REMEMBERING THE LIVES THEY LIVED FREE December 31, 2020-January 6, 2021 • Vol. 46 No. 24 December 31, 2020-January 6, 2021 | Illinois Times | 1 2 | www.illinoistimes.com | December 31, 2020-January 6, 2021 REMEMBERING THE LIVES THEY LIVED NORMAN FREDERICK ROVEY II Dec. 29, 1953-Oct. 19, 2020 About the issue Our annual REMEMBERING edition, the last issue of the year, reminds us small-town folks that people we thought we knew we didn’t know as well as we wish we had, and those we didn’t know, we “There is nothing he would not tackle” wish we had known. It reminds us that many more have died this year than we could possibly write REMEMBERING | Bruce Rushton about, so this presentation is always just a sample of the richness of lives gone. We strive for diversity among those we include, and always know we fall Norman Frederick Rovey II – Fred to could twirl a tree so that people might skied, but didn’t know how to swim, short of the diversity that’s available to us. Readers most everyone – had a knack. not notice a bare spot.” actually,” Casey says. Eventually, he were invited to submit memorials; 26 are in our print edition and more are online. REMEMBERING At 10, he was driving bulldozers When he was 40, Rovey turned learned to swim, but not well. That tells us not only how much this town has lost this – his father ran N.F. Rovey and hero. did not stop him from piloting fi shing year, but how much from each life it has gained. Son Excavating. Growing up on The father had gotten his three- boats in Florida and Alaska, where he –Fletcher Farrar, editor and CEO South Fourth Street, Rovey once year-old son out by scrambling to the became a Ketchikan guide within two declared that he hoped to become a second story and breaking a window, years of showing up and dropping his garbage hauler. Instead, he became but his two-year-old daughter was fi rst line in local waters. Hunting was NORMAN FREDERICK ROVEY II - 3 a Springfi eld fi refi ghter, rising to the still inside the burning house on East a passion that took him as far away as DR. CLARICE FORD - 4 rank of captain. Phillips Street. Firefi ghters rushed in. Africa, where he pursued zebras and JAMES ROBERT THOMPSON - 5 After being diagnosed with cancer, Under the bed, Rovey fi gured. He was wildebeests, but he never lost his love Rovey had time to plan his fi nal right. Scooping the girl up, Rovey for deer and sundry Illinois varmints. JACK KRIEL - 6 resting place. He dug the hole. He He could sit outside all night long, MARY SCHNIRRING - 7 built, then moved, with the help of a waiting for coyotes, and was much WILLIAM RICHARD SCHNIRRING - 7 crane, a concrete vault that consumes in demand by farmers seeking to CORDY TINDELL VIVIAN - 8 eight lots at Rovey Cemetery – his eliminate pests. He ate squirrels. LINDA “LIN” RAKERS - 9 family donated land for the graveyard Rovey did not waste time off JEROME “JERRY” JACOBSON - 10 years ago – in Farmersville. Between during his years in the fi re department. CHARLES RICHARD HOOGLAND - 11 planning and execution, it took years. With his work schedule giving him MICHAEL BELLAMY PLOG - 12 And in October, Rovey was laid to rest 48 hours off after every 24 hours on JAMES HENRY KROHE - 13 in his 1976 MG sports car. duty, he acquired a string of rental LOUIS SHAVER MYERS - 14 They played “My Way” at his properties on North Amos Avenue. ARNOLD ALLEN STERN - 14 funeral. “He built three duplexes and bought ALEX MCCRAY - 15 Rovey could build or fi x most several houses and remodeled them,” MICHAEL PATRICK MANNING - 16 anything. Long after others might have Hafel says. Rovey worked for the fi re DANYEL ANN “DEE” (WATTERS) PITTS - 17 given up, he’d keep wrenching until department for 26 years and traveled he got equipment running. “There to Europe, Australia and New Zealand JOYEL ROSE “JOY” WATTERS-HALL - 17 was nothing he would not tackle,” but lived humbly in Springfi eld. His LEROY JORDAN - 19 says Paul Hafel, who grew up seven home a few houses away from the BARRY JOSEPH LOCHER - 21 blocks away from Rovey, attended duplexes he built is worth less than LINDA SUE ANDERS - 23 school with him and became a lifelong $74,000, according to the Sangamon FRANK “BUZZ” U. BAPTIST - 23 friend. At 20, Rovey remodeled his County supervisor of assessments. DR. JOHN ERIC BLEYER - 23 older sister’s kitchen. He had no depth Rovey started his fi nal project after BRYCE BROOKS - 23 of experience and she had no worries. receiving grim news: He had leukemia. RAYMOND S. CACHARES - 23 His sister Bonnie Casey says