Marlborough and DeGraff - Interviewed

Helen Marlborough and Kathryn DeGraff, recent DePaul Emeritus Society members, have shared their experiences, history and memories with us.  Thank you so much for participating in the DES Oral History Project.

To listen to the interviews, click here.

Thank you Fr. Udovic and Dave Sims for conducting the interviews.

Richardson's Christmas Letter, 2012

To enlarge the letter, click on the image.

In Memoriam - Arthur Thurner

Arthur W. Thurner, 88, of Chicago, died on Thursday, Dec. 6, at St. Agnes Health Care, downtown Chicago, of natural causes.

Arthur was born on Oct. 16, 1924, the son of Joseph and Frances (Duemke) Thurner. A native of Calumet, Mich., he came to Chicago in 1946, and was a longtime resident of Hyde Park.

Educated at the University of Chicago, he received a Master's degree in 1954 and the Ph.D. in History in 1966. After teaching briefly in Chicago high schools, he taught for 24 years at DePaul University. His courses in history and the humanities utilizing various of the so-called Great Books challenged the students and found many admirers. His team-teaching with Dr. Cornelius Sippel of "Fascism and Counterrevolution" was for many years in the 1970s and 1980s a highlight of the DePaul History Department offerings.

He published numerous articles and three books: Calumet Copper and People (1974), Rebels on the Range: The Michigan Copper Miners' Strike of 1913-1914 (1984), and a social history of Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula, Strangers and Sojourners (1994). Virginia Peterson Thurner, his wife of 35 years, assisted him greatly and edited all of his work. She died Aug. 15, 1993.

He was also a member of St. Thomas the Apostle Church.

Arthur is survived by three brothers, Alfred Thurner of Chicago, Charles (Ann) Thurner of Mechanicsburg, Penn., and George (Virginia) Thurner of Laurium, Mich.; a sister-in-law, Betty Peterson of Shell Rock; a brother-in-law, Glenn (Betty) Peterson of Lincoln, Neb.; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends. Arthur was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; two sisters, Helen and Elizabeth; and two brothers, Frank and Henry.

Prayer services will be held on Saturday, Dec. 15, at 11 a.m. at the Kaiser-Corson Funeral Home in Shell Rock, with Lay Presider, Amy Hoyer, Parish Life Coordinator at St. Mary, leading prayers. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery in Shell Rock. The family suggests that memorials be directed to charity of donor's choice. Online condolences for Arthur's family may be left at www.kaisercorson.com. Kaiser-Corson Funeral Home in Shell Rock is assisting the family.

Published in Waverly Democrat from December 13 to December 20, 2012

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It is with great sadness that we have learned of the death on December 6th of Dr. Arthur Thurner, age 88.  After earning his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, Dr. Thurner joined DePaul's History Department in 1966.  He taught for 24 years until his retirement in 1990. His courses in history and the humanities utilizing various of the so-called Great Books challenged the students and found many admirers.  His team-teaching with Dr. Cornelius Sippel of "Fascism and Counterrevolution" was for many years in the 1970s and 1980s a highlight of the DePaul History Department Offerings.  He published numerous articles and three books: "Calumet Copper and People" (1974), "Rebels on the Range: The Michigan Copper Miners' Strike of 1913-1914" (1984), and a social history of Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula, "Strangers and Sojourners" (1994).  Virginia Peterson Thurner, his wife of 35 years, assisted him greatly and edited all of his work.  She died in 1993.

Dr. Thurner is survived by several siblings, and numerous nieces and nephews.  Services have taken place in Michigan.  May he rest in peace.


Office of Mission and Values, December 21, 2012


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DeGraff on Dickens

DePaul blessed with a Dickens archive 

strong on ‘Christmas Carol’

Kathryn DeGraff poses with her favorite edition of A Christmas Carol, a 1940 edition, at DePaul University's Richardson Library in Chicago, Ill., on Wednesday, December 19, 2012. | Andrew A. Nelles~Sun-Times Media

There are no twinkling lights, North Pole elves or candy canes, but tucked into a quiet third-floor office in DePaul University’s Richardson Library is a rare collection of books that speaks to the essence of the modern Christmas experience.

DePaul’s library, 2350 N. Kenmore, is home to more than 1,000 volumes and items relating to Charles Dickens, with an emphasis on “A Christmas Carol.”

“When Dickens wrote ‘A Christmas Carol,’ Christmas was not the holiday we know today,” said Kathryn DeGraff, who has curated the Dickens collection since 1980. “ ‘A Christmas Carol’ was the right story at the right time, and Dickens was clearly the right author for it.” 

