Mnetoqua
Mnetoqua, who is also known as Marguerite or Margaret was a Potawatomi woman who married French-Indian fur trapper Leon Bourassa. When her tribe was forced off their land in 1832 she stayed behind to tend to her ancestral graves that are now Forest Home Cemetery.
Elizabeth Hillmer
Unknown-1886
Elizabeth Hillmer, a midwife hailed as "the only doctor for a long time in Harlem," dedicated her life to the well-being of her community. Arriving in Harlem in 1855 from Germany, she brought with her a background in medicine from her native country. Filling a crucial void in healthcare, she tirelessly tended to the sick, offering round-the-clock care with compassion and generosity. Known for her kindness and charitable spirit, she often served the impoverished without seeking compensation.
Bess Roos
1884-1977
Bess Roos was a pillar of her community. As a Forest Park Public Library Board member, she promoted literacy and access to knowledge. Following an enlightening trip to Russia, her 1937 speech at the West Suburban American League advocated for peace. As an active member of the Women's Club she led the 1928 Red Cross Christmas Seal sale. She facilitated a school nurse program in 1925, thanks to the Kiwanis Club, and hosted the Oak Park Day Nursery at the Kiwanis Club in 1938 while promoting child care and hygiene education.
Bertha Hitchcock Koeppel
1897-1983
Bertha Koeppel taught in Forest Park Public Schools for 43 years and was also a dance teacher. She organized many talent shows benefitting the Infant Welfare Society, Friends of the Library, the American Legion, and Forest Park Public Schools.
Edith Heilemann
Edith Heilemann was the first associate editor and reporter of the Forest Park Review, where she worked from 1917- 1941. She is credited with the famous 1926 “History of Forest Park” edition. She authored a weekly section titled “Chirpings of the Canary,” which featured odds and ends about Forest Park during that period.
Dr. Phyllis Orland
1919-2009
Dr. Phyllis Orland was a highly respected pediatrician and advocate for the polio vaccine in Forest Park and Chicago. She attended the University of Illinois at a time when women comprised only a small percentage of the class. She went on to become a published author and speaker on children's health. She was recognized for her contributions in the 1972-1973 edition of "Who's Who of American Women.
Lorraine Popelka
1932-2007
Lorraine Popelka is a prominent figure in Forest Park known for her public service as the village's first female mayor and for her dedication to the Park District. Many swimmers at the Park District of Forest Park know her as the woman who taught them how to swim. She served as a village commissioner for eight years and as mayor for twelve years and was known for her commitment to the community and its families.
Mathilda Petersohn
Mathilda Petersohn, civic leader, served Forest Park for over 50 years selling WWI “Liberty” bonds and helping organize the WWI soldiers’ homecoming and the Proviso Relief fund. She helped launch the Day Nursery, Forest Park National Bank, and the Garden Club. She served on the D91 Board of Education from 1948 to 1966 and was the first woman to serve as Board President. She also served from 1934 to 1971 on the Forest Park Library Board.
Josephine Austin
Josephine Austin became a Forest Park librarian in 1936 and then again in 1952. She was later
appointed to the position of Library Director and oversaw the library from its early days through 1973. The largest meeting room at the library has been named in her honor.
Mae M. Baldridge
1919 - 2012
Mae M. Baldridge resided in Forest Park for 41 years, serving the village in numerous capacities. She was a Board of Health member for 19 years, a Girl Scout Brownie leader, and an active participant in the PTA. Mae also contributed significantly to public health initiatives, organizing programs such as polio vaccinations, the Rubella Program, and Meals on Wheels. Additionally, she played a key role in fundraising for various causes and served as a nurse in multiple programs and schools within the community.
Cora Sallee
1920-2003
Cora Sallee was a devoted advocate for Forest Park throughout her life, preserving and sharing the village's rich history with its citizens. During 30 years of service at the Forest Park Public Library, she was known for her willingness to engage with visitors, her warm, approachable demeanor, and for her role as the custodian of the library's history files. Cora was a founding member of the Historical Society of Forest Park and one of its most active participants.
Jackie Schulz
1931-2023
Jackie Schulz, treasured as the "Matriarch of Forest Park," left an indelible mark on her community through her iconic Forest Park Review column "Talk of the Town," which spanned nearly 2,500 issues from 1970 to 2017. Wide-ranging and chatty, her column was a loving tribute to Forest Park. Born on the far South Side of Chicago, she dedicated 43 years to teaching in Chicago Public Schools. Jackie's thirst for exploration took her from the streets of Forest Park to the distant corners of Asia and Europe, and she shared her love of travel with her readers. Her passion for music led her to become an accomplished pianist and cellist with the Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest.
May Bill
1920 - 2022
May Rose Bill was a beloved presence in Forest Park and was deeply involved in civic life. She dedicated herself to organizations like the VFW Women’s Auxiliary, the Eagles, and the Women’s Club of Forest Park, where she served as President. During her 25-year tenure on the Forest Park Public Library Board she worked to enhance community access to resources. Beyond her civic duties, May enjoyed cooking, sewing, tennis, and bowling at Circle Lanes. Fondly known as the "punch lady" on Beloit Avenue, she nurtured a close-knit neighborhood. A centenarian, May's 100th birthday was celebrated with a parade, paying tribute to her enduring impact and community devotion.
