FRIENDS AND FAMILY PAY TRIBUTE TO A NORTH SHORE BUSINESSMAN, CIVIC LEADER AND PHILANTHROPIST
John McGovern, a North Shore businessman who worked in the highest levels of politics and government, died Friday, July 13, from a suspected heart condition.
He was 48.
Known affectionately as “Johnny” to close friends and family, McGovern’s memory was honored at a recent funeral service at Church of the Holy Spirit in Lake Forest, and he was laid to rest privately.

He is survived by his beloved wife of seven years, Wentworth Caldwell McGovern, and their two young boys, Caldwell Armour McGovern (4) and Watson Greeley McGovern (2). He is also survived by his mother, Karen Osborne McGovern of Lake Forest, and his sister, Courtney Osborne McGovern of Chicago. In addition he is survived by his in-laws, long standing Nashville natives, Wentworth and Barry Caldwell, as well as three sisters-in-law: Ashley Caldwell Levi ( Joe), Barry Caldwell, Liza Caldwell Coleman (Greg) and numerous nieces and nephews. John is preceded in death by his father, John E. Mc-Govern, Jr. (“Jack”).

Born in Chicago, he attended Lake Forest Country Day School before boarding at Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Mass. In 1991, John graduated with honors from Princeton University with a degree in American History and a Certificate from the American Studies Program. While at Princeton, John was a member of the Ivy Club as well as Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. John would go on to to earn his J.D. from the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law and was admitted to the Illinois Bar.

John worked at the highest levels of politics and government, serving as a top aide to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives for over seven years. During his tenure, John worked as both an official and campaign press secretary, and assumed a variety of other roles overseeing communications programs, fundraising, and campaign strategy. John also ran a multimillion dollar national political action committee, Keep Our Majority PAC, where he served as executive director, leading integration of the Speaker’s national political strategy with the National Republican Congressional Committee and GOP congressional candidates across the country.

He also held leadership roles in a number of key federal campaigns, including serving as Campaign Manager for U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk’s first campaign in Illinois’ 10th District in 2000 as well as Communications Director for U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald’s 1998 race in Illinois. Prior to campaign work, John served as Press Secretary for the Illinois Republican Party from 1994-98. In 1999, the Chicago Sun-Times recognized John as one of “30 Under 30” leading professionals in the Chicago area for his success in politics and public affairs.

John continued to be involved with policy and politics at the state and federal levels, serving as a senior advisor to U.S. Rep. Bob Dold during his 2010 and 2012 campaigns and to Andy McKenna, a former chairman of the Illinois Republican Party and candidate for Governor. In 2008, John organized and directed all planning, programming, and fundraising for the Illinois Delegation to the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis- St. Paul; he attended every Republican convention since 1996. As a respected voice in the political debate, John was a frequent commentator on television and radio outlets in the Chicago market, and was quoted widely in national and local publications across the country.

After his work with politicians, John spent seven years at Resolute Consulting, LLC, a leading national public affairs and strategic communications firm based in Chicago. As executive vice president, John lead the firm’s Corporate, Financial & Legal Communications practice group. In 2017, he became a principal in Thurston Group, managing strategic initiatives for the private-equity firm.

Outside of his professional career, John was a leader in a number of business, civic and charitable organizations. He served on the Corporate Board of Directors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago and held the position of Vice President of the Auxiliary Board of the Art Institute of Chicago at the time of his death. In addition, John was a devoted member of the Elawa Farm Foundation Board and was the great-grandson of A. Watson and Elsa Armour, who had originally founded and owned Elawa Farm. John previously served as a longtime member of the Illinois Government Affairs Group, on the Board of the Rush Medical Center Associates and on President’s Leadership Council at the Field Museum. From 2009-2011, John was a Fellow in the Emerging Leaders Program of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

“The Forest Park Project in Lake Forest was privileged to have John be our PR consultant,” says Lake Forest resident Joan DePree. “He was brilliant, funny and always a gentleman. John was also a close personal friend to my family. His loss is a heartbreaker.”

A true Chicagoan, McGovern loved the city as evidenced by his support of the arts, culture and community in Chicago as well as his passionate support for Chicago sports teams—especially the Cubs and Blackhawks. John could be found on the third-base line cheering on his team and flagging down the beer man. His son Caldwell attended his first game with his father this past spring. John also loved to be outdoors— hunting and fishing—just as his father had taught him at the family cabin in northern Wisconsin. He was an avid reader, devouring historical biographies; a weekend golfer who enjoyed the tradition of the game and the camaraderie of his playing partners; and a fierce bridge player.

But according to family members, his greatest rewards were his roles as a devoted husband to his wife Wentworth and as a father to their sons Caldwell and Watson. Based on the outpouring at his recent memorial service, he is a man who will be missed by many whose legacy will endure for generations.

John McGovern at The Art Institute of Chicago last year.

Ruth C. Nissen was 16 years old when she graduated from high school in Chicago.

Two years later she earned a degree at Wright Junior College (now Wilbur Wright College) in Chicago.

She would spend the rest of her full life—80 more years, to be exact—embracing the joys of family, work, church, quilting, visits to flea markets, making savory Swedish meatballs and hosting large, house-stretching Thanksgiving dinners.

Ruth, a resident of Lake Forest since 1964 and one of the first to live at Lake Forest Place, died on July 13. She was 98.

Ruth met her future husband, William G. Nissen Jr., when both worked for Allstate Insurance Company. They were married for 50 years until William’s death in 1996. They had three children: William, Robert and Mary.

Ruth worked in Chicago for the U.S. Navy as a civilian during World War II and later joined United Airlines as a flight attendant. The Nissen family moved to New Jersey, back to Chicago and then to Atlanta, before settling in Lake Forest for decades. Ruth found constant warmth at St. James Lutheran Church, Lake Forest, where she was a sewing group regular. Ruth also devoted time and energy to Leisure Time, a local group that organized events for senior citizens.

