Sunday, July 12, marks a special day for our family.
Dad would have celebrated his 97th birthday, and per usual, he’d be surrounded by family and friends.
Dad’s empty seat at our kitchen table, as well as his favorite armchair, now always vacant in front of the large picture window in our parents’ living room, are daily reminders of how much we miss Dad, who slipped away in his sleep at age 96 at the farm last December.
What remains with all of us are the many shared memories with family and friends, in addition to the many reminders of Dad’s creativity and contributions, which abound, from his gardens and birdhouses to the many renovation projects and repairs (and leftover rubble) around the farm.
If Dad were reading the recent headlines of last week, he would be amazed at the Chicagoland rainfall, which has filled the Thornton Rock Quarry.
The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District said last week in a story published by baiduhai Media that “the Thornton Composite Reservoir is the fullest it has been since becoming operational in 2015, at 94% capacity.”
As reported, “the reservoir is the largest combined sewer reservoir in the world,” according to the water reclamation district, as it “takes in water from Chicago’s Far South Side, Calumet Park, Dixmoor, Dolton, Harvey, Lansing, Markham, Phoenix, Posen, Riverdale and South Holland, an area with 556,000 people.”
Allison Fore, public and intergovernmental affairs officer, told Tribune reporters that “after setting new records, the district will let the water flow back down through a tunnel to the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant, 5 miles north of the reservoir.”
For Dad’s 94th birthday in 2023, I joined him for our long-awaited Thornton Quarry history tour after being on a waiting list since 2019.
Dad had always wanted to do this tour since Thornton Quarry ranks as the second largest commercial quarry in the world, boasting dimensions more than 1.5 miles long and a half mile wide and registering a depth of more than 450 feet deep.
Before his retirement, driving a semi for Jack Gray Transport, my dad, Chester, spent many years hauling stone from the quarry and having to maneuver his truck and trailer down the winding, narrow road paths to reach the base, and then repeat his trail back up to the surface.
Last year, though we hadn’t expected it to be Dad’s last earthly birthday, our family hosted a dinner party in the ballroom at The Center for Visual and Performing Arts with an Elvis theme, since the evening also featured an Elvis tribute concert starring Tyler Christopher in the adjoining theater space.
Looking back, quite a few of our Dad’s birthdays during the past decade have been shared and celebrated with family, friends and readers at The Center for Visual and Performing Arts.
In 2019, the cast of playwright Tom Dudzick’s stage story “Over the Tavern,” which included father character “Chet” and his “Chet’s Tavern,” joined 400 revelers during the opening ballroom cast party to sing “Happy Birthday” to our dad (of the same name) Chester as he was presented with a large sheet cake by the “sisterly” central character Sister Clarissa, played by actress Janet Ulrich Brooks.
Our mom Peggy’s older sister, our Aunt Ruby, who turned 97 on Friday, July 10, and her son Mike and daughter Christy have always been part of Dad’s party celebrations. In July 2023, Dad enjoyed a Red Skelton-themed dinner party compliments of Chef Joe Trama in the CVPA ballroom before tribute artist Brian Hoffman portrayed the carrot-top comic across the lobby on the theater stage.
Comedian Skelton, who died at age 84 in 1997, had a July 18 birthdate and enjoyed career success with audiences in every performance medium. He remains part of that small, versatile and talented group that includes Bob Hope, George Burns, Milton Berle and Lucille Ball, all able to transition from the vaudeville stage to radio, film and television, finding a growing fan base with each leap.
Dad followed his career, dating back to the radio days.
Skelton was born and raised in downstate Vincennes, and he never forgot his Hoosier roots. In 2006, with some help from friends, the late Debbie Reynolds and the Smothers Brothers, a $17 million performing arts center bearing Red’s name opened on campus at Vincennes University. On July 18, 2013, the date of his 100th birthday, the adjoining Red Skelton Museum was unveiled. Since 2014, Hoffman has been the headlining tribute performer at the annual Red Skelton Festival, which returns next week on July 18.
As for Red tribute artist Hoffman, he shared a similar career path as Dad, who enjoyed sharing dinner conversation with him before the show.
After years of over-the-road truck driving, like our own Dad, Hoffman then did door-to-door cold-call direct sales before moving on to become a used-car salesperson. He told his wife he wanted a career change. He started performing in local comedy clubs and booking his own gigs for small companies and private organizations, cashing in on his uncanny resemblance and impersonation of the late, great Skelton.
I’m positive Dad is still smiling from the clouds up above.
As mentioned in previous columns and cookbooks, Dad was a dedicated morning coffee guy to start his day, especially with newspapers fanned out in front of him on the kitchen table. Chef Joe Trama, longtime executive chef for The Center for Visual and Performing Arts, has remained a kind friend to our family, and along with nurse wife Nancy, was among the more than 100 guests who gathered at our family farm to fete Dad for his milestone 95th birthday celebration, complete with roast beef, sheet cake and an ever-flowing champagne fountain.
Chef Joe’s “ground coffee” grilling rub for steaks and meats is perfect for the summer barbecues of 2026 and beyond.
Columnist Philip Potempa has published four cookbooks and is a weekly radio host at WJOB 1230 AM. He can be reached at [email protected] or mail your questions to From the Farm, PO Box 68, San Pierre, Ind. 46374.
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Chef Joe Trama’s Steak Coffee Spice Rub
Seasoning rub is enough for 8 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons ancho chili pepper
2 tablespoons ground dark coffee
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Directions
1. Blend all spices and coffee.
2. Season meat liberally.