From popular coaches and teachers, to radio and newspaper personalities, to business icons and civic leaders, to a law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty, 2022 marked the passing of many notable individuals who left their marks on the Galesburg-area. As we near the end of the year, we once again take the time to look back at those individuals we have lost in the past year.
JANUARY
Jim Wyman, WAAG/WGIL Radio
Jim Wyman, a local sportscaster who called Galesburg Silver Streaks games in three different stints stretching nearly 40 years, died Jan. 9. He was 73. Wyman’s first job in radio came in 1975 at Galesburg’s WGIL-WAAG after his graduation from Western Illinois University. Wyman was behind the microphone to call the Silver Streaks boys memorable 1975-76 season which ended in a trip to the state tournament in Champaign and was highlighted by a stunning upset of No. 1 ranked Peoria Richwoods in the regional championship. He called Galesburg Silver Streaks girls basketball action for WGIL from 2007-2009, and 2013-14.
Ken Russell, Illinois Dept. of Natural Resources
Ken Russell, a man whose name was nearly synonymous with fishing and the outdoors in west-central Illinois for over five decades, died Jan. 19. He was 82. Russell was a district fish biologist with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for 53 years. Russell began his job with the state of Illinois in 1962. He helped organize fishing derbies that included the popular fishing derby at Galesburg’s Lincoln Park Lagoon which began in 1987. An area near the Lake Storey boat ramp is named the Ken Russell Conservation Area.
Jim Jackson, Civic leader
Jim Jackson, who worked at local financial institutions and participated in numerous civic organizations, died Jan. 24. He was 83. Jackson had a passion for music. He played with the Starlighters Jazz Band, the Rootabaga Jammers, his own Jazz Swingtet, the Knox-Sandburg Community Concert Band, in pit bands for area musical productions and played a euphonium for Tuba Christmas each year.
FEBRUARY
Dr. Larry Chadwick, Optometrist
Dr. Larry Chadwick, a longtime Galesburg optometrist described as “Galesburg’s best friend” in his obituary, died Feb. 17. He was 90. Chadwick was an optometrist in Galesburg from 1955 to 2016. He was a partner with Dr. W.W. Sherwood in an optometry practice for 25 years and then practiced with Sherwood’s son Dan for another 20. He also practiced at Kehoe Eye Care, and continued to see patients until 2016, 61 years after seeing his first patient.
George Peterson, Funeral director
George Peterson, a longtime partner in Hinchliff-Pearson-West Funeral Directors where he worked for just over half a century, died Feb. 24. He was 75. He began working for H-P-W on June 1, 1964. He was co-owner of the funeral home from 1988-2017. After 50 years of funeral service, he retired as president of Hinchliff-Pearson-West Funeral Home in 2017. He was a past member and served as president of Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce. He chaired the Strategic Plan for Economic Development for the city of Galesburg. He served on the Galesburg Community Foundation Board until his passing.
MARCH
Wayne Allen, Galesburg alderman
Wayne T. Allen, a former longtime Galesburg alderman who was involved in numerous community projects, died March 17. He was 84. Allen served five terms as Galesburg’s Sixth Ward councilman and was instrumental in bringing the Veterans Memorial to Lincoln Park. The Chamber of Commerce recognized Allen with the Thomas B. Herring Community Service Award in 2005.
Kandy Sayrs, Dentist
Dr. Kandy S. Sayrs, a Galesburg native who went on to become her hometown’s first female dentist died, March 20. She was 61. Sayrs ran her own practice in Galesburg from 1989 to 2019 and built a reputation for being the “gentle dentist,” specializing in children’s and senior citizen’s dentistry.
APRIL
Paul Stewart, Knox County Board member
Former Knox County Board member Paul H. Stewart died April 17. He was 81. Stewart was appointed to the Knox County Board in 2005 and was elected in 2006 and again in 2010. He also served as a member and chairman of the City of Galesburg’s Landmark Commission and was a member of the Knox County Housing Authority Board of Commissioners.
Nicholas Weist, Knox County Deputy
Knox County Sheriff’s Deputy Nicholas Weist was hit and killed by a car the morning of April 29 as he was setting out spike strips at the intersection of U.S. Route 150 and 150th Avenue to stop a vehicle fleeing from Galesburg police. He was 34. Weist began his career at the Knox County Sheriff’s Office on May 22, 2018, as a road deputy. Weist was a graduate of the law enforcement program at Western Illinois University. Residing in Viola, Weist was married and with his wife had children ages 12 and 9.
JUNE
Don Brannon, GHS coach/athlete
Wendell Don “Donald” Brannon, a popular beloved former Galesburg basketball coach known for kindness, empathy, humor and his dedication to kids, died June 17. He was 70. Brannon was a longtime assistant coach at various levels under head coach Barry Swanson at Galesburg High School and one season at Carl Sandburg College.
JULY
Carlos Duncan, Galesburg Youth Athletic Club
An icon of sport, class, and compassion in Galesburg, Carlos Duncan died July 2. He was 80. For over 50 years, Duncan taught and coached boxing at the Galesburg Youth Athletic Club. He also was instrumental in developing Rock Steady, an exercise program for those living with Parkinson’s Disease.