But family meant to the world to her. Be it an accomplishment or a school activity involving one of her grandchildren or great grandchildren, Ruth wanted to know about it or show up for it.

Ruth is survived by her children, five grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Interment was private. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to the Dean Schraufnagel, M.D., Endowed Professorship Fund at University of Illinois Medical School, for the support of lung research (schraufnagelprofessorship.uic.edu), or to St. James Lutheran Church (1380 North Waukegan Road, Lake Forest, 60045).

Information provided by Wenban Funeral Home, (847) 234-0022, wenbanfh.com.

Art was a constant in Constance Goldsmith Addington’s life.

An avid painter and supporter of the Art Institute of Chicago, Addington died peacefully at her home in Lake Forest on July 31.

She was 84.

Born in Easton, Pennsylvania, to John and Mary Louis (nee Miles) Goldsmith, she expressed her love of nature and the outdoors through her artwork and other endeavors. Mrs. Addington—also an ardent traveler and supporter of the Field Museum and the Lake Forest Garden Club—graduated from The Shipley School (Pennsylvania) and Centenary Junior College (now Centenary University, in New Jersey) and attended the Yale School of Art for three years.

She was preceded in death by her first husband, George Scott Hodgkins, and her second husband, Keene H. Addington II.

She is survived by her beloved friend Guy W. Wilbor; brothers Thomas F. Goldsmith and Timothy S. Goldsmith; children Wendy H. DeLorey (Christopher), Elinor A. Jannotta (Ross) and Brooks H. Addington (Chie); grandchildren John A. DeLorey, Charles H. DeLorey, Brooke C.E. DeLorey, Peter A. Jannotta, Luke W. Jannotta, Whitney R. Jannotta, William K. Addington, Aya E. Addington and Brooks M. Addington; stepchildren Sarah Lee Addington Verville, Keene H. Addington, III (Megan), Leslie A. Kulig (Larry); Margo A. Urey (Peter) and their children; and four nephews.

Services will be held August 9, at 3:30 p.m., at the Church of the Holy Spirit, 400 E. Westminster Road, Lake Forest.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to the Art Institute of Chicago and Forest Park.

Information provided by Wenban Funeral Home, (847) 234-0022, wenbanfh.com.

Marcia McConnell Nolan

Talented pianist and former Lake Forest High School prom queen Marcia McConnell Nolan, a lifelong Lake Forest resident and a parishioner at Church of St. Mary in her hometown, died on September 1.

She was 86.

She had received all of her sacraments at Church of St. Mary.

Marcia was the wife of the late Jim Nolan (1999); survivors include children Edward (Judi), Michael (Cari), Joseph (Jill) and Mary (Patrick) Sullivan; and grandchildren Kevin, Madelyn, Braden, Cadie, Daniel, Kelly, James, Claire, Erin and Luke.

A funeral mass was held at Church of St. Mary in early September, with interment at St. Mary Cemetery in Lake Forest. Memorial contributions in Marcia’s name may be made to JourneyCare Foundation, 2050 Claire Court, Glenview, IL, 60025 or to www.journeycare.org.

Information provided by Reuland & Turnbough Funeral Directors of Lake Forest, (847) 234-9649, www.RTfunerals.com.

John H. Bryan Jr.

In Chicago and throughout the country, former Sara Lee Corporation CEO John H. Bryan Jr. is being remembered for an enduring legacy as a philanthropist and patron to the arts. The 81-yearold resident of Crab Tree Farm in Lake Bluff —who died on October 1, four days before his 82nd birthday — is credited for raising the millions of dollars needed to make Millennium Park a reality and for his role in saving a Ludwig Mies van der Rohe landmark. He also spearheaded the fundraising initiative to add The Modern Wing at The Art Institute of Chicago.

British sculptor Anish Kapoor, famously known as the man behind the downtown park’s famous $23 million sculpture, “The Bean,” praised Mr. Bryan in the Chicago Sun-Times as “a true and great Chicagoan.” But here on the North Shore, the former Kenilworth resident (where he lived for a decade before moving to Crab Tree Farm) was our friend and neighbor — touching our communities in ways both great and small.

“Locally, he preserved and restored the farm elements and east side David Adler compound at Crab Tree Farm, and the artisans he patronized help restore and preserve many other places in the New Classicist estate house restoration and revival of the 1990s to the present,” says Arthur Miller, former president of Lake Forest Preservation Foundation and emeritus archivist at Lake Forest College.

That restoration work earned Mr. Bryan and his wife of 60 years, Neville, the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2014 Louise du Pont Crowninshield Award — the national preservation movement’s highest accolade. On a local level, he received the Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Historical Society’s Local Legends award in 2012, where like other recipients, he was interviewed by Bill Kurtis.

Miller says that Mr. Bryan’s reach across national, Chicago, and Lake Forest-Lake Bluff cultural life was without parallel.

“His most notable triumph — Millennium Park — led to a revival of residential life in the central city core from Grant Park spreading north to the Chicago River Walk extending east and west. He primed the pump,” says Miller, adding that while Mr. Bryan’s work at Crab Tree Farm is well known in the preservation community, his other local endeavors were done quietly and without fanfare.

“He rescued, relocated, studied and restored the 1837 log house formerly at Mills Court, in 2005, now at the Farm. He lent Arts & Crafts furniture to Ragdale after its restoration (circa 2012). He welcomed local organizations alongside international ones to visit Crab Tree Farm — the Historical Society (recently renamed History Center of Lake Forest and Lake Bluff) and the Lake Forest Preservation Foundation,” Miller continues. “When I think of his legacy, I remember a book by a longago summer resident of Lake Forest, novelist Ernest Poole, who in 1943 published Giants Gone, a collection of biographical vignettes of earlier Chicagoans — [William] Ogden, Jane Addams and Daniel H. Burnham. Most certainly an update in the 21st century would include John Bryan.”

