Harold Cox, Friends’ Treasurer for 16 Years
Remembering Father. . .
      The Friends of the Library and the library staff could always tell when my Dad had been at the library: all donated books would be stacked neatly in boxes or bags, ready to be sorted for future book sales. They could always count on him to put things in order.
     As children growing up my brothers and I could also count on him to keep our lives in order: a place and time for everything and everything in its place. Meals were at certain times, bedtimes were at certain times.  As we grew up he always stayed up to make sure that everyone was safely home. He locked the doors, turned out the lights. As an adult (and a child) I always knew where I could find a stamp, an envelope, a rubber band because they all had their place, always the same place.
     As well as a sense of order, he also instilled in us a love of music, especially folk music. We grew up listening to Doc Watson, The Weavers, and Odetta. At family and friends gatherings the guitars and banjos always came out and we sang traditional ballads, Bob Dylan tunes, new folk songs by Chicago songwriters—all of the verses, in harmony.
     My father grew up in Jacksonville, Illinois, an only child, doted upon by his parents, grandparents, and uncles. After his family moved to Chicago, he would spend his summers with his grandmother and his uncle, having the run of their house and the freedom of a small town where everyone knew everyone else. His grandmother was a weaver and quilter; his uncle a woodworker; and his mother a seamstress and milliner.My father remembered sitting and sewing while his mother was sewing—he was always good with his hands. He was the one we always turned to to fix things.
     Dad loved to reminisce about the “good old days” when a package of gum cost a nickel and for 15 cents you could spend the whole afternoon at the movie theatre watching a triple feature and selected short subjects. He loved movies, especially old movies.
     My family moved to Park Forest from the south side of Chicago in 1972. My father continued to commute to his job with U. S. Steel Supply on Torrence Avenue until his retirement and in 1987 joined my mother working with the Friends of the Library. He picked up book donations from people’s homes for the library book sales, and, as Treasurer, kept the Friends’ funds in order.
     My dad was shy, not one to engage in a lot of small talk. He was, however, as honest and conscientious a person as anyone would ever hope to meet. A model for us all.
     I will miss his love of old music, old movies, and his sense of order. I know the Friends will miss his dedication, his organization (keeping things in order), and his friendship.
                                                                                                                     -- Katherine Cox Himelblau
 

A Tribute to Bill Adelman, PFPL Board Member

     Our library lost a friend and valued board member in Bill Adelman's death in late March. Bill's skills as an architect were so important as we undertook a long-range plan for our building.
     Bill grew up in Chicago, mainly on the South Side. He graduated from the University of Chicago at 18, having entered straight from 10th grade, under the famous Hutchins' Plan. He then attended the U. of I. and was licensed as an architect in 1960. He and his wife Alice, who later taught in # 163, moved to Park Forest in 1965; they wanted an open and integrated community for their 2 children. Bill was in the original PF Youth Commission that helped to start Aunt Martha's (and gave it that name). He was also trained as an EMT and as a Drug Rescue Worker. He felt a special bond with teenagers, and working with them made Bill an expert on street drugs (an expertise our library fortunately never had to use).
     Esoteric books were Bill's reading - Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time and Douglas Hofstadter's Godel, Escher, Bach were examples. He did like Salman Rushdie, and, always, poetry. All this, and a sense of humor, too. We're grateful for his service to our library, and we miss Bill very much.
                                                                          --  Alice Racher
 
 
 

Memorials to Harold Cox and Bill Adelman can be made to the Park Forest Public Library’s Endowment Fund. Please call the library (708-748-3731) or ask at the Circulation Desk for more information on how to do this.
 

Betty Jacobs Leaves a Legacy of Books

     Books were Betty’s lifeblood in every sense of the word. Whether she was revving up the engine of her trusty blue truck to go on Friends’ forays, often to faraway places, to pick up books for the library’s used book sales, or serving as a past president of the Friends, or, later, working in Technical Services at the library, most everything she did involved books in one way or another. She was an avid collector, often going to authors’ book signings to get first editons. Her book collection was as vast as her interests. Now that collection has come to the library, lovingly donated by her family. Many of the books will be added to the library’s collection, and many more will be included in future book sales. Some are so special that other arrangements will be made. We know Betty would be pleased that her books have found good homes in many other collections. She was a wise woman who knew that books, not diamonds or lesser gems, are the "gifts that keep on giving."
     Betty died on February 28 after a long illness. Our deepest sympathies to her family along with  grateful thanks for all their help in bringing Betty’s collection to us. And please watch for the date that the Friends will hold a very special “Betty’s Book Sale.”
                                                                              -- Helene Cox, Frank Baecher and Elaine Brownlee,
                                                                                  On behalf of the Friends
 

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