Most of us probably know Dan Naumovich as a monthly humor columnist for the State Journal-Register who makes us laugh at everyday aspects of family life. As a writer myself, I can tell you it’s a gift to be able to make something like having the flu sound funny. (Here’s one of Dan’s most popular SJ-R columns: http://www.sj-r.com/features/x1806564873/Dan-Naumovich-Sorry-kids-youve-been-chopped )

Few of Dan’s readers probably know that he is a third-generation Springfield Lithuanian-American, the grandson of Lithuania-born Leonard and Josephine Naumovich. Dan is also one of 10 children of Leonard and Jean Naumovich, and, he says, “probably the only one not to win a Fr. Yunker (Lithuanian student) college scholarship.”

Dan’s day job for eight years has been marketing the services of Crawford, Murphy & Tilly consulting engineers of Springfield. He holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Quincy College, and also earned a master’s degree in communications. “When I started grad school,” Dan says, “my wife Tammy and I had one child. By the time I graduated, we had four: Maria (now 13), Tessie (11), Victor (11), and Mark (8). It was a busy time,” Dan says.

Dan grew up on the North End and went to St. Aloysius Grade School. He graduated from Griffin High School in 1984. He started writing for the SJ-R in 2005. “The editor had been reading my blog, which covered local issues, and contacted me about contributing to the newspaper on a freelance basis,” Dan says. “I tend to write about my children a lot, but now that they’re getting older, I have to be a little more sensitive about it. Even though 99 percent of kids never read a newspaper, I don’t want any embarrassing stories making it back to the playground.”

Dan has a freelance writing service on the side, through which he writes for other publications, and also provides copy to businesses and organizations. His freelance web site is www.naumo.com.

Springfield “Celebrity Citizen”

Brad Turasky

Brad Turasky, vice president of Turasky Meats, was named a “Celebrity Citizen” of Springfield Friday, Feb. 8, in a ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion.

A third-generation owner in the Turasky family meat-processing business, Brad was honored for his successful volunteer work in bringing the 2015 American Association of Meat Processors convention, with its 1,200 to 1,500 members, to the Prairie Capital Convention Center and Hilton Springfield. (According to the Feb. 9, 2013 State Journal-Register.)

A fourth-generation Springfield Lithuanian-American, Brad is the son of Joe and Carolyn Ann Turasky, and the great-grandson of the late Joseph Turasky, born in Lithuania in 1881. Related post.

Newest Lady Buckeye

Vanesa Abad

I also just learned from Violeta Abramikas Abad, who grew up in Springfield attending St. Vincent de Paul Lithuanian Catholic Church, that her grand-daughter Vanesa Abad has been named to the 2013 rookie class of the Ohio State University Lady Buckeyes women’s soccer team.  News story here.

Vanesa is a midfielder who hails from Barrington, Ill, though she recently visited Springfield and her great aunt, Regina Abramikas Buedel, with her grandmother, Violeta.

A senior at Lake Zurich High School, Vanesa has had three years of club experience with Sockers FC and lettered in soccer all four years at Lake Zurich. She is a four-year member of the ODP Illinois state team and Region II pool, a two-time all-sectional, all-area and all-conference pick from Lake Zurich.  Vanesa also has been captain of her Lake Zurich team for two years, and tallied 31 goals and 26 assists over her first three high school seasons.

An all-around, multi-talented athlete, Vanesa also lettered in basketball and cross country.

The daughter of Michael and Ana Sanchez Abad, Vanesa enjoys snowboarding, camping, running and spending time with family and friends. She has two sisters, Catalina and Sophia. Her great grand-parents, Walter and Stephanie Abramikas, immigrated to Springfield as displaced persons after World War II.  Walter’s brother Vincent Abramikas and his family also lived in Springfield for several years after World War II before moving to Chicago.

Sam Madonia DJ-ing at WFMB-A.M. Photo from Springfield’s Own magazine.

Sam Madonia is a long-time local radio personality on WFMB-AM, an ISU grad, Lincoln High School teacher for 31 years (including “Teacher of the Year,”)and Railsplitters’ head baseball coach from 1980-85, as well as public address voice of the Illinois State Fair since 1994 and a big Fair fan.

However, not everybody knows that Sam is also the son of a Lithuanian-American, the late Isabelle Simonavitch, who worked at City, Water Light and Power. Sam, his mother and late Sicilian-American father Sevet Madonia, an SJ-R employee and well-known Republican precinct committeeman for 20 years, lived with the Simonaviches until Sam was 10.

Both grandfathers were coal miners, and his full name, Sam Charles Madonia, is a tribute to both men. Sam is also a proud Springfield Northender, having grown up on Fifth Street across from Lincoln Park.

He is the husband of Alice and father of grown-up daughters Stacey Dillilo of Las Vegas and Anne Hubbard of Springfield–and grandfather of Shea and Sloane Hubbard.

Sam is the oldest of three children. He lost his brother, Tom, in 2002 at age 55 to cancer. His sister, Jeanne, and her husband, Rich, still own the family house on Fifth Street. This information is from Springfield’s Own magazine, and you can read more about Sam at this link:

http://www.springfieldsown.com/features/profile/407/sam-madonia-voice-your-morning-radio

I also read about Eleanor Yuskavich’s 95th birthday a few weeks ago in the SJ-R. Eleanor was born January 1918 to John and Tillie Rinkienve Treinis, and married John Yuskavich, Jr. at St. Vincent de Paul Lithuanian Catholic Church in January 1939.
Mrs. Yuskavich worked in the Treinis family grocery stores owned by her father, and later as an elevator operator at the Hotel Abraham Lincoln, and as a packer at Pillsbury Mills. She also was a full-time homemaker to her family: daughters Mary Ann (Kerry) Wycoff and Patricia Towner.
Mrs. Yuskavich has three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.