Mr. Bryan, who died at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago last week after complications from lung cancer, was interviewed by this newspaper in 2012, just prior to receiving his Local Legend distinction.

He spoke at length to our reporter about how his childhood in Mississippi helped shape the man he would become. Growing up as a sixth-generation Southerner (his great-grandfather was killed in the siege of Vicksburg), Mr. Bryan lived next to his family’s Bryan Brothers Packing Company in West Point, Mississippi, which featured a slaughterhouse. After graduating from Rhodes College in Memphis, he returned to help run the business, which was becoming a major force in the South during the 1960s.

At that time, segregation and Jim Crow laws still ruled. Bryan took moves to integrate his family company – from rest rooms to water fountains. However, the local school board shut down the black school rather than integrate it. Bryan raised funds to build a new black swimming pool and fought the school board. Once the black school reopened, Bryan stunned the town by sending his own children there.

“I had to make choices and become a civil rights advocate,” said Mr. Bryan, who left Mississippi to take charge of Consolidated Foods Corporation, eventually turning it into Sara Lee (which he built into a $20 billion empire that included Hanes Corporation, Coach, Playtex and Hillshire Farm). “I was reasonably protected from retaliation because of our position in town, but I also had some deep convictions.”

Those convictions led to a life of advocacy and philanthropy that touched a variety of organizations and causes. Long before Millennium Park, Mr. Bryan helped raise $100 million from 33 corporations to refurbish both the Lyric Opera building and Orchestra Hall in Chicago. He also chaired the centennial anniversary of United Way in 1984, bringing in another $100 million.

He was also an art lover, in the truest sense.

Though no major art museums existed within 100 miles of where Mr. Bryan grew up, he told our reporter that a lifelong “interest in the visual” propelled him to become a passionate collector of American, French and British art. Marrying his love of art with philanthropy, Bryan helped give away the Sara Lee art collection before he retired. More than 50 works, from Monet to Pissarro, were given to museums around the world – the largest corporate donation of the arts in U.S. history. Even Crab Tree Farm has its own museum filled with arts and crafts by American, English and European designers.

At the time Mr. Bryan was interviewed by The North Shore Weekend, he was happily retired and enjoying life at his bucolic Crab Tree Farm. He spoke of writing a book about the history of the property and working in the gardens with his children and grandchildren. He reflected on a life well-lived, with humility and appreciation.

That life and legacy will be celebrated with a memorial service on November 3 at The Art Institute of Chicago.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Bryan is survived by four children (John H. Bryan III, Margaret Bryan French, Elizabeth Bryan Seebeck and Charles F. Bryan), 13 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Mary Cashen Metcalf

Mary Cashen Metcalf (nee McKinney), of Lake Forest, a former business teacher at Lake Forest High School and business manager at elementary schools in North Chicago and Evanston, died on September 26. She was 82.

Born and raised in Chicago and a parishioner at St. Gertrude Parish, the Immaculate High School graduate earned business administration degrees (BS and MS) at Northern Illinois and, following her first marriage and the births of her two daughters, taught at LFHS for 10 years. She retired in 1994 after her stints as an elementary school business manager.

Mary was involved in a number of service and community organizations. She was the financial representative to Illinois School Districts and a treasurer of guild and minister of care at Church of St. Mary in Lake Forest. She was a board of trustees member and involved with Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep School in Waukegan. She also volunteered as a tutor with Reading Power at North Chicago schools.

Mary was the beloved mother of Colleen (Lisa Stromquist) Cashen and Tracy (Thomas) Gardiner; fond grandmother of Keenan and Bryn Cashen-Smart and Grace and John Gardiner; and cherished sister of Michael (Karen) McKinney. Mary was preceded in death by her first husband (and the father of her daughters), Robert J. Cashen, and her beloved first husband, Dr. Robert Metcalf.

A visitation and mass were held in early October.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contribution in Mary’s name may be made to Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep School, Attn: Development Office, 3106 Belvidere Road, Waukegan, IL, 60085 or www.cristoreystmartin.org/ways-to-give/donations/.

Information provided by Reuland & Turnbough Funeral Directors of Lake Forest, RTfunerals.com.

Eugene “Gene” Frank Sikorovsky

Eugene “Gene” Frank Sikorovsky, a retired general counsel, accomplished violinist and supporter of many non-profit and community endeavors, died at his home in Lake Forest on September 30.

He was 90.

Born in Jackson, Michigan, Sikorovsky earned his B.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan, where he served as president of the Michigan (student) Union. While attending Harvard Law School (Class of ’51), he met his future wife, Patricia O’Byrne. They got married in 1953.

Following his military duty — U.S. Naval Reserve, active duty lieutenant, stationed in Quonset Point, Rhode Island — Gene and Pat moved to New York City, where Gene joined the law firm of Cahill Gordon & Reindel and practiced securities and banking law. He became a partner in 1964.

The couple moved to the Chicago area in 1977. Gene worked as vice president, general counsel for Gould, Inc. in Rolling Meadows. He later joined Bell & Howell Company, serving as senior vice president, general counsel and director until his retirement.

He was a member of the New York and Illinois bars and bars of federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.

Among Gene’s many commitments to support those in need were those involving the Gateway Foundation, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Lake County, Presbyterian Homes, Career Resource Center in Lake Forest and Bravo Waukegan.

He served on the Lake Forest Board of Education. At The Church of the Holy Spirit in Lake Forest, Mr. Sikorovsky was a vestryman and longtime choir member.

