I always called him “Georgie” as that was what his mother, Virginia, called him. He always said only his mother and I called him that.
I want to tell you just a few stories I have about Georgie. Years ago when he was the cop on the beat, he would stop in my piano and organ store at 7 W. Jackson to say hello and to check on me. My store was the first business in the new 700 sq. ft. on the east side of Beidelman Furniture. In those days the downtown had parking meters. (When Fox Valley Mall came in, we took them out.) Adjacent to the north side of Beidelman Furniture on Washington St. was Beidelman Funeral Home.
When there was a funeral, they would put a small burlap bag over the parking meters that said “Funeral Today.” People were allowed to park there without a fine while attending the funeral. One time, after the funeral was held, I “borrowed” one of the burlap bags. A few days later, I parked my car in front of my music store and put the burlap bag over it. Georgie came around on his beat giving parking tickets, and seeing my burlap bag, he opened the door, shook his finger at me, and laughingly said, “Bev, this is not going to work!”
While George was a cop on the beat, he had extra free time. I asked him if he would like to work extra helping deliver my pianos and organs. He did that, along with several of his sons. They were a good team.
Another time, George and Pat invited me to Mother’s Day lunch at the new Pheasant Run. Seemed that both of us, for some reason, didn’t have any children around that noon time. George was just a cop on the beat, and I know he barely had two nickels to rub together. They picked me up and the three of us had a lovely lunch. I had recently been widowed, so with his big heart, they treated me. We were both poor at that time and that was forever very meaningful to me.
I had always exhibited with a booth at the annual DuPage County Fair. One year we were going to have the mayors of our towns have a competition of hog calling. That year I had a big pig roast and borrowed a megaphone from the country club. When people started eating, I called Georgie up front and said that we were all counting on him to win the hog-calling contest. And knowing he couldn’t practice his hog call at home or at City Hall, he could practice it here since I live in a thick woods.
Well, you all know how he was able to talk really loudly. You should have heard his call with the megaphone. He bellowed “sooie, sooie, sooie” for about three minutes straight. It was hilarious! But the best part, was after he was finished, “sooie, sooie, sooie” came answering through the woods from far away. Never did know who it was.
Another time I was top bidder on a dinner for four at a fire station. The choices were pizza and hamburgers.
However, when they found I was inviting Georgie, they changed it to six and we had steaks. So I called George and the new President of Benedictine and their wives for dinner at my home. They arrived and I served cocktails and hors d ‘oeuvres. Then hubby Bill announced that Bev didn’t feel like cooking, so we were going to try out a new restaurant. We all got into our van and when we arrived at the station, they were all outside waiting for us. They even had corsages for us three women. They had knocked themselves out for us. However, during the dinner, they got a fire call, so away they went.
George had such a big heart – and had so much empathy. I have seen him cry on several occasions.
I could fill a book about Georgie and how I loved him and Pat —and how much they loved each other. I will forever miss both of them.
Georgie and I grew up together as adults in this city we love, always sharing a hope to provide a wonderful hometown for all ages to cherish and enjoy.
