and was named after Duff, he said.

“I loved the kid (Duff),” Brown said. “All three of these young men were the kind of guy you’d want in a foxhole with you.”

Along with his association with Duff and Kingston Brown, because he is a native of West Frankfort had known Greg Smith also and was even instrumental in helping him secure a basketball scholarship to Evansville. Smith had already committed to attend Millikan University but changed his mind after Brown lobbied Evansville Coach Bobby Watson to give the West Frankfort standout a scholarship.

“I’ve thought about that often,” said Brown. “I had a part in him (Smith) going to Evansville. That was tough to take.”

Following the 1976-77 season Brown left Eldorado and took a coaching job at West Frankfort. Like all those involved in the tragedy he remembers distinctly where he was at when he heard the news about the plane crash.

“I was still living in Eldorado and when I was driving home that evening, I never will forget, I was driving through Galatia I heard something about a plane crash on the radio, just bits and pieces, there was no real details,” said Brown. “When I pulled into my driveway my wife ran out to the car and I knew something serious had happened. I immediately started making phone calls to see if anybody had survived. It was difficult to get all the details. You have to remember that in 1977 it wasn’t like it is now with cell phones and cable television.”

Even 30 years after the plane crash Brown still gets emotional when discussing the death of Duff, Kingston and Smith.

“I’ve never in my life experienced something as devastating as this,” said Brown. “It took a lot out of me and to be honest I was never quite the same afterwards. I mean these were kids that were hard workers, disciplined, intelligent and they had their entire life in front of them. It was just hard to believe that something like this could happen. The absolute toughest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life was go to those three wakes that week.”

A wake for Duff and Kingston was held at the Eldorado High School gymnasium (later named Duff-Kingston Gymnasium), Brown recalled. He said it was a fitting tribute that the two players be memorialized together but he also found it to be a cruel irony.

“Here are these two caskets on the same basketball floor where we had all these wonderful moments and memories,” said Brown. “I just remember that the grief was unbearable.”

Brown said all three funerals were held on the Friday following the Tuesday plane crash. He said his West Frankfort team had a game scheduled with Harrisburg on the night of the funeral and after consulting with the Smith family it was decided to play the game.

“We were not very good and hadn’t won a game at that point in the season,” said Brown. “I showed up and I tried to talk to my team but I just couldn’t do it. We ended up winning the game, I don’t know how, but we did somehow. I can honestly say that coaching just wasn’t the same for me after that plane crash.”

Brown said he often thinks of Duff, Kingston and Smith, and not just near the anniversary of their deaths, and even has a portrait of the three players in his living room. Brown said he believes all three would have been successful as adults.

“I think Duff would have played in the NBA, he was that good,” said Brown. “I believe Kevin would have been a high school coach and with his work ethic would have been a great coach. And as intelligent as Greg was, he could have done anything he wanted to do.”

A Phone Call from the Airport

In her words Kay Barrow remembers the details of Dec. 13, 1977 “just like it was yesterday.

Barrow, the mother of Mike Duff, was working in the Eldorado office of her husband, Dr. John Barrow, a well-known orthopedic surgeon. She said she remembers a late afternoon phone call from Duff, the last time she and her son would ever talk.

mike duff“Mostly I remember that he was happy that afternoon,” Barrow said. “He called to see if we were going to make it to the game the next night and he also told me that their flight had been delayed because of the weather. It was just a typical conversation but the main thing I remember is that the last time I talked with him he was happy.”

Barrow said she heard the news about the crash while listening to an Eldorado basketball game that night.

“It was just one of those moments in life when you just don’t want to believe what you just heard,” she said. “We started calling people we knew in Evansville trying to find out the details, looking back it was just surreal. It was just a short time after we heard the news that people started coming to the house trying to be with us and to help take care of us. That night and that entire week were just like a blur to me, we went around in a daze.”

Barrow said the years have helped lessen the grief but she said that December remains a difficult month even three decades after the plane crash.

“December is always a tough month and it always will be,” Barrow said. “I do anything I can, frantically clean house, put up Christmas decorations, just anything to keep my mind off of it. Christmas has never been quite the same for me.”

Barrow said there are also little, unexpected things that create a flood of emotions.

“Before the plane crash I had ordered Mike a down-filled coat for Christmas, I ordered it from an L.L. Bean catalog,” said Barrow. “The other day we got an L.L. Bean catalog in the mail and I automatically thought about that December in 1977. And it’s not just that, there are little things all the time that make you remember.”

Noting that he would now be 48 years old, Barrow said she often wonders what kind of man her son would have made. Saying that “Mike will always be 18” she said she has watched his classmates at Eldorado grow into middle age and that always rekindles memories of her son.

Duff played only four games for Evansville prior to the plane crash and the final game he played was against Indiana State, who was led by Larry Bird. Duff scored 23 against Bird in his last game, prompting Evansville Coach Bobby Watson to say after the game that Duff would be as good as Bird, who was two years older. Barrow said she and her husband met Bird a couple of years ago and the former NBA great told them that he remembered that particular game. She said they also met Magic Johnson, who Duff played with in an all-star game before entering college. Barrow said Magic also told the couple he remembered playing against their son.

“Little things like that means a lot,” she said.

Barrow said she recently had an unexpected emotional moment when she heard a story concerning Sam Clancy, a friend Mike had met while playing in an all-star game in Pittsburg the summer before he died.

“I just heard recently where Sam Clancy’s son is playing basketball at UCLA,” she said. “It’s just little things like that that brings it all back.”