Eugene is survived by his wife of 65 years, Patricia O’Byrne Sikorovsky; their five children: Paul Sikorovsky, Charles Sikorovsky, Catherine Lachenauer, Elizabeth Sikorovsky and Emily DiMiceli; sons-in-law Robert Lachenauer and Joseph DiMiceli; and grandchildren Alexandra, Rebecca, Anna, Elena, Sophia, Julia and Elisa; and brother Edmond Sikorovsky.

A memorial service was held on October 6 at The Church of the Holy Spirit in Lake Forest on October 6. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations would be deeply appreciated by The Church of the Holy Spirit, 400 E. Westminster Road, Lake Forest, IL, 60045, and by Bravo Waukegan (www.bravowaukegan.org).

Information provided by Wenban Funeral Home.

Alison Courtney Buck

Alison Courtney Buck, a talented and creative Lake Forest Country Day School graduate, died recently at the age of 44.

The daughter of Raymond and Barbara Buck, Alison was born in Oak Park and also graduated from Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts, Tufts University and The School of the Museum and Fine Arts in Boston.

She brought joy to others through her floral design, photography, kind words and infectious laugh. Alison loved nature, especially when she spent time among birds and butterflies near her dahlia garden. She also cherished moments with her pets.

Alison is also survived by sisters Kristen (Richard) Chun, Erika (Kevin) Kelly and Jenny (Mike) Coleman; nieces and nephews Spencer, Hunter and Olivia Chun, Alex and Rowan Kelly and Kasey and Cameron Coleman; and three aunts and three uncles — Beth and Frank Abbinanti, Diane and Bob Leonard and Adrienne and Greg Herman.

Funeral mass will be held October 20 at 10 a.m. at The Church of St. Mary, 175 East Illinois Road in Lake Forest.

Gifts can be made in memory of Alison to Elawa Farm Foundation, 1401 Middlefork Drive, Lake Forest, IL, 60045.

Information provided by Reuland & Turnbough Funeral Directors of Lake Forest.

Lake Forest resident Carl Thomas Sommers, who served as CEO of Ruprecht Company for 50 years before retiring, died on August 21.

He was 79.

Born to Thomas and Irene (nee Dyzinski) Sommers in Chicago, Carl was a husband, father and grandfather. He enjoyed spending time with his four grandsons.

Carl is survived by his wife, Julianne; children Walter (Julie) Sommers and Stephen (Kelene) Johnson; and grandchildren Jackson, Andrew and Charlie Sommers and Everhett Johnson.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Services will be private.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Avenue, 17th floor, Chicago, IL, 60601 or to www.alz.org/illinois.

Information provided by Wenban Funeral Home.

Harold Marshall Morrison

Harold Marshall Morrison, was born on February 21, 1932, in Alice Home in Lake Forest and passed away peacefully at home in Lake Forest on November 11, 2018.   Harold spent his childhood through high school in Lake Forest.  After living in various parts of the country on work assignments, Harold returned to Lake Forest, with his family, to take up residence in the early 1970s.

He was graduated from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, and received a Masters in Engineering Sciences from Purdue University.  Thereafter, Harold went to work for General Motors Research Laboratories and then IBM.

Harold will be remembered for his commitment and dedication to the communities where he lived, his avocations, and his love for his family and friends.   He served as an Alderman for the City of Lake Forest, Board member of the Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Historical Society (now the History Center), and President of the Manasota Key Association in Florida.  He was an Elder and active member of the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest, his faith community.  He also served as Board member of Evans Capacitor Company.

Harold was known for his love of music. He was a strong tenor voice in the Lake Forest Presbyterian Church choir for over 40 years and for many years with the “Commuters” barbershop quartet group.   His four daughters have a love and appreciation for classical music and Broadway musicals because of their father.

Physical activity and love of the outdoors were core to Harold’s character.  Tennis, in particular, was a major part of his life almost until his last days.

Harold possessed a strong sense of obligation to contribute in ways he could to improve the lives of others.  He loved science and was committed to protecting water quality. When computers were first introduced into the public school system, Harold spent endless hours working at North Lawndale College Prep Charter High School and at schools in North Chicago to ensure classrooms were computer-ready.  Together with his wife, Addie, he started a family foundation as a way of bringing his family together to make a difference in the world.

Harold’s family and friends were a significant priority in his life. He was a devoted husband, father, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, and friend to many.   He is survived by and will always live in the memories of the Steans and Hunter families, and of his wife of 63 years, Adeline Steans Morrison, his daughters, Helen H. Morrison; Amy M. Heinrich (Robert Heinrich), Lois L. Morrison (Justin Daab), and Margot M. Brinley (Charles Brinley), and his eight grandchildren, Maxwell, Ian and Emma Heinrich; Josephine and Adeline Daab; and William, Reily and Catherine Brinley.

Services will be held at the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest, 700 Sheridan Rd, Lake Forest, IL on Saturday, November 24, 2018 at 10:00 am. For information – Reuland & Turnbough Funeral Directors of Lake Forest, 847-234-9649 or www.RTfunerals.com.

Contributions in Harold’s memory may be made to the North Lawndale College Prep Charter High School (c/o Suellen Wolk, 1313 S. Sacramento Drive, Chicago, IL  60623), or the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest’s Choir Fund.

Maureen Jagier Skinner, with daughters Shannon and Meghan. Photo: Nan Stein

Maureen Jagier Skinner—an accomplished news anchor-reporter in Green Bay, Wisconsin, for many years before returning to Illinois and starting a family with husband Jeffrey Skinner—died on December 23 after a three-year battle with cancer. She was 57.

Maureen, of Lake Bluff, had a magnetic personality, was a genuine friend to all, and loved spending time with her entire family.

She is survived by her husband; daughters, Shannon and Meghan; mother, Sheila Garrity (Tom) Douglas; and sisters, Eileen Kozlowski and Kathleen (Jim) Heinz. She was preceded in death by her father, Norman Jagier.

