Category: Featured Legacies

Loren Martin “Marty” Hintz passed away on Sunday, September 20, 2020, in his home surrounded by his family. He was 75. Marty dedicated his life to traveling and writing — learning as much as he could about the world, and sharing the stories with others.

“He was an incredibly expansive human being,” his son Daniel Hintz said, “and just had a zest for life that was really quite infectious.”

Daniel remembers his father, a “prolific storyteller,” was always looking for his next adventure. The publisher of the Irish American Post newspaper, Marty also wrote more than 125 books, his family says, and was Irish Fest’s first publicist.

Hintz grew up in the small Iowa farm town of New Hampton and studied journalism at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota and at Northwestern University, then worked at the Milwaukee Sentinel.

He later became a freelance writer, his inquisitive spirit never fading. When the family went out to a restaurant, Hintz would pepper the waitress with questions, his son remembers.

“He was constantly mining for stories, constantly mining for ideas for the next adventure,” Daniel Hintz said.

Marty overflowed with tales of his travels and his latest projects — but his most meaningful, his son believes, was his journey to find his father’s downed plane in Italy.

Loren Hintz, a fighter pilot, died at 27 when his plane crashed in Italy just before the end of World War II. Marty Hintz was born six weeks later.

He endeavored to know the father he never met, undertaking years of research and digs to find the plane.

When he died, Hintz was producing a documentary about his family’s 2017 successful search for the plane. His family is now working to raise money to complete it in his honor.

Hintz’s friends from Italy, Ireland and around the world have been reaching out to his family since his death, recalling his kind nature and love of storytelling. Daniel Hintz said he’s gotten at least 500 messages from those who knew him.

Hintz is survived by his wife, Pam Percy, his children Daniel (Kassie) Hintz, Steve (Rashauna) Hintz, Katie (Garrick Topp) Hintz; step-children Matthew (Jennifer) Segel, Katie (Matt Liban) Segel, Ross (Abby) Segel; and 19 grandchildren.

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2020/09/27/marty-hintz-dies-75-friends-family-recall-love-travel-stories/3526457001/

Kathleen Naureckas, 83, passed away on Wednesday, September 30, 2020, in Oak Park, Illinois. She was born October 12, 1936, in Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania.

Kathleen received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northwestern in 1958, and went on to get a master’s degree in English literature, also from Northwestern. She was the managing editor of the weekly Libertyville Herald and served on the editorial staff of the Chicago Tribune until her retirement. Kathleen was an avid reader and a poet, having published one book of poems titled “For the Duration,” with another poetry book, “Winter Ecology,” under publication. After retirement, she played saxophone for the New Horizons Band and enjoyed playing bridge and watching movies.

Kathleen is survived by her daughter, Karen (Rick) Christiansen; her two sons, Dr. Ted (Dr. Sara) and Jim (Janine Jackson) Naureckas; her six grandchildren, Dr. Lauren (Matthew) Lindquist, Sean Christiansen, Dr. Caitlin (Dr. Edward) Li, Dr. Patrick (Lauren Heeg), June and Eden Naureckas; her three great-grandchildren, Ethan, Reid and Collin Lindquist; her sister, Marie Zelenka; her brothers, Thomas and Patrick Kearney; and her beloved cat, Rosie.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Adeline and Christopher Kearney; her husband, Edward Naureckas; their young daughter, Barbara Naureckas; her brothers Jim and John Kearney; and her sister Adele Kearney.

https://www.burnettdane.com/obituaries/Kathleen-Naureckas/#!/Obituary

Rickey Lee Wedeking passed away on Wednesday, September 30, 2020. He was born on January 19, 1962, in Indianapolis to Dr. Fred L. Wedeking and Denise O. Wedeking. 

Rickey began regaling crowds at an early age with his infectious smile and impish nature. With initial aspirations to follow in his father’s footsteps, Rickey obtained his paramedic degree from Kalamazoo Valley Community College in 1980, the youngest to receive such a degree at that time. He then worked for Emmett and RNEMS Ambulance services and on his first run delivered a baby. Rickey next attended Michigan State University to study marketing, graduating in 1986. During his time as a Spartan, Rickey was very active with the Sigma Chi fraternity. Post graduation, Rickey started his own marketing firm in Kalamazoo, Different Dimensions, Inc. He later owned and operated Plainwell Printing and then acquired his real estate broker’s license to sell houses in the Kalamazoo area. 