A Last Lunch Date

Donald Kingston was working as an assistant basketball coach at Eldorado High School in December 1977 and his son Kevin was in his senior season at the University of Evansville. Given the rigors of both their schedules opportunities for the Kingstons to get together were few and far between.

Looking back three decades Donald Kingston said he recalls the details of Dec. 11 that year as well as he does Dec. 13 – the day his only son was killed in the plane crash. Kingston traveled to Evansville on the Sunday prior to the Tuesday plane crash to have lunch with Kevin – a lunch date that included a heart-to-heart talk. The elder Kingston still cherishes that conversation.

“Kevin worked hard for everything he had achieved, he just outworked other people his entire career,” said Kingston. “And that day we ate at Red Lobster and I told him I loved him and how proud I was of him for all the hard work and for all that he had accomplished. That was the last time I ever talked to him.”

On that fateful Tuesday night Kingston was with the Eldorado basketball team at a game at Norris City. Kingston did not ride the bus that night, instead driving his car to the game. On the return trip to Eldorado he and his wife heard news of the plane crash on the radio.

“Think about this, I was driving along and I heard the announcer come on and say that the Aces’ plane had crashed and that Kevin Kingston was dead.” said Kingston. “I’ll never forget that, you’re hoping that what you just heard isn’t true but deep down you know that it is.”

Kingston said his daughter (four years younger than Kevin) was a cheerleader for Eldorado and was on the bus. He said the players and cheerleaders also heard the news en route back to Eldorado.

“We still had to go to the gym to pick her up and she was just devastated,” Kingston said.

Kingston said instead of dwelling on the crash that took his son’s life he has instead tried to keep his focus on the outstanding career his son had, particularly the great teams at Eldorado.

“Bob Brown was a great coach, those kids would do anything for him,” said Kingston. “Those were very special times in Eldorado. Mike Duff was a great player and I believe he would have played professional basketball. Kevin didn’t have the God-given talent that some players have but he just worked so hard. He was always the best defensive player on every team he played on.”

Kingston said he also thinks often about what the future would have held for his son.

“I really think Kevin would have been a coach and I think he would have been a good one,” said Kingston. “He was a senior at Evansville and he had already agreed to stay on and work as a grad assistant the next year. He always said that he wanted to come back to Eldorado and coach. I think about that a lot.”

‘It’s with you all the time’

On a trip to Evansville in early December of 1977 to see their son Greg play basketball Art and Carolyn Smith decided to do some Christmas shopping. The Smiths bought several gifts, mostly clothing for Greg, a freshman point guard for the Aces.

Carolyn said the clothes she painstakingly picked out for Greg during that shopping trip were never wrapped.

“We ended up burying Greg in those clothes,” she said. “I think about that every single December.”

Smith was a 1977 graduate of West Frankfort High School where he was a three-year starter and standout for the Redbirds. After graduation he signed to go to Millikan University but then later changed his mind and was awarded a scholarship to play at Evansville.

“Greg was so excited about going to Evansville,” said Art. “He loved basketball, he studied the game and he worked really hard to become a better player. Greg was having the time of his life at Evansville. He was more excited about getting that scholarship to Evansville than I had ever seen him.”

In 1977 the Smiths were the majority owner of WFRX radio in West Frankfort and it was a call from the station that first alerted him that something might be wrong. Asked where he was at when he learned about the plane crash Art answered immediately.

“I was right here in this room,” he said waving his arm in a circular motion around the family room. “I received a call about 8 p.m. that there had been a plane crash near Evansville but I didn’t think for a second that it was the Aces because I knew they were supposed to fly out at 4 p.m. so I figured that they were already in Nashville.”

Smith said a second phone call moments later confirmed that it was the Evansville team and within seconds Gail Borton, principal at the high school and Harold Hood, the high school coach showed up. Borton volunteered to drive the Smiths to Evansville.

“We found out where they had the morgue set up and we went there first,” Art recalled. “After we arrived, the assistant coach who was not on the plane came running over and told us that Greg was still alive and had been taken to Deaconess Hospital. We went straight there and the doctor came out just as soon as we arrived and said that Greg had died five minutes before we got there.”

Art said identifying his son’s body is the hardest thing he’s ever had to do. He also noted that it was the first time Greg had ever flown.

“They told me I could stay with him as long as I wanted and I stayed with him for quite a while. I didn’t want Carolyn to go,” said Art. “I remember after that we went down to the little chapel at the hospital and just sat there and stared at each other and never said a word. What can you say at a time like that?”

The Smiths said the loss of their son shook their once-strong faith to the core.

“We were active in church and we just quit going, we quit for 20 years,” said Art. “The church was good to us and the pastor was good, but we were angry. Thoughts of ‘why’ ran through my mind a lot. I don’t know how we would have gotten through it if it hadn’t been for our other two children. They were involved in other activities and we had to go on … I think they gave us the will to go on.

The Aces had played only four games prior to the plane crash and Greg got to see action in only the Indiana State game – the last game the 1977-78 team ever played. In all, Greg’s collegiate career spanned three minutes. Yet Art recalled him being in a great mood the last time they talked.

“He had gotten in to a game for the first time against Indiana State with about three minutes left,” Art said. “It just so happened that when he came in the game Larry Bird came out of the game. He said, ‘I guess they didn’t want me to embarrass him.’ He was laughing about that, he was in good spirits the last time we talked.”

Art and Carolyn agreed that every memory of Greg is a good one – something that has helped sustain them through the years.

“He was just such a good boy,” said Carolyn. “I can never remember one time ever that I had to get on him about anything. He tried so hard to please, he was an excellent student. He was just the type of person you wanted to be around.”