Visitation is January 4, 4-8 p.m., at Wenban Funeral Home, 320 Vine Ave., Lake Forest. Funeral Mass is January 5, at 10 a.m., at the Church of St. Mary, 175 E. Illinois Road, Lake Forest.

For more information call (847) 234-0022 or visit wenbanfh.com.

Information provided by Wenban Funeral Home.

Peter Roy Carney

Former Lake Forest Academy Board Member and Superior Graphite Company Chairman Peter Roy Carney died on January 11, in Vero Beach, Florida. He was 87.

Peter was born in Chicago on July 5, 1931, to Marie Murphy and William Roy Carney. He was the grandson of William James Carney, who started Superior Graphite Company. Peter was an entrepreneur, writer, businessman, polo player, rancher, hunter, and a true sportsman who enjoyed skiing, fly fishing, tennis, and golf.

He attended Lake Forest Academy until a fire shut it down temporarily. He transferred and graduated from Canterbury School (1949) in New Milford, Connecticut, and later from Princeton University (1953), where he discovered his love for geology and was president of Cap and Gown.

He joined the army in 1953 and rose to First Lieutenant Executive Officer in the C Battery of the 97th Field Artillery Battalion at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, Colorado; his stint ended in 1955. After his service he was an investment analyst for Glore Forgan in Chicago before moving to Denver as a staff geologist for E.A. Polumbus & Associates.

He married Marina Galitzine in 1957, and after living in Denver for two years he returned to Illinois to run Superior Graphite Company. During a storied and illustrious career, spanning more than 50 years, he transformed a sleepy graphite company into an industry leader by co-inventing an innovative continuous carbon purification process.

Peter served on the board of Carney Management LLC, the Foundry Education Foundation, the Illinois Manufacturers Association, Lake Forest Caucus, Lake Forest Open Lands, Lake Forest Symphony, Museum of Science and Industry, and the Wyoming Chapter of the Nature Conservancy. He was a member of YPO and later WBC/WPO/YPO Gold, where he served as president, and created a model forum, which generated intentional, committed friendships. Peter was also a past president of the Black Butte Gas Company, Carney Ranch Company, Casting Industry Suppliers Association (CISA), as well as for the CISA Export Trade Group, and Graphite Synthesis.

He was a consultant for the United Nations Office of Technical Cooperation (India), and a past executive committee member of the Business Industry Political Action Committee (BIPAC). He was a lifelong member and one-time president of the Coleman Lake Club. Additionally he served on the board for Lake Forest Academy, Canterbury School, Onwentsia Club, the Chicago Club, and was a lifetime member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

He was a man of faith, integrity, and stewardship, and was deeply loved by friends, family, and anyone with whom he came in contact. He had a brilliant mind, quick wit, a mischievous eye, and an easy laugh. He considered his family one of his greatest accomplishments, where he stood as the prominent pillar and moral compass.

He is survived by his loving wife of 61 years; four children: Marina Carney Puryear (Jim), Kathy VandeMotter Carney, Edward Carney (Laura Foster), and Sasha Carney Woods; and twelve grandchildren: Nick Vernon (Monica), Chris Vernon (Erika), Marina Boo Vernon, Kelley VandeMotter Sudderth (Jim), Peter VandeMotter (fiancé Kathryn Naughton), Murphy VandeMotter, Maggie Carney, Sasha Carney, Peter Carney, Aleka Woods, W.J. Woods, and Michael Woods.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers, William and Otis, and his sister, Jean Mullett.

A funeral Mass will be held at the Church of St. Mary, 175 E. Illinois Road, Lake Forest, on January 25 at 4:30 p.m., with a reception following. A private burial will occur on January 26. A celebration of life will be held at the Riomar Beach Club, 2426 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach, on February 1, from 4-6 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to VNA and Hospice Foundation https://www.vnatc.com/foundation/foundation-specialty-services/memorial-gifts/,

North Chicago Community Partners http://northchicagocommunitypartners.org/,

or the John M Olson Fund, Coleman Lake ℅ Fleury,Singler & Company, PC,CPA’s301 S Stephenson Ave Iron Mountain MI 49801.

Arrangements by Reuland & Turnbough Funeral Directors of Lake Forest, 847-234-9649 or www.RTfunerals.com.

Former commodities trader and longtime Lake Forest resident Thomas Henry Ritter died on January 23, after living with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). He was 74.

Mr. Ritter was a husband, dad and pop-pop (grandfather), coach, sports fan, and under-the-table dog feeder.  Many will remember his strong yet gentle nature and quiet and thoughtful style, along with his wit, sly smile, quiet persistence, loyalty, passionate work ethic, fun-loving attitude, and constant optimism.

He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Mary Sheppard Ritter; children Todd (Kate Bandler), Andrew (Katie Mahar), Colin (Jillian Sheppard) and Kate (Abby Peters); and grandchildren Grace, Ruby, Arlo, Adeline, Nathaniel, Coraline and Jesse (with No. 8 due in May); twin brother, Tim, and brother Jeff (Kathy).

He was preceded in death by his parents and brother John.

Born in Minneapolis and raised in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Tom received his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University in 1967 and his MBA from Loyola University of Chicago Quinlan School of Business in 1969. Tom traded commodities at Mid America Commodity Exchange and at Chicago Board of Trade for nearly a combined 50 years. He was a professional mentor to many, teaching the business of commodity trading to clerks and friends alike.

Tom coached a variety of youth sports, was president and a longtime board member of the Lake Forest High School Booster club, and the proud first parent to receive a SUPER SCOUT award.

Tom also served as a Deacon at Lake Forest First Presbyterian Church and was on the board of directors of PADS Lake County for a decade.

Tom was especially grateful to all who supported him during his battle with ALS.

