Decatur, Illinois

Decatur, Illinois
Curve-In, Fairview Avenue

Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Jackie Clark Cole Has Passed Away



Jacqueline Lee Clark was a member of the Douglas MacArthur High School graduating class of 1965.

As a Freshman, Clark was involved with Big Mac Day, and as a Senior, she was on both the Homecoming and Homecoming Assembly committees.

When I gathered information for our 2011 reunion, she shared that her first car was a 1962 Chevy Nova. 

Early Monday morning, November 30, 2020, Jackie Clark Cole, 73, passed away at home. She lived in Lutz, Florida. She formerly called Hollywood, Florida, home.

Please share any memories you may have of Jackie, what she did after graduation, and any other information of her life. 

Thanks to Charlene Miss Tuttle and Millicent Smith for conveying this sad news.

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Jill Mirus Passes Away


Jill Mirus Bader has passed away on Thursday, July 16, 2020.

At MacArthur High School, Jill Louise Mirus was on Student Council as a freshman and sophomore, Class Council as a sophomore and senior, Big Mac Day sophomore and senior, Class Vice-President sophomore year, Latin Club freshman and sophomore, Junior Varsity Cheerleader, Varsity (senior) Cheerleader, Cadet Activities Staff junior, Co-Editor for Organization Staff senior, Prep Club junior and senior, Homecoming Committee sophomore and junior, Executive Board 2, and Female Lead Speech Class Play senior year.

Mirus was Mac '65's "Most Athletic Girl" and was married to Michael Terry Bader, who was Mac '65's "Best All Around Boy." The marriage took place June 14, 1969.

They lived in Parker, Colorado, and had daughters.

Jill and Mike from 2014.



Mac Class of ‘65.....I am very sad to tell you the news of the passing of our classmate Jill Mirus Bader, July 16, 2020. She was a friend to everyone and had married her high school sweetheart, Mike Bader. For those who remember Jill’s sister, Judy, she passed 2 years ago. Please keep Mike and their family in your thoughts and prayers. ~ Millie McCaddon Smith 






Mike will be passing along further details.











Saturday, July 11, 2020

Rod Simmons Passes Away


Rod Stanley Simmons was born February 27, 1947.


Rod was a 1965 graduate from Douglas MacArthur High School. He was in Cadet Band, played football, and in the organizing committee for the Big Mac Day, all as a freshman. As a sophomore, he played football again, and added golf. As a junior, Rod played in the Student-Faculty Game.

Rod's formal obituary noted:

Rod Stanley Simmons, 72 of Tacoma, WA formerly of Decatur, IL. passed away peacefully on Thursday July 9, 2020 at 8:25am.
Rod was born on February 27, 1947 in Centralia, IL to the late Gerald and Nancy Simmons. He married Annette M. Jacang on August 11, 1973 in Wahiawa, HI and she survives his passing along with their 2 children.
Rod graduated from Decatur MacArthur High School in 1965, after which he joined the U.S Navy and was stationed in Honolulu, HI. Rod enjoyed his sports and coaching his kids and others. Rodalso enjoyed rebuilding old classic cars and boats and making them amazing. Some of Rod’s other hobbies were cooking, fishing, his family and spending time with his grandchildren.
Surviving are his wife, Annette Simmons of Tacoma, WA for 47years; daughter, Lauren (William) Wall and Son, Roe Simmons. Rod has 3 grandchildren and 2 step-grandchildren which he loved all so very much; Step- Sister Pamela (Jeff) Luecke, Aunt Shirley Simmons Radom, IL, Cousin Andy (Monica) Simmons; and other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents Gerald and Nancy Simmons, step-mom Joan Simmons, Grandparents Marion and Ralph Williams, Grandfather Wayne Stewart, step brother Chris Simmons, Uncles William, and Dwight Simmons.
Cremation rites have been accorded and there will be plans for a small ceremony at Rod & Annette’s House 2320 N. Narrows Dr. Tacoma, WA. 98406
There will be another service held in December where Rod will be placed at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, HI. Actual date TBD.



The following public exchange appeared on Facebook, soon after the news of Ron Simmons’ departure swept through our alumni community. It is shared here to recall the enjoyment some of the memory still give us.


Debbie Burrows Wilcox said:
So sorry to hear about Rod’s passing. I always smile when I hear his name because of all the adventures he and Doug Wilcox shared and stories Doug or Dondeville related. One always stands out. He and Doug decided to skip school. They are at Doug’s house. Rod calls school, disguising his voice. “Ahh..this is Mr. Simmons. Rod’s father ahh..and I am calling to say he is sick and I won’t be coming to school today!!” Good times....


Michael Dondeville replied to Debby Burrows Wilcox:

didn’t they skip and go play golf, and one of them made a hole in one and made the newspaper. And because they did they got in trouble with school?