The Smiths said that the loss of their oldest son has never really lessened throughout the years.

“Even after 30 years … it’s with you all the time,” said Art. “But, it’s worse in December because all those memories come back every year.”

_____________________________________________

Did the NBA lose a future star?

How good could Mike Duff have been if he had not lost his life in the Evansville plane crash? The answer to that question from all who watched him play was that he would have someday made a living playing basketball in the NBA.

On the final game of his life, Dec. 10, 1977 Duff, only a freshman, scored 23 in a loss to highly-ranked Indiana State and Larry Bird. An excerpt from a story in the Evansville Courier & Press following the Indiana State game shows that Duff had already caught the attention of Evansville Coach Bobby Watson.

The story read in part:

“Watson, not one to give out accolades, said following the loss to Indiana State that freshman Mike Duff would “be as good as Larry Bird in a couple of years.”

Duff’s high school coach Bob Brown also believes he would not only have played, but starred in the NBA.

“There’s no question about it,” Brown said. “He was 6’7” or 6’8” and he could go inside, come outside and shoot the mid-range jumper. He was quick and smart and he would have just kept getting better. He hadn’t come close to realizing his full potential yet.”

Duff’s high school statistics are eye-popping by any standard and he still holds virtually every Eldorado scoring record.

Duff records include:

Game – 47 points

Season – 1,097 points

Career – 2,558 points

Points per game – 32.3

Rebounds game – 28

Rebounds season — 515

Career

Points per game – 25.8 (over three years)

Rebounds – 1,287

Don Kingston, whose son Kevin was also killed in the plane crash, echoed Brown’s words. Kingston was an assistant coach at Eldorado during Duff’s glory days when he led the Eagles to three straight Elite Eight appearances in Champaign.

“He had greatness all over him,” said Kingston. “I don’t think there is any question that he would have played professional basketball. I mean think about that, as a freshman in his fourth collegiate game he scored 23 against Larry Bird and Indiana State. He had all the physical skills and plus he had the determination. Yeah, I believe he would’ve played professionally.”

— Jim Muir —

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Fate Played a Role that December

In any tragedy fate always seems to play a role but in the Dec. 13, 1977 plane crash that claimed the lives of the Evansville Aces there were several ironies that can’t be overlooked.

* McLeansboro native and current Utah Jazz Coach Jerry Sloan, who led Evansville to a pair of Division II national titles, was hired as the head coach at Evansville prior to the start of the 1977-78 season, but abruptly resigned the position three weeks later. Bobby Watson, an assistant at Oral Roberts, was hired to replace Sloan and died in the crash.

* David Lee, a teammate of Sloan at McLeansboro, had agreed to work as an assistant with Sloan at Evansville during the 1977-78 season. After Sloan resigned the position was not available to Lee, who later went on to lead McLeansboro to a Class A state title in 1984. The Foxes compiled a perfect 35-0 record and were led by Brian Sloan – Jerry’s son.

* West Frankfort standout Greg Smith had signed to play for Joe Ramsey at Millikan University and was already on campus when he was asked to try out for one open scholarship at Evansville. Smith beat out more than 20 others and won the full-ride scholarship. Smith then transferred to Evansville and died in the crash less than three months later.

* Mike Duff was recruited by virtually every college in the nation including Kentucky, Duke, North Carolina, Illinois and UCLA. Duff signed a letter-of-intent to attend Missouri and play for legendary Coach Norm Stewart but later changed his mind and opted out of the contract to attend Evansville. The fact Evansville was making the move to Division I that year allowed Duff to get out of the contract with Missouri. Like Smith, Duff would die less than three months later.

* Tom Collins, a reporter with the Evansville Courier, was scheduled to travel with the team to Nashville on Dec. 13, 1977 to cover the game against Middle Tennessee State, but his assignment was changed by his editor at the last minute and he remained in Evansville. Collins had planned to drive to Nashville the following day to cover the Dec. 14 game against Middle Tennessee State – a game that was never played.

* David Furr was a star basketball player at Olney High School and had a scholarship to play at Millikan University. Instead he opted to go to Evansville and walk on. Furr injured his ankle while trying out for the Aces but Coach Bobby Watson said that he had like what he saw from Furr and asked him to stay with the team and try out again after his ankle healed. While his ankle was on the mend Furr became the team statistician, working home games but not traveling with the team. So, Furr was lucky he wasn’t on the doomed plane that night in December 1977 and actually became the only team member to survive.

But, fate was still not through during that cruel December because Furr and his brother Byron were both killed in a two-car crash while they were driving home from a holiday basketball tournament in Charleston. David Furr was driving and lost control of the vehicle and crossed the centerline striking a utility truck head on. The accident took place on Dec. 27 – exactly two weeks to the day after the plane crash.

— Jim Muir —

Filed Under: Featured, Sports

Remembering the Aces: Disaster leaves community mourning, asking why

December 12, 2017 By Leave a Comment

EVANSVILLE, IN –  The night before the game at Middle Tennessee State, a chartered, twin-propeller DC-3 airplane that was to carry the Aces to Nashville arrived at Evansville’s airport three hours late.

Courier & Press archives

Rain and fog were blamed.

“(UE officials) called twice to say they were going to be a little later, then a little later,” Jim Freeman, sports information director at Middle Tennessee, told the Courier in 1977.

The Aces took off at 7:20 p.m. Their plane was in trouble immediately.