Visitation is February 1, 4-7 p.m., at Union Church of Lake Bluff, 525 E. Prospect Ave.  A funeral service will be held on Saturday, February 2, at 11 a.m., also at Union Church, with a reception to follow. Info: Reuland & Turnbough Funeral Directors of Lake Forest, 847-234-9649 or www.RTfunerals.com.  In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to PADS Lake County, PO Box 428, North Chicago IL 60064, (http://www.padslakecounty.org/donate), or to support ALS Research within the Les Turner ALS Center at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 420 E Superior, Rubloff Bldg., 9th Floor, Chicago, IL 60611 (https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/sites/alsresearch/about/giving.html).

Fritzie Fritzshall. PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS STRONG

Holocaust survivor and social activist Fritzie Fritzshall died June 19 at the age of 91.

Frtizshall survived the death camps to become a leading voice for Holocaust education. She served as President of Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center and remained active in bridging ethnic and religious divides throughout her life.

“She was brave, selfless, wise, and forward-thinking,” Susan Abrams, Chief Executive Officer of the Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie, told the Forward (republished with permission in The North Shore Weekend). “And in spite of all she had been through, seeing humanity’s worst, she was optimistic and hopeful of creating a better world for others.

Born Fritzie Weiss in 1929, Fritzshall did see the worst.

After the German army occupied her hometown of Klucharky, Czechoslovakia, in 1944, soldiers forced her, her mother, and two younger brothers into a ghetto, then deported them by train to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.

“The train arrived in the middle of the night,” Fritzshall said in video testimony on the museum website. “So we were greeted by very bright lights shining down on us. We were greeted by soldiers, SS men, as well as women. We were greeted by dogs and whips, by shouting and screaming, orders to try to empty the train, by confusion, and by men in striped uniform. We didn’t know it at the time, but the men in uniform were the Jews who were brought there before us, they were called ‘Kanada,’ which I found out later. Their job was to empty the train.”

Fritzie in front of her hologram in Illinois Holocaust Museum’s Survivor Stories Experience. Survivor Stories Experience features Dimensions in Testimony, developed by USC Shoah Foundation in association with Illinois Holocaust Museum. PHOTOGRAPHY BY RON GOULD

Fritzie speaks at Illinois Holocaust Museum’s annual Humanitarian Awards Dinner. PHOTOGRAPHY BY RON GOULD

One of those Jews gave Fritzshall advice that saved her life. He told her to act older than she was, so she would be sent to work.

Fritzshall spent a year in Auschwitz and a slave labor camp. Her mother, brothers, and other family members died in the camp.

When the Soviet Army liberated the camp, soldiers found her hiding in the forest, having escaped from a forced march. She came to Skokie in 1946, where she reunited with her father, who had come to America before the war to send money back to his family. Fritzshall married a U.S. veteran of World War II and worked as a hairdresser.

In the late 1970s, when neo-Nazis threatened to march through the streets of Skokie, Fritzshall and other survivors decided to channel their anger and fear into education They established the Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois in 1981.

“We said we came to a free country, and we don’t need to be afraid to say we are Jews,” she recalled in an interview with the museum. “We don’t need to be afraid to walk out on the street and be identified. We are not wearing the yellow armbands any longer.”

By 2009, the institution had transformed into the Illinois Holocaust Museum. Since 2010, Fritzshall served as its President.

Fritzshall, said Abrams, was willing “to share her stories over and over again for a range of different audiences and embracing technology that will live on for generations to come in the most impactful way.”

The Illinois Holocaust Museum worked with the USC Shoah Foundation to create the first-ever Interactive Survivor Holograms. The theater experience allows museum visitors to engage with holograms of survivors who lived through the Holocaust and enables people to ask questions that prompt real-time responses from pre-recorded video interviews with Holocaust Survivors. Fritzshall’s story is one of the holographic recordings.

Later this year, the Museum will premiere “A Promise Kept,” a virtual reality experience where visitors can stand with Fritzshall as she returns to Auschwitz and tells the story of the promise she made to 599 women who, with each crumb of bread, kept her alive during the Holocaust.

This is the first time that virtual reality technology will be used to archive, preserve, and produce Holocaust survivor testimony in Auschwitz. “She felt the weight of this responsibility from this promise,” Abrams said.

In a social media statement, Governor J.B Pritzker said of Fritzshall, “She embodied the decency and kindness she implored from others. She was strong, faithful and caring.”

Cardinal Blaise Cupich of the Archdiocese of Chicago said in a social media statement, “The world lost a clarion voice against bigotry, and I lost a good friend.” Fritzshall and Cupich traveled to Auschwitz in July 2019.

“By bravely sharing her story, Fritzie inspired us and now it is up to us to make sure her work lives on and the world never forgets the Holocaust,” he said.

Fritzshall is survived by her son, Steve; daughter-in-law, Hinda; and grandsons Scott and Andy.

This article was originally published at forward. com. Republished with permission. To receive the Forward’s newsletter, go to forward. com/newsletter.

Dr. Joanne Smith continued to serve as President and CEO of Shirley Ryan AbilityLab while also undergoing cancer treatment. She died last week.

She changed lives. She changed the definition of rehabilitative health care. But most of all, Dr. Joanne C. Smith—who died September 6 following a private battle with cancer—changed the paradigm of medicine with her vision for what is now the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago.

“Dr. Smith was a transformational and visionary health care leader,” said Shirley Ryan of Winnetka, a board member who together with husband, Pat Ryan, made a multimillion-dollar gift to the former Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) in support of its innovative new facility, which was completed in 2017. “Her impact in the field of rehabilitation will be felt globally for many generations to come. She blended a culture of hope and positivity, integrating scientific research, technology, and superior clinical care. I was honored to be her colleague and friend.”

