ROBERT W. AND MARGARET Q. ANNETT
When native New York City residents Bob and Margaret “Peggy” Annett decided to move to Park Forest in the mid-50s, they were inspired to do so by William H. Whyte’s descriptions of the new community in his influential articles in Fortune Magazine and book “The Organization Man.”
Bob Annett served in the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1946, receiving two medals for his service. He later graduated from New York University in 1950 with a degree in accounting. Peggy was a member of the US. Cadet Nurse Corps between 1945 and 1948 and after attending Barnard College, graduated from the Cornell University School of Nursing in 1948. The two married in 1951. In later years, and although Bob travelled and was transferred for work between New York and Chicago, they chose to live in Park Forest on three separate occasions over a 15-year period and always considered Park Forest their home away from home.
The Annetts first lived in the rental apartments at 57 Fir Street, and later in houses at 136 Nashua Street and 178 Westwood Drive. The Annett family quickly became an integral part of the growing community, and both were of vital importance to the building and growth of the Church of the Holy Family, offering support, guidance, and wisdom. Bob arranged for bank financing to turn an unfinished basement into classrooms as well as serving on numerous committees throughout the years. Peggy was a leader in the Tuesday School church program and was a member of the church’s Altar Guild. Ground for a larger church, designed by modern American architect Edward D. Dart, was broken in 1957. The church is considered one of Dart’s finest church commissions.
Bob was a member of the Park Forest Bridge Club, connecting residents throughout the village through Friday night bridge games in schools and social halls, both as an award-winning player and as a mentor. For years Peggy was a member of the Garden Club of Park Forest and helped plan, organize, and coordinate the annual Garden Walk.
The four Annett children – Robert Jr., Peg, John, and Tom – attended school in the village and embraced the village’s amenities from shopping in the Plaza, to attending the annual Pancake breakfast and Independence Day parade and fireworks. They took part in boys’ baseball program and both boy scouts and girl scout programs, in which their parents were active participants.
Although Bob (1925- 2017) and Peggy (1927-2002) are gone, their memories, shared with their children will last a lifetime. The award is a fitting 70th wedding anniversary memorial.
EDWARD CZUPRYN JR.
At the age of seven, Edward Czupryn Jr. began his lengthy family business career in Park Forest by working the cash register on Saturdays at Grandfather Peter Fedele’s barber shop. It was Grandfather Peter who helped young Ed’s father, Edward Czupryn, Sr., become a successful business owner in the new village by buying a little currency exchange for $3,000. A steel mill strike forced Edward Sr. to look for work, so Peter purchased the business to help the fiancé of his daughter, Florence Fedele. Edward Sr. ran the Park Forest Currency Exchange and gradually purchased it from Peter.
At the time, the currency exchange, the barber shop, Park Forest Liquors and Jewel were among the few businesses in the new village. Of them all, Park Forest Currency Exchange is the one that has remained.
At first the currency exchange was housed in 135 Plaza a 200-foot space, next to Jewel, but as business improved and the village grew the shop was moved to another spot in the burgeoning Park Forest Plaza, 128 Plaza, next to Richman, doubling its workspace.
In 1984, another move, to the Jewel Foods mall, 98 S. Orchard, in Plaza West next to True Value, once again drastically increased their workspace. Now, 38 years later, the Park Forest Currency Exchange still serves the needs of the community in the same location, taking pride in being the oldest
active village business.
From the start, the Park Forest Currency Exchange has been a family business. Edward married Florence, and they raised two children, Debbie and Edward Czupryn, Jr., who, at the age of seven, worked the cash register in his grandfather’s barbershop each Saturday, ringing up freshly groomed customers. After graduating from college, Ed Jr. took over operations.
For more than 72 years the Park Forest Currency Exchange has been serving the needs of the community and protecting them from fraud when “things didn’t seem right.” Armed with this knowledge, the Police Department was able to seize enough money through the state Asset
Forfeiture laws to help fund the purchase of equipment ranging from computers to bullet-proof vests.
The Czupryn family is actively involved with the Back2School Illinois program, building school kits which are distributed by sponsors to local schools and military families throughout the state and over the years the business has purchased 400 kits, distributing them to area school districts. They have
also sponsored youth programs and athletic teams.
Remaining a family owned and operated business for more than two generations in the same community as the result of local community support is a matter of pride to the Czupryn family.