 

http://www.courierpress.com/story/news/2017/12/08/remembering-aces-disaster-leaves-community-mourning-asking-why/907286001/

Filed Under: Featured

50 Influencers of Rend Lake College : Vice Presidents, RLC’s Triple Threat

December 12, 2017 By Leave a Comment

By Reece Rutland 

INA, IL – The Rend Lake College mission statement ends with the proclamation, “With Rend Lake College, student journeys start here.”

The Rend Lake College Vice Presidents, from left, Angie Kistner, Vice President of Finance and Administration; Lisa Price, Vice President of Student Services; Lori Ragland, Vice President of Instruction. (All photos provided by RLC Public Information)

It’s a fitting affirmation for an institution that works day in and day out to provide a solid footing for people to take those first steps into the real world or do a mid-life turn and start down a new path, a new journey of improvement and discovery.

And while not everyone who begins a journey at RLC is a student, every journey that begins at RLC is student-focused.

There can be no better example of that fact than the three current vice presidents of the college. Each of these talented and tenacious leaders began their adventure at RLC during different points, and each of them took different turns in the path that led them to where they are today. Yet, each of their paths, to this point, have led to providing the best possible service for the students of Rend Lake College.

“The common denominator with these three is their love and passion for the students and strengthening the college. They work tirelessly to better the institution and improve the opportunity for our students in their own way,” expressed Rend Lake College President Terry Wilkerson about his vice presidents.

Lisa Price

Lisa Price, Vice President of Student Services, began her RLC adventure as a student in 1980. She transferred to the college after graduating Benton High School.

Initially, Price didn’t want to attend RLC. She wanted to follow her friends to farther-flung destinations. Ultimately, Price’s mother talked her into taking the more economical option of attending school in Ina, a decision that changed her life forever.

“I was fortunate enough to get a student worker job at the bookstore and worked under Mary Braden. I met many people from surrounding towns and became a wicked Spades player,” Price said.

Lisa Price

Ultimately, the call of the wild became too strong and the future VP left Ina after a year to transfer to Eastern Illinois University. But, that didn’t pan out either, and Price found herself back home working.

“I realized that I needed to get serious about college. Came back to RLC and finished my degree. I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to do… I didn’t want to be a teacher but wanted to do something with teenagers,” she explained.

To that end, Price transferred to Southern Illinois University Carbondale to get her bachelor’s degree in Health Education. In 1997, she completed a Master of Science in Education at SIUC in Workforce Education.

Following her graduation, Price worked with pregnant and parenting teens atFranklin-Williamson Human Services. It was there that she saw an advertisement for a Teen Parent Services Case Manager at RLC.

“I had watched employment ads for RLC because of my great experience and wanted to be a part of the RLC action. But, didn’t know what I could do since I couldn’t be an instructor. I was hopeful that this was my ticket. I applied, got the job and a whopping salary increase of $200. But, I knew I wanted to be at RLC so it wasn’t at all about the money,” Price said.

“I continued to work for grant-funded programs until the spring of 2003. I was sitting in my office when an administrator came in and asked me if I was interested in leading the advisement team.”

She said it was another dream come true, and it ended up being the perfect fit.
Price served as the Executive Director of Academic Counseling until 2008. She then transitioned into the Dean of Student Services and finally VP of Student Services in 2011, allowing her an even greater opportunity to help guide the students of RLC.

“It is such as joy to watch students walk across that stage, especially those who have struggled. I worked with one particular non-traditional lady who just wanted to get her associate degree. She didn’t really have a career goal in mind or know how she wanted to use the degree, she just knew she wanted to complete. She was divorced and had to work two jobs to support her and her kids. She would take a couple of classes each semester. We both celebrated when she walked across that stage. She had worked so hard,” Price expressed.

Her efforts did not go unnoticed. In 2007, she was honored by her peers with the RLC Foundation “Outstanding Staff” Award.

“She is a wonderful leader who is admired and respected by her colleagues,” the nomination letter read. “. . . She is just a great person to work with. She is a great ambassador for Rend Lake College . . . She is very involved in activities of her children and community.”

In addition to her work in advising students, she has also been recognized by the Army National Guard for her efforts on multiple Yellow Ribbon Events, an effort aimed at helping returning soldiers transition back to civilian life. Nearly 100 local soldiers and their family members were served with classes on finance management, military benefits and counseling services on marriage skills, family and drug and alcohol abuse.
For her dedication to students and tireless service in improving the lives of those around her, Price was presented with the iconic Agriculture Program Doug Leeck Service Award in 2015-16.

She is currently “very close” to completing her dissertation for a Doctor of Education Degree in Educational Leadership from Oakland City University.

Outside of RLC, Price has served in elected positions on both the Ewing Grade School Board of Education and the Benton High School District 103 Board (on which she still serves). She also has been voted Franklin County Northern Township Clerk through 2017.

Angie Kistner

Vice President of Finance and Administration Angie Kistner also began her journey at RLC as a student, class of 1989.

Growing up on the family farm in Scheller, Kistner is no stranger to hard work, spending her youth working diligently to complete whatever needed done around the farm. She said many of those core values instilled by that upbringing help drive her still today.

It didn’t take long for Kistner to transition from RLC student to employee either. Like Price, Kistner took a student worker position in the Business Office for both years she was a student.

Angie Kistner

After graduating, she stayed on part-time over the summer to help cover a maternity leave before heading off to Eastern Illinois University to finish her undergraduate degree.

Following her EIU graduation in 1991, there was another fortuitous case of timing. Kistner’s old RLC Business Office haunt was undergoing a major computer conversion. She was the perfect candidate to work through the transition, having experienced the previous system with the ability to quickly adapt to the new system being put in place. It was meant to be a temporary carryover that ended up being anything but.