that he His doctor gave him 10, maybe 12 THOMAS CANAVAN JR. - 23 did plenty of research before showing Fred Rovey, never afraid of anything, was buried years. “After he was diagnosed, he NANCY LANPHIER CHAPIN - 23 up with tools. in his car. started talking about getting buried ROBERT “BOB” E. CHURCH - 23 “He would fi nd the right people in his car,” Hafel says. “He planned DR. ELVIN GLENN ZOOK - 24 to talk to – he would ask them all it all.” He moved the concrete vault JERRY (KRAJEC) FARLEY - 24 the right questions,” Casey recalls. “I sprinted to an ambulance, his face from his home to the cemetery always trusted.” The work quality, she tight with determination and dread last year; after that, he lowered his JERRY GARVIN - 24 says, was fi ne, the rates even better. in an unforgettable photograph that 43-year-old MG into the ground. It RENE HAZEL GUM - 24 “They were very reasonable – he was ran on the front page. The girl died was, Hafel says, the only car Rovey KAREN LOUISE HAMRICK - 24 learning on our dime,” Casey says the next day from smoke inhalation. ever bought that was brand new, and JAIME KORNFELD - 24 with a laugh. Rovey and other fi refi ghters attended it still looked it. He didn’t fi nish a MARVIN LAIRD - 25 There was no better Christmas tree the visitation. marker – that’ll come later, Hafel says, MIDGE LANGFELDER - 25 salesman. Casey recalls her brother “He went from being sky-high to and will be simple, pretty much just ANNA BELL MURPHY - 25 dazzling customers while working with being about as low as you can go,” Rovey’s name. LINDA MARIE PECORARO - 25 her husband selling trees at roadside Hafel says. And beneath, the top is forever BARBARA ELIZABETH RAWE - 25 stands. He started at 12 or so and did Casey says that her brother had no down. ADRON SANDERS - 25 it for fi ve or six years. “Fred was really fear. He would climb trees, chainsaw DENNIS SHACKELFORD - 25 good,” Casey says, “He had such a in hand, to remove limbs before Contact Bruce Rushton at [email protected] PAT STAFF - 25 great line for selling trees. I think he sectioning out trunks. “He water- . ROMIE D. TURNER - 25 CONNIE VAN HOUTEN - 25 December 31, 2020-January 6, 2021 | Illinois Times | 3 DR. CLARICE FORD Sept. 29, 1957-April 19, 2020 “Whatever it takes” – UIS offi cial led with love REMEMBERING | Rachel Otwell Dr. Clarice Ford lived a storied life before coming to Springfi eld where her impact will be felt for generations to come. Ford earned degrees from Antioch Univer- sity and Fielding Graduate University. She held positions at Berry College, Youngstown State University and Ohio State University. Her fi rst positions at University of Illinois Springfi eld, in 2008, were executive director of the diversity center and associate vice chancellor of student services. In 2014, she became the vice chancellor for student affairs. She died earlier this year after a brief illness. A fi rst-generation college gradu- ate, Ford was called to work in student affairs “by accident” – while earning a master’s degree and working with “ju- venile delinquents” as she described in a recorded UIS event. She would go on to foster the growth of countless students from marginalized backgrounds, helping them fi nd their own callings and provid- ing them with support to make it to the fi nish line. Ford said she loved her job because of the ability to meet and talk with students and address their concerns, “but most of all to watch them grow and Ford addressed the crowd at the UIS Student Union groundbreaking in May of 2016. PHOTO BY DANIEL AGUILAR / UIS graduate, it gets no better than that.” Ford was stylish, stern and generous with her love and compassion. She was a sports fan – especially enthusiastic about the Justin Rose, a former student who is now dren. Ford welcomed others to be their In 2019, The Outlet, a Springfi eld Pittsburgh Steelers – who was dedicated to in the position she fi rst held at UIS as authentic selves because she was authentic, mentoring program for fatherless youth, her sorority, philanthropy and investment director of the diversity center. “I’m from said Rose. While diversity and inclusion gave Ford its Community Leader- in youth. She was also a proud veteran, the west side of Chicago, and when we have become corporate and academic ship Award. Outlet Founder and CEO having served in the U.S. Army. In 2017, both met each other, I thought she was buzzwords, Ford put them into practice. Michael Phelon was joined by Lt. Gov. she received a Seven Seals Award from the from Chicago.