ALLEN S. AND CHERYL LEVINSON WARSHAW
Allen and Cheryl Warshaw were nominated by the Park Forest Historical Society for their long involvement with the Park Forest Lion’s Club and for personally preserving the history of the club. Allen passed away in 2017.
For more than a generation whenever the Park Forest Lions Club was involved, Allen and Cheryl were there, organizing and helping in events from the annual Fourth of July carnival and concession stand in Central Park to raising money for club causes.
Allen Warshaw became a club member in 1971 and was deeply involved in the annual July Fourth carnival, first as a worker and later as chairperson into the early 1990’s when it was no longer permitted. Allen was responsible for hiring the amusement company, directing the electrical and food tent setups, hiring bands and personally setting off the fireworks.
Whatever Allen did, Cheryl was at his side while for 22 years she worked full time, helped raise two children, cared for her elderly parents, and worked towards a degree in psychology from Prairie State College. When women were invited to join the Lions Club, she became an official member. Cheryl was instrumental in coordinating the concession area, which included hot food selections and helped sell tickets for rides at the carnival.
Allen helped acquire a Leader Dog for a blind individual, learning devices for low vision students, eyeglasses and hearing aids for children and adults and scholarships for college students. At Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas Allen and other members purchased groceries and delivered them
to those in need. Allen, with others, once constructed a ramp for a physically challenged resident.
As membership in the Park Forest club dwindled, the Warshaws along with some others struggled to revive and keep the club going. When the club disbanded Allen and Cheryl personally preserved the banners, scrapbooks and records until they were donated to the Society in 2014 and 2021. Park Forest Lions Club was among the earliest organizations in the village, sponsoring the carnival and a circus, and participating in parades. It was said that the local club once donated a lion cub to Winston Churchill. Park Forest’s ties to the Lion’s Club were once quite strong. What later became Lincolnwood Subdivision was earlier considered for the building of “Liondom,” the national or international headquarters for the organization.
The Society recognizes Allen and Cheryl for their contributions and by nominating them we also recognize all of the people who kept the Lions Club a vital participant in the life of Park Forest. We also thank the Warshaws for preserving the memories of the club and for passing them on to the Society.
HOMER S. AND CHARLOTTE L. WOLF
Life-long Chicagoans Homer Wolf and wife Charlotte learned about the brand-new community called Park Forest and realized that was the place for them to raise young daughters, Alice and Marilyn.
This decision came after the two were living in Dayton, Ohio, where Homer was stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Base as an Army Air Corps member during World War II.
In November 1948, village developer Philip Klutznick asked the pioneer residents to take the first steps toward incorporating as a village. The Wolfs moved to Court E-8 at 2876 Western Avenue.
So it was that with Homer’s eye for detail and design and Charlotte’s teaching degree and college experience with politics, fundraising, music, and theater, they put their personal stamp on the early history of the community. Anxious to become involved in and with Park Forest, Homer worked closely with Village Presidents Dennis O’Harrow and Henry Dietch, future president Bob Dinerstein, and friends Anthony and Leah Scariano, and James and Elaine Garretson.
With a degree in commercial arts and graphic design from the Art Institute of Chicago, Homer drew by hand the first official map of the village, which is on display at our museum. Because of his keen eye for detail, current maps of the village, even with additional streets and houses, still follow Homer’s original design. He also drew the original logo for the Park Forest Reporter newspaper and illustrations for columns, as well as creating a distinctively Park Forest cover for the first League pamphlet and other booklets in the early days of the village. He hand drew numerous well-known company logos for Maytag, Sealy, and Culligan, still used today, thus making a profound impression while working either for prominent advertising agencies or as a freelance designer, working in the background and without recognition.
With a degree in education, Charlotte, along with Homer, was involved in organizing education and schools in Park Forest. After moving to Homewood in 1953, she became secretary of the first Board of Education, a group that formed the Homewood-Flossmoor High School district.
With college experience in fundraising, politics, theater, and music, Charlotte was an active member of the newly chartered Park Forest League of Women Voters, then President of the Homewood chapter, and a local captain in public television fundraising events. Charlotte became involved in the early days of Park Forest Playhouse and Children’s Community Theater, with Homer designing props and backdrops.
Homer was deeply enmeshed with the Board of Jewish Education for many years. The organization was organized to teach Jewish youth their heritage, and Charlotte, with her teaching experience, was surely involved.
Daughter Marilyn says her parents always worked as a team. Where one was involved, the other was always involved as well. They remained close to their early Park Forest, former neighbors and friends all their lives.