“They approached me to work on a temporary part-time basis (six weeks at most) to do work in the old system while the office learned how to use the new system. I haven’t ever left,” she joked.

“I went from part-time temp to part-time in the Business Office. I worked with accounts receivable, accounts payable and payroll mostly. I then was hired to do part-time split between the Business Office and the Student Records Office. I did basic registration, transcript evaluation, etc. At some point, I was offered full-time within the Business Office as the Business Office Financial Affairs Coordinator.”

Kistner spent most of her days working alongside former VP of Finance Bob Carlock and Controller Andrea Boucher. She also began teaching as an adjunct professor within the college’s Business Department, putting her years of financial experience into helping others find their path.

Following the untimely death of Boucher, Kistner took on the controller’s responsibilities, taking on the oversight of all functions within the Business Office.

Kistner and Carlock spent years working side-by-side to make sure that the college’s finances were in the best possible shape and that the lights stayed on.

“I learned so much from Bob. He was the very best mentor that I could have ever asked for. I worked as the Controller after his first retirement and during his return to campus. Following his last retirement, I felt that I was ready to tackle the responsibilities of the Vice President,” she explained.

“I knew that a lot of tough decisions were going to need to be made in the very near future and I thought that my knowledge base and my dedication to RLC could help the college continue to be the source of quality education and opportunities.”

Kistner officially took the position of VP of Finance and Administration in March of 2013.

“I do what I do because I think it is important. I tackle each job with 100 percent effort. I take pride in everything that I put my name to and help with. I love the numbers because I feel like my understanding of what those numbers on a page mean allows others to make informed decisions about important issues,” she expressed.

“I can help others understand why the rule is important and what should be done not for the sake of the rule but to protect everyone’s best interests. At the end of the day, I want to feel like I have helped someone be in a better position.”

For her years of dedication, she was presented with the RLC Foundation “Outstanding Staff” Award in 2011.

She was nominated by staff from the RLCF Children’s Center who said Kistner “daily exceeds expectations and . . . continuously strives to help us brainstorm ideas to improve (the center’s) budget and manage (its) finances.”

The letter of nomination went on to say Kistner goes out of her way to assist the Children’s Center, where both of her children spent time. From helping with grant writing to catering lunch, and bringing in chocolate to arranging for vehicles for Big Truck Day, “Kistner daily brings joy into our building.”

Bringing joy and positivity to her place or work is something that’s always on Kistner’s mind, and the impact of her actions on her co-workers, the institution and its students are a major motivating factor for the VP.

“I can’t imagine all the people that I have been in contact with during my 25 years here. I think about how I may have impacted other’s lives and the lives of those surrounding them. I look back and think of the tidal waves that I have somehow helped to create. I think about how generations may be changed because of some little thing that I was a part of. It follows my general belief that a person changes the world each and every time they help someone. A person never knows the impact of his/her efforts but should do them anyway,” Kistner expressed.

“When I leave here, I am going to be very proud of the fact that a farm girl from Scheller worked herself up from a student worker to the Vice President of Finance,” she said.

Lori Ragland

It took the third and final RLC vice president a little longer to get to Ina than her compatriots.

Lori Ragland, Vice President of Instruction, is a DuQuoin native, graduating from DuQuoin High School in 1989.

It was apparent from the onset that Ragland was going to be a go-getter, being involved in Future Business Leaders of America. She even took home the State FBLA Typing/Document Formatting Contest, earning her a spot in the national competition in Florida, where she took home the top prize out of 45 competitors.

Lori Ragland

Following high school, Ragland spent a year at John A. Logan College working on generals before transferring to SIUC’s Court Reporting Program, earning her AAS in 1992. She utilized her skill at typing and her education to work as a freelance court reporter all over Southern Illinois for 8 years.

However, due to downturn in the court reporting industry, Ragland was eventually forced to consider other career prospects. In 2000, she applied for the Administrative Assistant position with the Rend Lake College Foundation and was quickly hired on in April.

One of her very first tasks with the college was to be the campaign captain for the RLC Staff Clock Tower Project, no small feat considering the tower now stands as the major focal point of the entire campus.

“That fall I began my studies in Organizational Leadership at Greenville College and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 2002. I was then promoted to Assistant Director of RLCF and took the lead of the Institute for Learning in Retirement program,” Ragland explained.

She spent two years in that position and earned her own RLCF Outstanding Staff Award in 2003 for her trouble.

“She is very organized and takes great pride in her work. In her position, Lori occasionally has to work after hours and on weekends,” her recommendation noted.
“Lori is always willing to help in any situation she can. Lori is a good representative for Rend Lake College… She has a professional appearance and a demeanor that is pleasing to everyone.”

In 2004, she made the leap to Assistant Director of Community Education. During that time, the Institute for Learning in Retirement program was also transferred to Community Education and later named the Institute of Lifelong Learning. Four years later, she got the Director nod, succeeding the retiring Dawn Gibson.

“In 2010, Community Education and the Center for Business merged into one, Community & Corporate Education. The division expanded to include credit  programming, and in 2013 I became Dean of Community & Corporate Education. I also received my Master of Arts in Education degree in 2013, specializing in Higher Education Administration. In 2015 I was promoted to Vice President of Career & Technical Instruction. In 2017 that was expanded to Vice President of Instruction to include both academic instruction and career technical education,” Ragland said.
There is no doubt that she has made an impact on her co-workers and the institution. In 2011, she was presented with the CTE Rock Star “Assess for Success” Award and received President Wilkerson’s Crazy Eight Award in 2014.