Dr. Smith, who continued to serve as President and CEO of Shirley Ryan AbilityLab while also undergoing cancer treatment, was 60 years old. The tributes to her as a health care pioneer, colleague, and friend came in from many, including long-time colleague Nancy Paridy, Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab who will help lead the organization with Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Peggy Kirk until a replacement is found.

“Dr. Smith didn’t just live our vision; she created it,” says Paridy. “Shortly into her tenure as CEO of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC), she had a realization. Medicine, science, and technology were at a boiling point with the convergence of disciplines and discoveries. She understood that, for the first time, we could apply research right into the clinical environment for even better, faster patient outcomes.

”At this point, she explains, RIC had been ranked the No. 1 rehabilitation hospital in America by U.S. News & World Report for nearly two decades. Dr. Smith didn’t need to change anything about the organization, yet she decided to radically re-envision its model of care. Shirley Ryan AbilityLab was the manifestation for Dr. Smith’s vision—integrating science into care, undeniably changing the paradigm for health care delivery. The result was the world’s first-ever “translational” research hospital in which physicians, scientists, innovators, technologists, and clinicians work together in the same space, surrounding patients, discovering novel approaches, and applying research in real time.

The $550 million, 1.2 million square foot research hospital immediately gained national and international accolades. Just recently, the hospital once again was ranked No. 1 in rehabilitation by U.S. News & World Report for the 31st year in a row—a level of distinction, quality, and outcomes unmatched by any other facility.

“She was a force of nature and a deeply caring, transformational leader,” adds Paridy. “She would never give up—on anything or anyone in her life.”

In addition to her leadership at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, where she managed a team of more than 2,000 clinicians, scientists, and staff, Dr. Smith was a faculty member at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine for 25 years. She also served for more than a decade on the Healthcare Advisory Roundtable for Madison Dearborn Partners and for more than two decades on the board of directors for AptarGroup Inc.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend and leader, Dr. Joanne Smith,” said M. Jude Reyes, board chair. “Dr. Smith re-envisioned and reinvented the field of physical medicine.”

With great love for serving as president and CEO, Dr. Smith most valued her roles of wife and mother. She is survived by her husband, Rory Repicky, their children, Claire and Michael Repicky, and a large extended family, in which she was one of nine children.

“It is impossible to overstate the importance of love to Joanne—how her reverence for it drove and shaped her life,” said Repicky. “To Joanne, her work was always more than a job; it was a calling. By extension, her team members were always more than colleagues; they were members of her beloved, extended family. I know that her legacy will live on in this institution and in each and every employee working to improve the lives of the patients they serve.”

Paridy says what she will most remember is Dr. Smith’s capacity to connect with people authentically and lovingly.

“Her penchant for leadership was unparalleled. Her passion for life was pervasive,” she adds.

In her final days, Dr. Smith left a poignant final email to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab employees—one that will forever define her legacy.

“I take great comfort in knowing that our vision doesn’t end with me,” she wrote, “because it lives in you.

BY DAVID A. F. SWEET

An unbeatable racquets champion who held the world title for 18 years straight, Geoffrey Willoughby Thomas Atkins—who died last month at 94—was the Roger Federer of the sport: graceful, coordinated and able to win matches while hardly breaking a sweat.

“He was competitive and focused on the court, but in general he was very laid back” says his daughter Lucinda Sheffield, who lives in Lake Bluff. “He was a good ambassador for racquets. He was always a good sport.”

Though he played in private clubs in North America and Europe as an adult, Atkins’ childhood in England was not rife with advantages. His father served in the Indian Army—then part of the British Empire—and his upbringing did not suggest the privileged world that lay ahead.

Not only that, his future seemed to lead not to sports—but to acting. Atkins made quite a mark as a child actor in the black-and-white films of the day, culminating in the role of the Duke of Dorset in the 1939 movie Goodbye Mr. Chips, where lead actor Robert Donat captured an Oscar. Only 12 at the time, Atkins soon was offered a contract by MGM to move to Hollywood.

“I think there was a little wistfulness of what could have been,” says Sheffield, pointing out her grandfather likely didn’t want to uproot his family.

After learning to play racquets at Rugby in England, where he would hit the ball alone for hours, Atkins captured the British Amateur singles title in 1952 and 1953. The following year at the Queen’s Club in London, he won his first world title. Over the ensuing years—during which time he moved to Lake Forest—he fought off a number of challengers before retiring in 1971 at 44. A new champion was crowned in 1972. Even when he retired from competitive racquets, he continued to be an excellent squash player as well as court tennis player, a sport where he had won the British Amateur championship three times.

Though his flat in London was filled with silver racquets trophies, his favorites were the two gold racquets he won during the championships at the The Tuxedo Club in Tuxedo Park, New York. To win one required victories over three straight years, a feat he accomplished twice.

Sheffield said her father was enamored with animals, and he also swam with dolphins on a vacation and with whale sharks in Australia. He and his daughter traveled to South Africa and other spots together, where he enjoyed sitting in the sun on the beach. As well, Atkins loved watching sports, often enjoying a cricket match and even snooker on television with his favorite drink—a gin and tonic—in hand. He taught his granddaughter Pippa how to play backgammon. Said Sheffield, “He was a gentle, kind sportsman who loved his family and nature and animals.”

Atkins is survived by his twin brother Robert (Anabel), his son Nicholas (Rowena), his daughter Lucinda (Thomas Sheffield), and his grandchildren Matilda, Lilah, and Eddie Atkins, and Charlie, Henry, Sam, and Pippa Sheffield.

Services in England have been held. Donations may be made in his name to Chicago-based MetroSquash via metrosquash.org or sent to MetroSquash, 6100 S. Cottage Grove Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637.

