Well here we go!
Changed our initial plans and decided to start on Saturday. So Saturday afternoon and night we spend about 6 hours at Jim and Paula's sharing all the Chicago info Lynn received from her Uncle Bob. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner and talked for hours outside.
Sunday morning we started the day with Mass at St. Sylvester's Church on Humboldt Blvd. It is now a vibrant Puerto Rican neighborhood and we were greeted warmly by parishioners and the pastor. This is the church where Lynn was baptized, where Uncle Bob and Aunt Audrey were married, and where Dad (Tom) attended church and school.
Lynn's heart was so full and we definitely felt the presence of Mom, Dad, Grandma,and Grandpa Schumacker. It was inspiring to make a connection.
We then took a ride through Humboldt Park and stopped to see the pond, beach, ballparks. You could almost hear, "c'mon, Lefty!"
Such a beautiful park!
Next stop - Francisco Ave., where Tom, Jean, and family lived with Grandma and Grandpa Schumacker for a time. Lynn remembers going to bed on Christmas Eve with the sliding pocket doors closed, only to open in the morning to a decorated tree and presents galore, where there had previously been nothing!!
We then traveled to 3261 Armitage to the home where Dad was born. Great-grandpa Henningsen owned a restaurant at 3281 Armitage. Uncle Bob shared a story about a little "routine", better known as a scam, he and his cousin Dube would pull on their Grandpa Henningsen. Grandpa Henningsen would be eating his usual Strawberry pie with milk.
It went a little like this, "Hey, Bob, I hear there's a good movie playing at the Arm'", "Oh, really, Dube?", "Yeah, Bob, I sure would like to see it". Cha-ching! That was the sound of the cash register opening for two little boys to go to the latest Tom Mick flick courtesy of Grandpa H. This scenario was said to have been played out nearly every Saturday morning!
Our driver, Jim, took Paula, Larry, and Lynn over to Laramie, around the corner from St. Peter Canisius Church on North Ave. Grandpa and Grandma Schumacker lived here next door to Aunt Margaret. Downstairs from Aunt Margaret lived Bill, Phyllis, Gary, Sharon, and Peggy. Rich and Lynn would walk down to LaFollette Park from Grandma and Grandpa's to swing on the swings. Lynn remembers going to church with Grandpa and then stopping by the Italian market across North Ave. On one trip and on Grandpa's urging she reached into one of the many open barrels of fresh products for sale, thinking she was swiping a handful
of black olives, which she loves. Upon returning to Grandpa and Grandma's much to her chagrin, she realized she had pilfered a handful of snails!
Rich attended school here at St. Peter Canisius when he lived with Grandma and Grandpa.
At this point, we were famished and headed straight for Johnny's Beef, the best Italian beef in Chicago. We waited in line about 20 minutes, but it was so worth it!
As a side trip, we went to 6334 W. Barry, the home of Lynn and Jim's Aunt Betty and Uncle John, Jean's brother and sister-in-law. Lynn and Jim remember spending every Christmas night celebrating in their basement! We also visited 3231 Ottawa, where Grandma and Grandpa Fisher lived on one floor and Uncle Joe and Aunt Elaine on the other.
We were on a roll, but fading fast, so we decided to go back to Jim and Paula's in Oak Park to get ready for dinner. We planned to meet Rich and Helen in Wheaton. On the way out west we stopped at 341 Highland Ave., Elmhurst. This is where Lynn's family moved in 1963 from Lombard. Dad and Mom did a lot of work on this house and it still looked beautiful!
From Highland we went over to West Ave., where Mary, Queen of Heaven is located. This is the church where Larry and Lynn were married 40 years ago, June 17.
We left Elmhurst traveling west on North Ave. We turned onto Joyce Ave., Lombard and proceeded past the pond, where we fished in the summer and skated in the winter.
Tom and Jean's first home was at 605 Joyce. Lynn moved here at the age of four and many brothers and sisters followed. Janet, Jim, and Bill were born here. Eventually, Grandma and Grandpa moved across the street at 612 Joyce. What a treat for a child to have grandparents so close! Grandpa and Lynn made many trips together from Joyce to Arlington Park to play the horses after Grandpa showed her how to read the Form and scope out the winners!
Then we headed toward downtown Lombard, past Lilacia Park, and over to Elizabeth where Sacred Heart Church and school are located. Lynn attended grades one, two, and three here.
She is beginning her 20th year teaching at Sacred Heart School, Valley Park, Missouri.