Bill Morgan, Churchill teacher/coach
William “Bill” Morgan, a longtime Galesburg junior high school teacher and coach affectionately known as Mr. Bill died July 22. He was 91. Morgan teamed with his younger brother Bob to form the legendary Mr. Bill and Mr. Bob teaching and coaching duo at Churchill Junior High School for much of the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s. Along with his late wife Lorraine, the Morgans also spent 20 summers managing the former Lake Lawn Swim and Tennis Club.
Aline Shotts, Galesburg alderwoman
Aline Shotts, Galesburg’s first female aldermen and a fierce advocate for children and the elderly died July 30. She was 96. She served on the Galesburg City Council from 1979 to 1982, representing the 7th Ward, the first woman to be seated on the council. Her legacy also includes being a founder of the OAKS Senior Center and serving four different terms as its president. The Farnham Street Bridge was renamed the “Aline Shotts Bridge” in 2018 by the City Council after residents pushed for it.
SEPTEMBER
David Beversdorf, Fundraiser/event organizer
David Beversdorf, a man known for bringing a handful of Major League Baseball hall of famers to Galesburg died Sept. 24. He was 83. Beversdorf was a longtime organizer of a local baseball card and sports memorabilia show that helped bring stars like Joe DiMaggio, Willie Mays, Pete Rose and Ozzie Smith to Galesburg in the 1980s. Beversdorf is well-known as one of the most successful fundraisers for charities and organizations in Galesburg history.
OCTOBER
Donna Sharp, District 205 administrative assistant
Donna Sharp, a woman who worked in several key non-teaching capacities at School District 205 for 51 years, died Oct. 2 after a lengthy struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was 90. Sharp served first served as secretary for the Special Education Department. In 1956 she was promoted to registrar at Galesburg High School and continued in that capacity until 1970 when she assumed the position of administrative assistant to the Superintendent of Schools. She retired from District 205 in 2001
Gary Bruington, GHS baseball coach/teacher/athlete
Gary Bruington, forever entrenched in Galesburg sports history as the head coach of the 1988 Galesburg Silver Streaks state champion baseball team, died Oct. 4 after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 79. The state champion 1988 Silver Streaks are generally regarded as one of the best teams in any sport in Galesburg High School sports history. Bruington’s Streaks finished third a year later in 1989. Bruington taught PE and outdoor living classes for Galesburg District 205 for more 35 years, retiring in 1995.
Mary Matson, Seminary Street/Calico Cat founder
Mary Matson, a woman who partnered in the redevelopment of Seminary Street Historic District and was a creative force behind such businesses as Calico Cat, Landmark Cafe & Creperie and Packinghouse Dining Company, died Oct. 5. She was 83. Matson opened Calico Cat Boutique in 1968, and she and her husband Jay Matson started a joint entrepreneurial career in 1970. Mary Matson is credited as the creative force behind the Calico Cat, Old Affairs Antiques, Lullaby Dad’s Thirst Parlor, Landmark Café & Creperie, Packinghouse Dining Company, Jumping Bean Restaurant, Uncle Billy’s Bakery, Kensington Restaurant & Ballroom, and Macomb Dining Company.
Norma Cunningham, Register-Mail associate editor
Norma Cunningham, who served as associate editor at The Register-Mail before retiring in 1994, died Oct. 5. She was 94. Cunningham started working at the paper when she was a high school student. She was a police, county and regional government reporter from 1969-75. After two years at the Peoria Journal Star, she became associate editor at The Register-Mail in 1977.
NOVEMBER
Christine Eik Winick, Political activist/Democrat party leader
Christine Eik Winick, for many years considered the beating heart of the Knox County Democratic party, died Nov. 5 at her Galesburg home following a short illness. She was 71. Winick served as chair of the Knox County Democratic Party and briefly served as the Commiteewoman for the 17th Congressional District on the State Central Committee of the Democratic Party of Illinois. In 2010 she was recognized as Knox County Democratic Woman of the Year. She also was elected as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1984, 2008, 2016 and 2020. Winick also served on the Knox County Board from 1982-2002,
Phil Erickson, Lombard teacher/coach
Former players, students, and friends remember Phil Erickson as of the face of Lombard Junior High School. A Galesburg native who taught thousands of students and coached hundreds of athletes during a 43-year career as an educator, died at 4:04 p.m. Monday, Nov. 7 at OSF St. Mary Medical Center, Galesburg. He was 83. Erickson was a teacher and a coach at Lombard Junior High School for 43 years before retiring in 2004. Lombard named its gymnasium Erickson Gym after the former coach on May 15, 2015.
Sally Rynott, GHS band director
Sally Rynott was a longtime former Galesburg High School band director described as a brilliant musician with a fierce personality. She’s remembered for her life-altering impact on hundreds of former students. Affectionately known as “Sgt. Sal” for her intense leadership style, died Monday, Nov. 21 at Southeast Iowa Regional Hospice House in West Burlington, Iowa, after a lengthy battle with Lewy Body Dementia. She was 84. Rynott came to Galesburg in 1968 and served as director of bands and coordinator of music education for Galesburg District 205 for 17 years until 1985.
DECEMBER
Ken Harding, Knox County Sheriff/Galesburg Police officer
Kenneth “Ken” Harding, who served one term as Knox County sheriff from 1994-98, died Dec. 20. He was a Galesburg Police Officer for 12 years and was elected Knox County sheriff in 1994. He served one term. He worked as a carpenter at the Galesburg Mental Hospital for five years and later worked for the Department of Transportation as a leadman. Harding was also the owner and operator of an A&W restaurant on Lincoln Street in Galesburg.