Debbie Wilcox Burrows replied to Michael Dondeville:

I'm not sure if Rod was in on that one, but probably. I’m thinking Loren Reuler and maybe Bob Dondeville were connected. It was Doug who got the hole-in-one. I think I still have the newspaper clipping unless I already gave it to Greg. Doug got a 3 day vacation for that one! Thanks for that memory. If Rod wasn’t there that day I’m sure he laughed his rear end off. What a bunch!

Michael Dondeville reflected to Debby Burrows Wilcox: 

oh ok. Well I’ve heard Rod’s name in many stories while being a kid growing up.


Debbie Dondeville said to Michael Dondeville 
I’m sure you did! Your Dad was one of the pack. Actually, Leader of the Pack!


(See below, for more about the members of the "Gang": Bob Dondeville, Loren Reuler, and Doug Wilcox.)





More on Rod Simmons



Rod moved to Hawaii in the 1970s, married Annette from Hawaii, and then lived in Tacoma since the early 1980s. Annette and Rod had two adult children and grandchildren. 
Rod had suffered a stroke on Christmas Eve 2019, and had been in hospice.
Rod Stanley Simmons died on July 10, 2020, in Tacoma, Washington State. 






Rod's daughter, Lauren Simmons Wall.

2011.






Thanks to Millicent McCaddon Smith for passing along the sad news of the loss of another classmate.

Condolences to his family and friends.

Let's hope Rod's catching and releasing the big one every day now...


###



Debbie Burrows

Notes on the Gang:



Bob Dondeville is still living; see more here about his Vietnam War art.




Loren Reuler passed away on June 23, 2013. He celebrated his 66th birthday on June 10, 2013. (See his obit here.)



Douglas O. Wilcox passed away on February 28, 2009, at 61. He was in the Army Transportation Corp in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam era. Douglas was a graduate of SIU in Carbondale with a degree in Marketing. For more see, here.





Thursday, July 2, 2020

Discovering Doug Hagen



On July 1, 2020, I stumbled across an Ebay listing that lead me to discover the incredible legacy of Doug Hagen, who was the Student Council President in 1964, one year ahead of the Class of 1965.

First the listing:



It is interesting what you can find on eBay. The selling of a rather beat up 1964 Douglas MacArthur Yearbook for $199, plus shipping seemed high. But the listing caught my eye. The listing and description said:
This yearbook features Steve Hunter, Loren Douglas Hagen & Loren Coleman
1964 Douglas MacArthur High School in Decatur, Illinois IL 64
Douglas Hagen was a US ARMY special forces officer who received the Metal of Honor for his act of Valor during the Vietnam War.
Steve Hunter is an American Guitarist (Musician) who worked with Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Mitch Ryder, etc.
Loren Coleman is a cryptozoologist and author who has written over 40 books.

The Yearbook belonged to Larry Swartz, according to the embossed name on the cover.




Steve Hunter

Wikipedia listings and google searching gave instant results on Steve Hunter. 

Hunter in March 2013.



Stephen John Hunter was born in Decatur, Illinois, on June 14, 1948, and raised in Decatur. Hunter was in the Class of 1966 at Douglas MacArthur High School, and would have been a sophomore in the 1964 Yearbook.
Hunter is an American guitarist, primarily a session player. As noted in Wikipedia, he has worked with Lou Reed and Alice Cooper, acquiring the moniker "The Deacon." He also worked with Mitch Ryder, Detroit, Peter Gabriel, Julian Lennon, Bette Midler, Tracy Chapman, David Lee Roth, and John Sauter.
While Hunter returned to Decatur during his career, he apparently presently lives "in Altea, Spain, with his wife, Cornish singer/songwriter, Karen Ann Hunter. He suffers from pigmentary glaucoma, which has rendered him legally blind," according to an August 27, 2013 article in Herald de Paris.


Loren Coleman

Also mentioned in the entry is Loren Coleman, a member of the Class of 1965, and someone of whom I'm familiar (here, here, here, and here).


Doug Hagen



The mention of Doug Hagen, Class of 1964, opened up many documents in tribute to a familiar face to several of us. Since his father was name "Loren Douglas Hagen," at MacArthur the younger Hagen was known by "Doug." But online, Hagen is recalled in news articles and Medal of Honor remembrances as "Loren D." or "Loren Douglas Hagen."




Hagen's Wikipedia entry is rather complete, as are his military entries, such as this one.

Lt. Doug Hagen 

One of the most moving articles about Doug Hagen was carried in the Decatur Herald and Review, on May 26, 2016. It was written by Theresa Churchill, and is reprinted here so as to be easily available for you to read.

Home at last: Killed in action 48 years ago, Decatur soldier to be laid to rest 
DECATUR – You hardly ever saw Alan Boyer without Doug Hagen, each new to MacArthur High School their junior year.

That's how Steve Pyle, another member of the Class of 1964, remembers the two friends, even though they were about as different as they could be.

“Doug was liberal, Al was conservative, and if you were on the student council, it was a big deal,” said Pyle, 69, a photographer who moved from Decatur to Bowling Green, Ky., five years ago. “Our senior year, Doug was president, and Alan was vice president.”