We were a little afraid time was getting short, so we proceeded to the Ivy restaurant in Wheaton to meet Rich and Helen. We spent a wonderful evening reminiscing and laughing with them. We left, all of us promising to keep in touch.
Onward to Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada and Chief Joe White!
Lynn's heart was so full and we definitely felt the presence of Mom, Dad, Grandma,and Grandpa Schumacker. It was inspiring to make a connection.
We then took a ride through Humboldt Park and stopped to see the pond, beach, ballparks. You could almost hear, "c'mon, Lefty!"
Such a beautiful park!
Next stop - Francisco Ave., where Tom, Jean, and family lived with Grandma and Grandpa Schumacker for a time. Lynn remembers going to bed on Christmas Eve with the sliding pocket doors closed, only to open in the morning to a decorated tree and presents galore, where there had previously been nothing!!
We then traveled to 3261 Armitage to the home where Dad was born. Great-grandpa Henningsen owned a restaurant at 3281 Armitage. Uncle Bob shared a story about a little "routine", better known as a scam, he and his cousin Dube would pull on their Grandpa Henningsen. Grandpa Henningsen would be eating his usual Strawberry pie with milk.
It went a little like this, "Hey, Bob, I hear there's a good movie playing at the Arm'", "Oh, really, Dube?", "Yeah, Bob, I sure would like to see it". Cha-ching! That was the sound of the cash register opening for two little boys to go to the latest Tom Mick flick courtesy of Grandpa H. This scenario was said to have been played out nearly every Saturday morning!
Our driver, Jim, took Paula, Larry, and Lynn over to Laramie, around the corner from St. Peter Canisius Church on North Ave. Grandpa and Grandma Schumacker lived here next door to Aunt Margaret. Downstairs from Aunt Margaret lived Bill, Phyllis, Gary, Sharon, and Peggy. Rich and Lynn would walk down to LaFollette Park from Grandma and Grandpa's to swing on the swings. Lynn remembers going to church with Grandpa and then stopping by the Italian market across North Ave. On one trip and on Grandpa's urging she reached into one of the many open barrels of fresh products for sale, thinking she was swiping a handful
of black olives, which she loves. Upon returning to Grandpa and Grandma's much to her chagrin, she realized she had pilfered a handful of snails!
Rich attended school here at St. Peter Canisius when he lived with Grandma and Grandpa.
At this point, we were famished and headed straight for Johnny's Beef, the best Italian beef in Chicago. We waited in line about 20 minutes, but it was so worth it!
As a side trip, we went to 6334 W. Barry, the home of Lynn and Jim's Aunt Betty and Uncle John, Jean's brother and sister-in-law. Lynn and Jim remember spending every Christmas night celebrating in their basement! We also visited 3231 Ottawa, where Grandma and Grandpa Fisher lived on one floor and Uncle Joe and Aunt Elaine on the other.
We were on a roll, but fading fast, so we decided to go back to Jim and Paula's in Oak Park to get ready for dinner. We planned to meet Rich and Helen in Wheaton. On the way out west we stopped at 341 Highland Ave., Elmhurst. This is where Lynn's family moved in 1963 from Lombard. Dad and Mom did a lot of work on this house and it still looked beautiful!
From Highland we went over to West Ave., where Mary, Queen of Heaven is located. This is the church where Larry and Lynn were married 40 years ago, June 17.
We left Elmhurst traveling west on North Ave. We turned onto Joyce Ave., Lombard and proceeded past the pond, where we fished in the summer and skated in the winter.
Tom and Jean's first home was at 605 Joyce. Lynn moved here at the age of four and many brothers and sisters followed. Janet, Jim, and Bill were born here. Eventually, Grandma and Grandpa moved across the street at 612 Joyce. What a treat for a child to have grandparents so close! Grandpa and Lynn made many trips together from Joyce to Arlington Park to play the horses after Grandpa showed her how to read the Form and scope out the winners! 
Then we headed toward downtown Lombard, past Lilacia Park, and over to Elizabeth where Sacred Heart Church and school are located. Lynn attended grades one, two, and three here.
She is beginning her 20th year teaching at Sacred Heart School, Valley Park, Missouri.
We were a little afraid time was getting short, so we proceeded to the Ivy restaurant in Wheaton to meet Rich and Helen. We spent a wonderful evening reminiscing and laughing with them. We left, all of us promising to keep in touch.
Onward to Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada and Chief Joe White!
Nice work. You are a born blogger.
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