Cindy Lyons
1947-1998
Cindy Lyons oversaw the social service programs for the elderly and food insecure through the Howard Mohr Community Center. She was known in the community for going above and beyond to help people in need. In 1987 she was given the Forest Park citizen of the year award
Mnetoqua, who is also known as Marguerite or Margaret was a Potawatomi woman who married French-Indian fur trapper Leon Bourassa. When her tribe was forced off their land in 1832 she stayed behind to tend to her ancestral graves that are now Forest Home Cemetery.
Elizabeth Hillmer
Unknown-1886
Elizabeth Hillmer, a midwife hailed as "the only doctor for a long time in Harlem," dedicated her life to the well-being of her community. Arriving in Harlem in 1855 from Germany, she brought with her a background in medicine from her native country. Filling a crucial void in healthcare, she tirelessly tended to the sick, offering round-the-clock care with compassion and generosity. Known for her kindness and charitable spirit, she often served the impoverished without seeking compensation.
Bess Roos
1884-1977
Bess Roos was a pillar of her community. As a Forest Park Public Library Board member, she promoted literacy and access to knowledge. Following an enlightening trip to Russia, her 1937 speech at the West Suburban American League advocated for peace. As an active member of the Women's Club she led the 1928 Red Cross Christmas Seal sale. She facilitated a school nurse program in 1925, thanks to the Kiwanis Club, and hosted the Oak Park Day Nursery at the Kiwanis Club in 1938 while promoting child care and hygiene education.
Bertha Hitchcock Koeppel
1897-1983
Bertha Koeppel taught in Forest Park Public Schools for 43 years and was also a dance teacher. She organized many talent shows benefitting the Infant Welfare Society, Friends of the Library, the American Legion, and Forest Park Public Schools.
Edith Heilemann
Edith Heilemann was the first associate editor and reporter of the Forest Park Review, where she worked from 1917- 1941. She is credited with the famous 1926 “History of Forest Park” edition. She authored a weekly section titled “Chirpings of the Canary,” which featured odds and ends about Forest Park during that period.
Dr. Phyllis Orland
1919-2009
Dr. Phyllis Orland was a highly respected pediatrician and advocate for the polio vaccine in Forest Park and Chicago. She attended the University of Illinois at a time when women comprised only a small percentage of the class. She went on to become a published author and speaker on children's health. She was recognized for her contributions in the 1972-1973 edition of "Who's Who of American Women.
Lorraine Popelka
1932-2007
Lorraine Popelka is a prominent figure in Forest Park known for her public service as the village's first female mayor and for her dedication to the Park District. Many swimmers at the Park District of Forest Park know her as the woman who taught them how to swim. She served as a village commissioner for eight years and as mayor for twelve years and was known for her commitment to the community and its families.
Mathilda Petersohn
Mathilda Petersohn, civic leader, served Forest Park for over 50 years selling WWI “Liberty” bonds and helping organize the WWI soldiers’ homecoming and the Proviso Relief fund. She helped launch the Day Nursery, Forest Park National Bank, and the Garden Club. She served on the D91 Board of Education from 1948 to 1966 and was the first woman to serve as Board President. She also served from 1934 to 1971 on the Forest Park Library Board.
Josephine Austin
Josephine Austin became a Forest Park librarian in 1936 and then again in 1952. She was later
appointed to the position of Library Director and oversaw the library from its early days through 1973. The largest meeting room at the library has been named in her honor.
Mae M. Baldridge
1919 - 2012
Mae M. Baldridge resided in Forest Park for 41 years, serving the village in numerous capacities. She was a Board of Health member for 19 years, a Girl Scout Brownie leader, and an active participant in the PTA. Mae also contributed significantly to public health initiatives, organizing programs such as polio vaccinations, the Rubella Program, and Meals on Wheels. Additionally, she played a key role in fundraising for various causes and served as a nurse in multiple programs and schools within the community.
Cora Sallee
1920-2003
Cora Sallee was a devoted advocate for Forest Park throughout her life, preserving and sharing the village's rich history with its citizens. During 30 years of service at the Forest Park Public Library, she was known for her willingness to engage with visitors, her warm, approachable demeanor, and for her role as the custodian of the library's history files. Cora was a founding member of the Historical Society of Forest Park and one of its most active participants.
Jackie Schulz
1931-2023
Jackie Schulz, treasured as the "Matriarch of Forest Park," left an indelible mark on her community through her iconic Forest Park Review column "Talk of the Town," which spanned nearly 2,500 issues from 1970 to 2017. Wide-ranging and chatty, her column was a loving tribute to Forest Park. Born on the far South Side of Chicago, she dedicated 43 years to teaching in Chicago Public Schools. Jackie's thirst for exploration took her from the streets of Forest Park to the distant corners of Asia and Europe, and she shared her love of travel with her readers. Her passion for music led her to become an accomplished pianist and cellist with the Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest.
May Bill
1920 - 2022
May Rose Bill was a beloved presence in Forest Park and was deeply involved in civic life. She dedicated herself to organizations like the VFW Women’s Auxiliary, the Eagles, and the Women’s Club of Forest Park, where she served as President. During her 25-year tenure on the Forest Park Public Library Board she worked to enhance community access to resources. Beyond her civic duties, May enjoyed cooking, sewing, tennis, and bowling at Circle Lanes. Fondly known as the "punch lady" on Beloit Avenue, she nurtured a close-knit neighborhood. A centenarian, May's 100th birthday was celebrated with a parade, paying tribute to her enduring impact and community devotion.
Cindy Lyons
1947-1998
Cindy Lyons oversaw the social service programs for the elderly and food insecure through the Howard Mohr Community Center. She was known in the community for going above and beyond to help people in need. In 1987 she was given the Forest Park citizen of the year award
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