She also practices what she preaches, continuing her education not only through additional academic degrees, but also in professional development. In 2015, she successfully completed the Academy for Leadership and Development.

“As a first generation student, education has always been a top priority for me. Education is rewarding; it’s something a person earns and can never be taken away. It has molded me into who I am today. I have a passion to help others obtain a quality education and find their path to success,” she expressed.

“I have really enjoyed the opportunities for personal and professional growth that Rend Lake College has provided me with. The college has such a positive atmosphere, and is full of great people who work hard to support our students.”

While Ragland has accomplished some remarkable things during her time at RLC, her involvement with Illinois Council for Continuing Education and Training (ICCET), a commission of the Illinois Community College Board, has been equally as impressive.
Since 2004, Ragland has been a member of the commission. She has served as an officer from 2005-2011, acting as the membership chair for two years, treasurer for two years, vice president for a year and president for a year.

For her service to the commission, she was awarded with their Exemplary Leadership Award in 2016.

She has also served on the ICCB Training and Resources Information Network (weTRaIN) Commission from 2009-16.

Filed Under: Featured, Franklin Co. News

Remembering the Aces: 1977-78 season brought optimism, then tragedy

December 10, 2017 By Leave a Comment

 

EVANSVILLE, IN – They would be in their 60s now, men of different career paths and life experiences, perhaps with families of their own.

 

Evansville Courier & Press archive photo

Photos of them in white and purple basketball uniforms with “ACES” stitched on the front might be in frames or in a box somewhere. They would be memories, conversation starters, neat things to show friends, children and grandchildren from time to time.

Tragically, the 1977-78 University of Evansville men’s basketball team and its head coach – himself a relatively young man — did not get to grow old.

Please click on the link below for the first of a three part series from John Martin of the Evansville Courier and Press

http://www.courierpress.com/story/news/2017/12/06/remembering-aces-1977-78-season-brought-optimism-then-tragedy/906917001/

Filed Under: Featured, Franklin Co. News

RLC’s Newbury and Berner receive Hot Rod Nights Scholarship

December 10, 2017 By Leave a Comment

By Reece Rutland 

INA, IL  – A pair of Rend Lake College students are the proud recipients of Hot Rod Nights Automotive Scholarships. The scholarships offered by the organization have helped several students pursue their passion for vehicles both inside and outside the classroom over the years.
The 2017 recipients are Tyler Newbury (Waltonville) and Dakota Berner (Christopher).

Tyler Newbury (Waltonville), left, and Dakota Berner (Christopher), right, are the 2017 Hod Rod Nights Automotive Scholarship recipiants. (Reece Rutland – Rend Lake College Public Information)

Newbury is a freshman who is currently working on a 1994 Chevy Camaro Z28.
“My dad grew up with a strong background in cars and building show cars. He did a little bit of drag racing as well. So, I grew up with that, and it’s brought me here,” Newbury said.

After graduating from RLC, he hopes to transfer to Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Automotive Program. He wants to eventually get a career in automotive design after he graduates.

Berner is also a freshman in the RLC Automotive Program. He is currently working on a 1976 Fiat X19. He too got his interest in cars from family.

“My grandpa and my dad work on cars all the time. I always found it interesting. I had a 1978 Bronco that I built and had a lot of fun with. That kept me interested,” he explained.

Berner is currently employed at Shelby and Sons Auto Salvage in West Frankfort. He plans on finishing his degree at RLC and staying on with the company, becoming a mechanic.

As for the scholarship, both men were thankful for the opportunity from Hot Rod Nights.

“I’m very appreciative,” Newbury said. “I’ve always gone to car shows. I like showing my work. It’s nice to have something like this that rewards students for helping out and being involved in the automotive community itself. We have a good community in Southern Illinois. There are car shows every weekend. It’s a good thing, especially the shows in DuQuoin and here at the college. That’s just a great thing to see.”

“This scholarship helps out a lot. Especially when you are working and trying to go to school,” Berner added.

Hot Rod Nights raised the funds for the scholarship via their 50/50 drawings throughout the season.

 

Filed Under: Christopher News, Featured, Franklin Co. News

Sesser-Valier defeats Chester in BDC West matchup

December 9, 2017 By Leave a Comment

By Jim Muir

CHESTER — The Sesser-Valier Red Devils put together one of their best outings of the young season Friday night with a 62-48 Black Diamond Conference road victory over Chester.

S-V jumped out an 11-7 lead in the opening quarter and extended it to 28-19 at the intermission. Coach Shane Garner was pleased with the way his team got out of the gate to start the game.

“We moved the ball much better tonight and our scoring was much more balanced,” Garner said. “It was just a great team effort.”

Chester battled back and cut the deficit to 45-40 at the end of three quarters but the Red Devils turned up the defensive pressure in the fourth quarter, holding the Yellowjackets to only eight points in the final frame.

“I thought it was just a great defensive effort all the way around tonight,” Garner said. “Our kids really earned everything they got tonight. It was a really nice road win.”

Tyler Winchester led the balanced Red Devils scoring with 16 points, one of four S-V players in double figures. Preston Launius had his best offensive outing this season with 11 points and Seth Boles also contributed 11 points. Rounding out the scoring Peyton Rock added 10 points, Lukas Gunter and Addison Page added six each and Josh Gunter scored two points.

