Public Service

April 29, 2012

This is from Richard on Historic Railroad Avenue.   Peg asked “How did you get involved in politics Dad?”   Well, I was sitting there listening to the radio and was listening to John Kennedy.   He was the president and he was giving a speech, it was his inaugural speech I guess.    He inspired me.    He said ‘Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country”.   So I thought I would go down to Carrigan to the caucus there and someone nominated me for supervisor.    I think I was the first Democrat elected from Carrigan township since 1932.  

(Carrigan township hall in 2007)

Carrigan township had a small population.  We had a road commissioner and 3 officers and a clerk and had a meeting once a month.   I was the township supervisor and served as a county supervisor.   They have since changed the county supervisors  somewhat as they wanted the  to  representation to be aligned to the  population.   So now it can’t be just one from each township as there wasn't enough representation for the larger townships.   I served as supervisor for 11 years, until we moved to Arizona. 

(Marion County Court House in Salem Illinois were the County Board of Supervisors met.)  

In Arizona, I was on the city council for a bit.     My family got so involved with the police that I had to get on the council to find out what was going on.    Leona said they followed our daughter every time she left the driveway.  They were picking on my kids.    They stopped my kids 15 times one year.    Half the police department had to go.   

(City Hall in the old train depot in Willcox, Arizona 2012) 

I got a Facebook note from one of the folks that served in WW2 in the first chemical mortar company with me in Okinawa.   He  was from Streator Illinois.   I haven’t seen him for a couple of years.   Last time I was in Illinois I was busy at the anniversary party  in Northern Illinois and I stopped in to see the farm and relatives in southern Illinois so didn't see him.   He tries to keep us all together as far as the mortar company is concerned.      It would be good to see him again as so many of my world war two folks are gone already.   

(Sandoval Veterans Memorial in 2007  with Richard, Leona and Daughter Patty)

(Richard's block at the Memorial)

I would like go out to see if my farm is as good as last year .   But the first thing I have to do is go to California to help my oldest grand daughter to get married in May.  We are usually here at the oldest store in Arizona but we will be stepping out for that happy event.   

Oh and Happy Birthday Megan!  

This is Dick Seidel on historic railroad avenue