Dickens penned the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, his spunky son Tiny Tim and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come in 1843 as a quick way to make a buck. When it was published, Christmas celebrations were making a comeback from a series of Puritanical rules meant to quash what was formerly a bawdy medieval celebration. Dickens’ iconic story and character became synonymous with the modern-day Christmas celebration. 

“This is really about the power of family but it’s also a very important story about the power of giving,” DeGraff said. “By the end [Scrooge] is distributing charity.” 

DeGraff sees the roots of not only the family Christmas celebration in the book.

Kathryn DeGraff shows an 1844 first edition of A Christmas Carol that is part of the Dickens collection at DePaul University's Richardson Library in Chicago, Ill., on Wednesday, December 19, 2012. | Andrew A. Nelles~Sun-Times Media 

Click the photo gallery to view more items from the Dickens' collection photographed by the Sun Times.

Chicago Sun Times, December 21, 2012,  BY KARA SPAK Staff Reporter/kspak@suntimes.com December 20, 2012 5:34PM.  Online @ http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/books/17134625-421/dickensat-depaul.html

In Memoriam - John Willets

The Rev. Dr. John Walker Willets, 71, of Jacksonville, died Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, at Heritage Health in Jacksonville. 

He was born July 6, 1941, in Moweaqua, the son of Carl Austin and Norma Ann Walker Willets. He is survived by one sister, Marian (George) Manker of White Hall; and seven nieces and nephews, Bonnie (Rod) Wallace of Jacksonville, Vicky Smith of Houston, TX, Robin (Karen) Manker of Chapin, Fred Manker of Springfield, Brenda (Jud) Hawk of White Hall, Bob Manker of Literberry and Julie Manker (Zach Pointer) of Springfield. He was preceded in death by his parents; and one sister, Virginia Arlene Carroll.

Dr. Willets graduated from Jacksonville High School in 1959 and from Illinois College in 1963. After graduating, he taught at Griggsville Junior High School and then taught Chemistry at Jacksonville High School. In 1969, he joined the U.S. Navy and was stationed in San Diego. After his discharge, he became an Associate Administrator at Burnham Hospital in Champaign. During that time, he attended the University of Illinois and received two Masters Degrees and a Ph.D. in Psychology. He then moved back to California to teach at Redlands University. While there, he was ordained as an Episcopalian Deacon by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. In 1995, he began teaching at DePaul University in Chicago, which he continued to do until shortly before his death. He had also been an Adjunct Professor at Lincoln Land Community College.

John was a member of Jacksonville Kiwanis Club, the Jacksonville Elks and the ACLU. He was instrumental in starting the Do What It Takes Committee and was very involved with Jacksonville Promise. He was a gourmet chef, a wine connoisseur and a well-known computer whiz. He always put others first, and was the quintessential teacher. He was very community oriented, and he celebrated people for their differences. John loved his family, and he especially enjoyed spending time with his cats.

A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Saturday, December 15, 2012, at Buchanan & Cody Funeral Home in Jacksonville. Burial will be held at a later date at the Calvary Episcopal Church Columbarium in Lombard. Memorials are suggested to Jacksonville Promise, Jacksonville Food Bank or Calvary Episcopal Church in Lombard. Condolences may be left at www.buchanancody.com.

Buchanan & Cody Funeral Home and Crematorium, December 15, 2012
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John Willets, beloved teacher and mentor at the School for New Learning passed away on  December 13.  John Willets joined the faculty of the School for New Learning in 1995, serving as an Assistant Professor  for several years before moving to Jacksonville, Illinois, his hometown. There he continued his association with SNL, teaching online courses as part time faculty.  Dr. Willets was ordained as an Episcopalian Deacon and received a doctorate in Psychology from the University of Illinois. He was known for putting others first, and was the quintessential teacher. He was very community oriented, and he celebrated people for their differences. A memorial service was held on December 15, 2012, at Buchanan & Cody Funeral Home in Jacksonville. Burial will be held at a later date at the Calvary Episcopal Church Columbarium in Lombard. We will share more when we know more.

SNL will also host a small remembrance service for John in January. We'll share more details about this when we reopen on January 2nd.

Memorials are suggested to Jacksonville Promise, Jacksonville Food Bank or Calvary Episcopal Church in Lombard. For an obituary about John, please follow this link - http://www.buchanancody.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=1873758&fh_id=12328

Our condolences go out to the family, friends, and univesity colleagues who mourn the loss of John. May he rest in peace.  Thank you.

Mission and Values, December 18, 2012

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