The Red Devils have a big week of basketball in front of them with a pair of BDC West matchups. On Tuesday the Red Devils will host Johnston City and then on Friday night S-V will be on the road to renew old acquaintances with Route 148 rival Christopher. The Red Devils will close out the pre-Christmas portion of the schedule on Dec. 19 in a BDC road game again Vienna.

 

Filed Under: Featured, Sports

Rangers move to 5-1 with Ohio Division win over Herrin

December 9, 2017 By Leave a Comment

By Jim Muir

 BENTON — Cade Thomas scored 22 points and the Benton defense held Herrin to eight second half points as the Rangers opened SIRR Ohio Division play Friday night with a 47-27 victory over Herrin.

A large and enthusiastic crowd was on hand at Rich Herrin Gym for the home-opener and the first game in the tough Ohio Division. After both teams played to a 12-12 first quarter score, Benton began the second frame with back-to-back-to-back 3-pointers – two by Gehrig Wynn and one by Mason Morris to open up a nine point lead at 21-12. Benton led 26-19 at halftime.

“Overall I was pleased with the way we played,” said Benton Coach Ron Winemiller. “I thought Cade played well and the three 3-pointers in a row was a big turning point. I thought we settled in and really guarded them in the second half.”

The victory moved Benton to 5-1 on the season with a tough week of basketball in front of them. The Rangers are on the road for the next three games, traveling to Carmi-White County on Tuesday and then head back to Ohio Division play on Friday night with a road game against cross-county rival West Frankfort. Benton will close out the busy week by traveling to Nashville on Saturday night to face the always-tough Hornets.

“This is a very big week for us,” said Winemiller. “All three are tough places to play but if we can guard like we did tonight we are going to have a chance in most games we play.”

Along with Thomas’ 22 points, Wynn also double figures with 11 points, followed by sophomore Carson Lewis with seven points, Parker Williams with four points and Morris with three. Brandon Anthony led Herrin with 13 points.

Pairings were released this week for the Duster Thomas Hoops Classic in Pinckneyville. The tournament is a 12-team pool format with four pools with three teams in each pool.  The tournament runs two days, Dec. 29 and Dec. 30. The Rangers are in Pool B with Greenville and Cissna Park. Benton will face Cissna Park on Dec. 29 at 3:30 p.m. in the Auxiliary Gym and then that night face Greeenville in an 8:30 p.m. contest at Duster Thomas Gymnasium. Game times for December 30 are determined by each team’s record on the opening day. Teams in Pool A are Pinckneyville, Jerseyville and Olney, Pool C is Wesclin, Carterville and Trico and Pool D is Jerseyville, Du Quoin and Elverado.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Benton News, Featured, Sports

Business alumnus Lynn McPheeters donates to help future business Salukis succeed

December 8, 2017 By Leave a Comment

CARBONDALE – Growing up on a farm near Canton, F. Lynn McPheeters never imagined he would become the chief financial officer and vice president of Caterpillar Inc. Now, he’s donating $1 million to Southern Illinois University Carbondale, his alma mater, to help future Salukis succeed.

The endowment gift establishes the McPheeters Family Scholarship to benefit undergraduate College of Business students, Chancellor Carlo Montemagno announced this week.

“Without SIU, I would never have been in a position to have the opportunity to do something like this,” McPheeters said. “I’m a first-generation college student, and being able to attend SIU – a national, state-supported college – enabled me to have the career and life I’ve had. My hope is that this scholarship will allow others who are in similar situations the opportunity to attend SIU and succeed in their chosen field as I was able to.”

Benefitting business students

McPheeters’ gift will enable the university to award about $40,000 in scholarship assistance annually to deserving first-generation business students.

“Mr. McPheeters has been a longtime supporter of SIU, and we are very appreciative of his ongoing involvement and this generous contribution,” Montemagno said.

“Countless students will realize their dreams of attending college because of this gift, and its impact on the world of business will reach far into the future.”

The scholarship funds are earmarked for first-generation students in the College of Business who are from Illinois counties located south of I-80; preference will be given to those who major in finance or accounting. Recipients must maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 to retain their eligibility and the scholarship is renewable for up to four years.

The McPheeters story

McPheeters is a 1964 accounting graduate from SIU’s College of Business. He joined the Fortune 500 company soon thereafter and held a number of finance-related positions in the United States and abroad during a 40-year career capped off by a term as CFO. He fostered a working partnership between SIU and Caterpillar during his career. Since he retired, he remains active professionally on behalf of SIU and as a proponent for public education and charitable causes.

McPheeters was the first to enroll at and graduate from Spoon River Community College, then known as Canton College, and he established the Francis G. and Dorothea B. McPheeters Scholarship there in honor of his parents. He continues to serve as a board member for several companies, including RLI Inc. and WPC Technologies.
A member of the SIU Foundation board since 2002, McPheeters has served as chair of the audit committee and later as board president; he is currently an emeritus board member. He was one of the first members of the College of Business external advisory board, holding a seat since 1988. He was inducted into the college’s Hall of Fame in 1988 and has earned a number of other honors, including the College of Business Alumni Achievement Award in 2004.

In 2006, McPheeters and his wife, Susan, supported SIU with a $585,000 gift of appreciated Caterpillar stock, which was invested to create the Susan F. and F. Lynn McPheeters College of Business Leadership Endowed Chair, the college’s first endowed chair. The McPheeters’ philanthropy has also extended to various other charitable organizations and efforts in the health, education and abuse-prevention areas, earning them the title of Outstanding Philanthropists for Central Illinois in 2006.

