Whitey . . . Member of Ko-Op’s Incoming Class of ’64

Russ White and Gary Cook first began working at the Ko-Op at the beginning of fall quarter in 1964. I started work there by early November. Other ’64 high school grads, Ken Kirby and Gus Pekara later came on board.

I still remember how surprised I was when Russ left EIU in 1967 to enlist in the Army.

Christmas day 1968 in Vietnam, Hill 53
(Sargeant Russ White on the far left - with half of platoon)

After boot camp training, Russ spent 1968 and began '69 in Vietnam. He was assigned to the 3/82 Artillery, 196th Light Infantry Brigade. In February, He was blown up on a landing zone (LZ) south of Danang. After recovering from wounds, Russ was assigned for eight months to a burial team out of Ft. Lewis (Near Tacoma, WA). Then he returned to Eastern.

I last saw and visited Whitey around 1971 at his then home in Mattoon. Ken Lowry was also there. At EIU, he had changed majors and soon graduated with a teaching degree in Botany and Zoology.

Russ taught science for six years east of Decatur at Atwood-Hammond school district. He also married Cindy, adopted two children, and they had another daughter in 1978 (Daughters Amber and Tamara and son, Cory).

During that time, Russ also completed a Masters degree in educational administration at EIU. In 1980, he then switched jobs to become the principal at Cissna Park.

Russ continued his education at the University of Illinois and completed a Doctoral degree. Beginning in July 1986, he was superintendent for six years at Crescent City. He also taught classes for the Masters program at Governors State University.

End of June 2004, Russ White retired after serving fourteen years as the superintendent of Wilmington School District 209U, located fifty miles southwest of Chicago in the Kankakee River Valley. During his tenure there, Russ served on the Superintendent’s Advisory Board for the ISBE (Illinois State Board of Education) and advocated for changing school funding to be based on State income taxes and reduced property taxes.

After retirement, he worked one more year as a principal at an alternative high school in Cook County.

Russ and Cindy live near Bonfield, Illinois. They share a Facebook account and post family photos (Nine grandchildren) on their pages. It’s a nice connection to their lives and activities. Enjoy seeing some of their travels. Last March, Cindy and Russ went back to Vietnam and visited the LZ where he was wounded.

"Eddie" Brown, today that's Dr. Edward & Pastor

Another fellow worker from undergrad college days is Edward Brown (We addressed him as Ed or Eddie). Ed worked at the Short Stop Drive-In (Northwest corner of 7th and Lincoln). During my junior year, I moved back and forth - - worked some hours at the Ko-Op and some across the intersection at the Short Stop. By the time I entered my senior year, I worked mainly at the Short Stop.

(Click photo to enlarge) Edward Brown (2nd row, 3rd from left) 1967 EIU Warbler.
Bob Warnsley who worked at the Ko-Op is also in the group.

Edward and I were both industrial arts education majors, and we had one or two classes together. We shared several work hours at the Short Stop; he was an energetic and fun co-worker - had a great laugh. During our senior year, we both student taught at Mattoon High School. We rode together, back and forth from Charleston during that Winter quarter (Late Nov. 1967 to early Mar. 1968); we were out a few days after a brown recluse spider infestation was discovered in the service tunnel / crawl space. Ed graduated in the Spring of 1968 and began a teaching career in Chicago.

Edward Brown (1968 Warbler yearbook photograph)

Edward later graduated from Chicago State University with a Master's degree in education. He also earned both a Masters of Divinity degree and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, specializing in pastoral care of the congregation. Ed was formerly the assistant pastor of the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Chicago, Illinois.

These days Dr. Edward C. Brown, Jr. is the senior pastor of the Skokie Valley Baptist Church in Wilmette, Illinois. Edward loves preaching (Listen to a recent sermon at the church's website) and teaching God's Word and has been privileged to preach in many pulpits across the nation and in two countries in Africa. Ed is married, and he and his wife, Diana, have one adult daughter, Camille.

March 2018

I recently revisited the church website for Skokie Valley Baptist Church (Wilmette, IL) and noticed that Ed was no longer listed as their Senior Pastor. He has retired.