Eventually, Rickey wanted to return to school, and he enrolled in Northwestern University’s marketing communications program. He graduated in 1995 with his graduate degree cum laude as class valedictorian. Rickey’s next adventure took him to Newport Beach, California, where he was employed in marketing research by Urban Science. He became president of the local chapter of the American Marketing Association. When not at work, Rickey loved his oceanside life and spent many weekends surfing, sailing and ambling around his beloved Catalina Island. 

Rickey lived life to the fullest, living large and loving hard, enjoying the arts, the bars, fine dining, the study of history and the Bible, world travel and, of course, his family. Rickey’s focus changed to healing and fighting after his diagnosis of multiple sclerosis in 1998. Rickey was always positive through tough times and willing to embrace his next battle. He and his family are especially thankful to all those at Alamo Nursing Home, his second family, who cared, laughed, loved and prayed with and for Rickey during his most challenging times. 

Rickey’s memory is still alive in those that survive him, including his parents, sister Tammy (Sue) and her husband, Steve Withers; brother Ritch Wedeking; aunts Nancy Wedeking and Peggy White; uncles Jeff Neel, Dickson Matos and family, Kilton Matos and family; many more beloved family in Puerto Rico; nephew Karsen Withers; niece Taryn Withers; and cousin Michelle Neel.

https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/18473734/Rickey-Wedeking

Fr. Matthew T. Gamber S.J., age 61, passed away Friday, October 16, 2020, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Matt was a graduate of Loyola Academy, and received a bachelor’s in political science from Marquette University, a master’s in philosophy from Loyola University, a master’s of divinity from Weston Jesuit School of Theology, and a master’s in journalism from Northwestern University. Father Matt was a gifted journalist, and was published in the National Catholic Register, Catholic World Report and Catholic Herald. He was most recently appointed chaplain and director of youth ministry at St. Xavier High School. Previously, he was associate pastor at St. Francis Xavier Church in Cincinnati, and he enjoyed a lifelong career in the religious order including positions in Chicago, Gonzaga University in Washington, Xavier University in Cincinnati, and in the Vatican Radio and Catholic News Service in Rome, Italy.

Father Matt loved being a priest, and a channel of God’s healing graces and love for the people he served. He led a profoundly spiritual life, dedicated to his faith, his family, the Society of Jesus, and his many friends. Known for his hearty laugh and inquisitive spirit, Father Matt was beloved by many and enjoyed connecting with people wherever he went.

Matt was preceded in death by his father Mark J. and brother Lawrence M. Gamber. He is survived by his mother Ruth Ann (nee Henneman) Gamber; siblings Mark (MaryJo), William (Linda), Mary Margaret, and Robert (Suzan) Gamber; sister-in-law Carol Gamber; nieces and nephews Matthew (Alexandra), Casey, Charlie, Jamie, Mary Kate and Luke Gamber; and great nephew Benjamin.

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/chicagotribune/obituary.aspx?n=matthew-t-gamber&pid=196973475

Kenneth M. Wylie, Jr. (J 51, MSJ 52) died on June 1, 2020, at his home in Evanston following a long illness. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, the former Sarah Hibbard, and three daughters: Clarissa Wylie Youngberg, Mary Barr Wylie and Jennifer Sundy Fallon. 

Ken was born 93 years ago in southwestern Pennsylvania. He moved as a child to the Chicago area and later to Tidewater Virginia. He served in the army from 1945 to 1947, spending 1946 in the U.S. zone of Germany as a radio technician/operator.

After graduating from Medill, Ken’s work was in magazine editing and reporting, university publications work (Northwestern and IIT), freelance editorial work, industrial technical writing, public relations and advertising. He was devoted to his church (First Presbyterian Church of Evanston) and to his community, serving frequently as an officer of the Kiwanis Club of Evanston Breakfast. During the 1960s he was among the founders of the Evanston Ecumenical Action Council, now known as Interfaith Action of Evanston. He published his novel, “Driving to Mercer,” in 2017. 