“Lynn McPheeters has been associated with SIU and the College of Business for a long time. He has also been a loyal and generous friend,” said Terry Clark, dean of the College of Business. “Over the years, his love for our institution has been shown in many ways, from serving on the college’s External Advisory Board to serving on the SIU Foundation Board. Lynn’s institutional spiritedness is legendary. We are deeply grateful for his most recent gift. Through his generosity, another generation of Salukis will be helped onto the ladder that Lynn climbed so notably upon graduation from the college in 1964.”

Forever SIU

The McPheeters Family Scholarship endowment was made in conjunction with the Forever SIU fundraising campaign, to advance the university’s goal of providing the best education possible to students of all disciplines. More information about the campaign is available at foreversiu.org. 

Filed Under: Featured, State News

Aaron Cook steps up his game in sophomore season

December 7, 2017 By Leave a Comment

By Sean Carley  siusalukis.com

CARBONDALE — Last year’s Saluki squad was loaded with senior leadership with three seniors in the starting lineup. This year, the team is leaning on one of its younger players to step into a pivotal role left by the departure of point guard Mike Rodriguez.

Aaron Cook against Louisville earlier this year. (siusalukis.com)

Originally projected as a backup to Marcus Bartley, sophomore Aaron Cook became the team’s starting point guard when Bartley broke his wrist in preseason.

The man who practices with the word “family” on the back of his jersey is in the driver’s seat of the Saluki offense and has performed beyond his age, dropping a career-high 20 points in his home debut against UIS and leading the team in 3-point shooting percentage (.471).

“I’ve definitely focused on being a more vocal leader,” Cook said. “That’s one thing I’ve really improved on and it’s really helped me progress from last year. My teammates and I can talk to each other about anything at just about any time. Family is really big here.”

He attributes a lot of his growth to his mentor in college basketball and the former vocal leader of the Salukis — Rodriguez.

“Mike showed me all the loops and everything about college basketball,” Cook said. “He’s done everything to help my confidence and he’s a really good friend.”

The St. Louis native played in all but one contest last season as SIU’s backup point guard, learning the ropes and the rigors of Divison I basketball.

“Last year really prepared me for this year because I had the experience of being able to play against those top schools,” he said. “This year, I’m definitely feeling more comfortable, so I have a better understanding and get the feel of the game down.”

Cook’s growing maturity on the court can be seen most clearly in his increased offensive output this season. He has more than doubled his scoring average and has already made more threes (8) this season than all of last year (5).

The St. Louis native has always been a scorer as evidenced by his 22.1 points per game as a senior at Westminster Christian Academy, but he said he’s trying to become a more rounded player.

“[Being a scorer] is something I’ve always been, but at the same time it’s a lot harder to score at the college level than it is at the high school level,” Cook said. “It’s definitely something I put work in during summer for and something I had to get better at and the coaches let me know that.”

One of those offseason methods was watching extra film of his favorite professional players.

“I try to take the best qualities of a lot of different point guards and see how they fit into my game,” Cook said. “Chris Paul is the guy I always go to, I feel like he’s the one true point guard in the NBA, he’s not all about scoring points, then I feel like I have the athleticism to play like Russell Westbrook.”

Cook also tries to remain true to his own style that he built off his upbringing in the Gateway City, where he played with many highly rated players, including Saint Louis point guard Jordan Goodwin, who he faced last night.

Staying close to home was a big part of Cook’s reason for coming to Carbondale, where his parents Aaron Sr. and Regina can come to his games.

“It’s always nice to be able to play near my hometown,” he said. “My family can always come out and they get to see me play against a lot of these guys I grew up with.”

Filed Under: Featured

Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs Hosts 76th Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Ceremony

December 7, 2017 By Leave a Comment

SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs (IDVA) hosted a Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ceremony at the Springfield Elks Lodge #158 (Lake Springfield), in Springfield. The ceremony honored all Pearl Harbor survivors and paid tribute to the more than 2,400 Americans who lost their lives.

“The service members who fought relentlessly on December 7, 1941 are true heroes,” said IDVA Director Erica Jeffries. “Today we come together to honor the brave men and women who gave their all during the attack in Pearl Harbor.”

Governor Bruce Rauner also attended the ceremony and offered words of encouragement to the families left behind.

“We are forever indebted to the service members who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor and send our heartfelt condolences to their families,” Rauner said. “We pray they find comfort in knowing that their loved ones are heroes, whose lives will be remembered forever, with each wave of the American flag, reminding us of the battles fought and the freedoms earned.”

Rauner proclaimed December 7, 2017, as Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day in Illinois and ordered all persons or entities governed by the Illinois Flag Display Act to fly their flags at half-staff from sunrise until sunset in memory of all the heroes who died in the attack on Pearl Harbor, and in tribute to all the men and women whose sacrifices made the world safer for liberty and freedom.

Pastor John Temple offered special remarks at the solemn ceremony.  Pastor Temple is the nephew of Robert Monroe Temple, a US Navy Seaman First Class who was killed during the Pearl Harbor Attack.   Temple served in the U.S. Navy from 1966 to 1970. At the time of his honorable discharge in 1970 his rank was Second Class Petty Officer Data Processing Technician. After the Navy, he enjoyed a 20-year career in the IT division of Wetterau Inc. in St. Louis, MO, where he served as Vice President of Employee Relations and Training.

The Ceremony included a special wreath laying in the waters of Lake Springfield by the Interveteran Burial Detail Honor Guard while Taps was being played by Mark Thomas.  Lunch for all was provided by the WWII Illinois Veterans Memorial committee.

Filed Under: Featured, State News
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