Remembering the life of Highland Park attorney Donald Lubin. PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBIN SUBAR

Dentons Senior Counsel Linda Chaplik Harris hoped for one thing whenever she’d drive esteemed colleague Donald G. Lubin from their law office in Chicago to his home in Highland Park.

Traffic—the congested, patience-fraying kind.

“It elated me when we had to endure it, because that meant I’d get to spend more time listening to Don tell his wonderful stories, ones filled with vivid details,” recalls Harris, who has worked for the global firm Dentons (formerly Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal) since 1976.

“After we got off the ramp on our drive, I’d even slow down to make sure we’d hit as many red lights as possible. I treasured every minute of every commute home with Don.”

Lubin’s remarkable, impactful life—as a loving father of four and the spouse of the former Amy Schwartz for 66 years, as Dentons’ second chairman, as a consummate lawyer and mentor, as a humble titan in philanthropy, and as the eulogist at the funerals of at least 15 non-relatives—ended at his home on June 5.

He was 88.

Lubin’s humility was legendary, though he never would have characterized it as so. But Harris has, and Lubin manifested the trait during his 90-minute State of the Firm address at Sonnenschein’s inaugural partners retreat in Chicago.

“Don had recently been named chairman and asked me to help plan the retreat, to put the programming of the event together,” Harris says. “In his speech he mentioned numerous new clients, litigation victories, and deals that had been closed in the year. But he never mentioned any of his clients, any of his cases, any of his deals. Instead, Don—our firm’s principal rainmaker—used the retreat as an opportunity to highlight the work of the firm’s other partners. It was amazing.

“I’m sitting there, thinking, ‘There’s a lesson here.’ He was the most humble man you could ever meet. You can’t talk about Don Lubin without being stunned by how humble he was.”

Born in Brooklyn, New York, and a graduate of the Wharton Business School of the University of Pennsylvania, Lubin met his future wife when he was in his first week at Harvard Law School and Amy was a Wellesley College student.

The couple relocated to Chicago in 1957, when Lubin accepted a position as an associate at Sonnenschein, and they moved to the first of their two Highland Park houses in 1962. Their second abode was used to film scenes in the 1992 movie Prelude to a Kiss, starring Alec Baldwin and Meg Ryan.

Mr. and Mrs. Lubin raised sons Peter, Richard, and Tom, and daughter Alice.

“My father loved routine, especially in the early years of his law career,” says Tom, who was a lawyer for three years before choosing to become an entrepreneur in 1992. “My mom would drive him to the Highland Park train station every workday so he could take the 8:08 a.m. train to the city, and then she’d pick him up every night at 6:18 p.m. The only time he broke that routine was when my sister, Alice, attended Elm Place School, and he walked her to middle school every morning before heading to the train station to catch the 8:08.

“Alice’s music teacher, Mr. Reed,” he adds, “even gave Alice extra credit when he noticed that Alice walked with her dad to school every day.”

Don Lubin served as the personal attorney for several business heavyweights, including McDonald’s Founder Ray Kroc. Lubin was elected to the McDonald’s Corporation Board of Directors in 1967 (and was its longest serving director), had a founding role in Ronald McDonald House Charities, and guided that nonprofit as a trustee for nearly 40 years. He also counseled boards of directors and senior management of private and public companies, including Allstate, Molex, Sealy, Sears, Serta, and WW Grainger.

Among the innumerable posts he held during a law career that spanned over six decades: Director, Smithsonian Institution and the National Museum of American History; Life Trustee and former Board Chair, Ravinia Festival; Life Trustee, Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Life Trustee and former Board Chair, Highland Park Hospital; and Life Trustee and former Vice Chair, Rush University Medical Center, where Lubin helped plan a new wing designed for pandemics.

And Lubin was an integral leader behind the establishment of Legacy Charter School (pre-K through eighth grade), located in the Chicago neighborhood North Lawndale. Sonnenschein/Dentons founded the school to mark the occasion of the firm’s centennial anniversary.

“I never looked at Don through a single lens,” says Dentons Global Corporate Practice Chair Mike Froy, in his 39th year with the firm. “Don was a lawyer who made a difference—he brought something special to every matter he handled. He not only dedicated himself to his clients, his firm, and his colleagues, but to countless charitable and civic causes as well. Still, nothing meant more to Don than his family.

“Words that come to mind, when I think of Don, are integrity judgment, loyalty, commitment, trust, humility, fairness, and selflessness. While he had a commanding presence, those who knew him well appreciated his wit and sense of humor.”

Only one Dentons employee was surprised when the firm created the annual Lubin Award in 2017, two years before Lubin retired. The startled employee? Lubin himself. The award honors a colleague who embodies Lubin’s high standards, selflessness, and passionate dedication to the practice of law.

“Don,” Harris says, “wasn’t just a brilliant lawyer. One of his many other strengths was his soft spot for people—making people feel good and that they mattered. What I remember most about the first day I met Don was his warmth; he was non-threatening. Our firm has been known for its inclusiveness for decades because Don advocated for women in the field of law.

“He introduced women lawyers to clients in much the same way he dealt with male lawyers,” Harris continues. “He’d give great thought to people he believed would have common interests and ‘chemistry.’ His success in matching firm lawyers with clients was evident by the decades-long relationships that resulted from his introductions.”

The survivors of deceased clients, colleagues, friends, CEOs, mentees, and others who had been blessed to have known Lubin were treated to eulogies delivered by Lubin.

The number of tributes—15, maybe more—Don Lubin was asked to prepare still amazes Tom Lubin.

“He probably gave more eulogies than some priests and rabbis,” Tom says. “It speaks to how revered he was to so many. A couple of years ago, I asked Dad if he could help me write his own eulogy. It was the only time he refused a request to celebrate someone’s life.

“‘Surprise me,’ was all he said.

Don Lubin’s survivors, in addition to his wife and four children, include eight grandchildren.