Alyk Russell Kenlan passed away on Monday, November 23, 2020. He was 24 years old, having completed his master’s degree in journalism at the Medill School of Journalism in August.

He was born Alyk Xam Kenlan, but later chose Russell to be his middle name after his grandfather Don Cooper. Lisbeth and Don Cooper were his cornerstones throughout his life. His initials became ARK, and his friends and classmates refer to him as ARK.

Alyk was the most compassionate and caring of men. His sense of style is legendary. He was a real world traveler and had visited seven continents before going to Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, where he graduated in 2018 with a degree in cinema and media studies and a minor in music. He had a radio show at Carleton called “Arkadia” his family listened to weekly.

Before Carleton, he was a student at Asheville School (NC), which he often said were his best years ever! He loved wearing bowties and smart blazers and was voted the most stylishly dressed student and the most accomplished swimmer. His past swimming experience was swimming in the family pond. He loved playing board games and acquired an extensive collection of sophisticated games to play with his friends, both in person and virtually every weekend. His sharp mind made him a tough competitor and teacher.

He was fluent in the Mandarin language, and his goal was to return to China or Taiwan to work as a journalist. This ambition led to achieving his most recent accomplishment of earning his graduate degree from the Medill School of Journalism in their Magazine Specialization program. Faculty and classmates remember him as kind, bright, and deeply committed to becoming a fine journalist.

Alyk finished his time in Medill reporting virtually on politics and foreign affairs under the direction of Medill’s Washington, D.C. Bureau chief professor Ellen Shearer, who said, “Alyk continued to show great promise as a budding writer and reporter. (He) was a leader in the Washington Virtual newsroom because of his creativity and intense desire to improve his craft and mission for telling stories that affect and improve people’s lives. He dove into his national security beat, reporting on stories from ways veterans were battling the isolation created by the pandemic to a sophisticated analysis of how China is trying to surpass the U.S. Military.”

From Prof. Doug Foster: “He was one of those students any professor loves having in a cohort because he researched deeply, absorbed information quickly, made connections between bodies of research in interesting ways, and was brave enough to challenge assumptions of the group with incisive questions that always advanced, and deepened our work.”

From Prof. Desi Hanford: “Alyk’s knowledge of the world always made for thought-provoking conversations in and out of class. His insights from his travels abroad gave him an understanding of the world that few people ever have. He could as comfortably discuss what was happening in Asia as he could in the U.S. Alyk was truly a global citizen.”

Alyk leaves behind his bereaved mom Daniele Albert Frost and stepdad Stuart Frost; his dad Geoff Kenlan and his partner Felicia Buske; his beloved maternal grandparents Lisbeth Riis Cooper and Don R. Cooper; his loved paternal grandparents, Jay and Carol Kenlan and his maternal grandfather, Sid Albert; his aunt and uncle, Helene Albert and Jon Young of Chicago, his uncle and aunt on Martha’s Vineyard, Erik and Rhonda Albert, and his Aunt Bekki Matthews in Colorado; his cousins Iris and Miles Albert, Sean and Ana Young, and Nick Matthews; and countless friends. He is sorely missed by them all.

https://www.herdegenfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Alyk-Russell-Kenlan?obId=19096223

Domini Torrevillas Suarez died Monday, December 28, 2020, in her hometown of Gingoog, Philippines. She was 80 years old.

Domini was a columnist for the Phillipine STAR. Her column “From The Stands” came out in the newspaper’s opinion section every Tuesday and Thursday. She was a feature writer and editor of Panorama magazine in Manila Bulletin Publishing Corp. from 1961 to 1987 before she joined The STAR as columnist.

Domini attended Gingoog Institute in Misamis Oriental for high school and earned her bachelor’s degree in English at Silliman University in 1961. She attended the Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism in 1967. She was awarded Outstanding Sillimanian in the field of Journalism in 1980.

“At the height of martial law, she was … subjected to military threats, harassments and intimidations for her daring reporting,” wrote a classmate of Domini’s.

She is survived by her husband, Saeed A. Daof; son, Andres Torrevillas Suarez; brother, Lemuel Torrevillas; and sister-in-law, Rowena Tiempo.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/12/29/2066809/star-columnist-domini-torrevillas-writes-30