Each promising young life ended tragically in the Vietnam War; Boyer vanishing March 28, 1968, and Hagen killed Aug. 7, 1971, while serving in the same special Army operations unit Boyer had been in.

Hagen wanted to find out what happened to his best friend, but he never did.

Indeed, the first indication Boyer was dead did not come until 1973, when his name did not appear on a list of 591 American prisoners coming home after the war was over.

“They found no blood, no bodies and no personal effects, so I thought, 'OK, he's been taken prisoner,' ” his sister Judi Boyers Bouchard said in a telephone interview from her home in Licklog Ridge, N.C. “For five years, I held onto that hope.”


The mystery “shaped a whole lot” of her life, starting at age 19 when her big brother disappeared and continuing until March 7 of this year, a couple weeks after she turned 67 and on the eve of what would have been her brother's 70th birthday.

The U.S. Army telephoned to say his remains had finally been identified.

“It absolutely knocked the wind out of me,” Bouchard said. “The news is bittersweet, and I wish our parents had lived to see it.”

Charles Boyer, who worked at Borg-Warner when the family lived in Decatur, died in 1994, and Dorothy Boyer, who taught at Brush College School, died in 2013.


The Boyers, originally from suburban Chicago, settled in Rockford after their son graduated from high school in Decatur, and it was in October 1967, during Bouchard's first semester at the University of Montana in Missoula, that she last saw her brother.

It's not surprising she chose the same university he was attending when he decided to enlist in the Army to save the world from communism.

“Alan was the quintessential big brother that I absolutely adored,” she said. “He was the one who taught me how to ride a bike when I was about 4, never believing in training wheels.

“He also taught me how to drive when I was 16.”

Sgt. Alan Boyer and two other soldiers were conducting a reconnaissance patrol in Laos on March 28, 1968, when they encountered an enemy force and radioed for evacuation.

The seven Vietnamese with them escaped safely, but heavy fire forced the helicopter to leave without the three Americans, first listed as missing and later as presumed dead.

Boyer's body, in possession of remains traders in Laos, recently ended up with a peace activist who turned it over to the U.S. government. The Army confirmed his identity by comparing the DNA to samples given many years earlier by his mother and sister.

“I was told it's the strongest DNA match they have ever seen,” Bouchard said. “There is no doubt it's Alan.”

The Army awarded Boyer the Silver Star and Purple Heart posthumously.

Today, Bouchard is preparing to lay her brother to rest on June 22 in Virginia's Arlington National Cemetery, where Hagen is buried, and with full military honors.

“He's probably up there shaking his head,” she said, “but this is what our mom and dad wanted if and when they ever found him. It's going to be a wonderful tribute.”

But Bouchard hasn't forgotten all the other people she met over the years who continue to wonder what happened to their loved ones.

“Please remember all the POW/MIAs who remain unaccounted for,” she wrote to conclude a letter of thanks to friends after her brother was found. “Their families still wait.”

Sgt. Alan Boyer











Thursday, June 11, 2020

Linda S. (Barnes) Whitaker Dies

Linda Sue Barnes (incorrectly spelled as "Barns" in the Cadet), with the married name Whitaker, 72, died on Wednesday, June 10, 2020. She was a 1965 graduate of Douglas MacArthur High School, Decatur, Illinois.

Linda's cause of death is not noted in her published obituary.

The Decatur Herald and Review published Linda S. Whitaker's obituary on June 11, 2020.


Linda S. Whitaker, 72, of Decatur, [Illinois] passed away June 10, 2020 at her home.

Graveside services will be 10:00 AM, Monday, June 15, at Graceland Cemetery, Decatur. Brintlinger and Earl Funeral Home, Decatur is assisting the family. Memorials in Linda's honor may be given to Camp Wilson Foursquare Church, 7570 W Main St, Decatur, IL 62522.

Linda was born September 4, 1947 in Decatur the daughter of Teddy R. and Doris B. (Eaton) Barnes. She married Charles “Bud” Whitaker in February of 1968. He preceded her in death in August, 1995. Linda worked as the office manager for the Macon County Health Department and also worked for Sangamon Card Company in Taylorville. She enjoyed doing crossword puzzles, reading books and watching old mystery movies.

She is survived by her children, Angela (Danny) Lowe of Decatur, William Joseph Whitaker of Decatur; sisters, Cindy (Don) Sutman of Decatur, Vicki (Ralph) Schultz of Decatur; brother, Stan (Diane) Barnes of Oreana; grandchildren, Miranda, Danielle, and Wyatt Lowe; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. Linda was preceded in death by her parents; husband “Bud” Whitaker; and sister, Pamela Jean Jones.

Condolences and memories may be shared with the family in care of Brintlinger and Earl Funeral Homes.

Thanks to Richard Williams and Millie Smith for the alert to the notice of Ms. Whitaker's passing. 

Our condolences to all her family and friends. 

May all of you remain safe and healthy during the pandemic.