Thank you Marty, that's very kind. Reading through the comments again, I'm flush with memories of the Evanstonian office, Alice Rosengard, others who wrote. And I remember Roy speaking about you, and his time at B-J, Burton Judson (?)...I visited a couple times and we must have met more than once. We should talk, stanbratman@gmail.com.... Thank you for reminding that it was so soon after MLK's death. I had taken the train to Selma from Chicago in 1965, and considered myself something of a veteran of the civil rights movement.
On Roy the Eagle Scout: In the summer of 1964, after graduation, Roy invited me to go on a camping trip with him and 2 of his Eagle Scout friends in the Quetico, the upper Minnesota and Canadian system of lakes now known as Voyageurs National Park. We had 2 canoes, Roy, myself, and 2 others. The trip was a perfect disaster. We couldn't read the maps properly. I fell in the water more than once. Finally a huge storm blew up out of nowhere, and it was the first time in my life that I thought I might actually die. We managed to beach ourselves on some island close enough to civilization that we could still be rescued by a motorboat, a pack of drenched rats. On the way home, I took the first driving shift, and barely avoided killing us a couple of times, as it was dark night in desolate country, and the road was littered with fallen trees. Altogether, perfect for the summer between high school and college.....and we did make it home safely. I went back many years later, with my son and daughter and a neighborhood friend of theirs. Carried a canoe across a mile long portage, and in general loved the experience. The years had taught me a few things. But that trip in 1964 may have signalled the end of Roy's Eagle Scout days.
i just magically google-found Roy's younger brother Myron. he is happy if i post his reply to me on this page:
Dear Marty, Leo and Stanley,
What a wonderful surprise to hear from you! And yes, you found the right person. Fifty years is a long time, but there’s hardly a day that I don’t think about Roy and my parents. Your email brings back wonderful memories of our lives in Skokie, and my times with Roy and his friends in Hyde Park.
Thank you for all the wonderful things you wrote, as well as for the links to the class of 1964 web site. I wouldn’t have known where to look for it.
As you figured out, my wife Barbara and I have been living in Boulder for the past five years.It’s a wonderful place to be, with lots of opportunities to be outside and a beautiful mix of small college town and city life. Barbara and I met in the summer of 1968, and we’ve been married for almost 48 years. We have a son, Robert, who lives in New York City with his wife and two children. We spend a lot of time with them, in an otherwise quiet existence. You found me, so you’ve figured out that my professional life is well known and not worth saying much about. Mostly, I’ll say that I’ve had a lot of fun, and continue to do so.
If you make it to the reunion, please enjoy yourselves and give our love to everyone who thinks of Roy and the rest of the Gutmann family.
Thank you for posting Myron's letter. Reading it, I'm in tears all over again. I wish his parents (whom I recall vividly) could know how we hold Roy in our hearts.
Thanks to Marty Campbell's efforts, several of us got together in Hyde Park on Sunday, June 3, to share our memories of Roy. Marty, me, Stan Bratman, and Toby Klass (not from ETHS but dated Roy in '67) joined 15 or so U of C '68 alums who were remembering classmates.
After 50 years, it all comes back, the confusion, the sadness, and so many questions. We all felt that Roy had a special path ahead, and not sharing it with him has been a tremendous loss. Not knowing what else to do, I am planning to make a small gift in Roy's name to an organization (still to be chosen) that helps people deal with loss, and will post info here for others who feel the same.
I have contacted an organization called Chicago Survivors. They were established by the city with Dept of Justice funding in 2014, and provide a variety of services for survivors of violence. Here is an article from the Chicago Tribune that describes their involvement -
I thought of them because of the circumstances of Roy's death, and of course because of what is happening in Chicago today. I'm sure Roy would be supportive.
If you choose to donate, go to the donate page of their web site,and refer to Roy in the comments section at the bottom of the checkout screen.
https://chicagosurvivors.org/donate/
They will mention Roy at their gala this fall, and if we choose to, we can also support a small in memorium plaque for a wall at their offices. You can also contact them directly at
5600 S. Woodlawn Ave., Suite 400
Chicago, Illinois 60615
i believe 3 blocks W. of where Roy died, April 22, 1968.
thank you Rick for your research & dedication! i think this is excellent, short of running our own. it worries me that they liaison between the police & the victim, where the CPD have a long tradition from our day to now of producing the victim, and racistly so. but maybe they can effect change in even that. bless their best intentions and ours.
i suggest posting this on our Message Forum and on our Home Page at some point.
bless us each with peace & community, however brief. grateful ole marty
Stanley Bratman
Thank you Marty, that's very kind. Reading through the comments again, I'm flush with memories of the Evanstonian office, Alice Rosengard, others who wrote. And I remember Roy speaking about you, and his time at B-J, Burton Judson (?)...I visited a couple times and we must have met more than once. We should talk, stanbratman@gmail.com.... Thank you for reminding that it was so soon after MLK's death. I had taken the train to Selma from Chicago in 1965, and considered myself something of a veteran of the civil rights movement.
Stanley Bratman
On Roy the Eagle Scout: In the summer of 1964, after graduation, Roy invited me to go on a camping trip with him and 2 of his Eagle Scout friends in the Quetico, the upper Minnesota and Canadian system of lakes now known as Voyageurs National Park. We had 2 canoes, Roy, myself, and 2 others. The trip was a perfect disaster. We couldn't read the maps properly. I fell in the water more than once. Finally a huge storm blew up out of nowhere, and it was the first time in my life that I thought I might actually die. We managed to beach ourselves on some island close enough to civilization that we could still be rescued by a motorboat, a pack of drenched rats. On the way home, I took the first driving shift, and barely avoided killing us a couple of times, as it was dark night in desolate country, and the road was littered with fallen trees. Altogether, perfect for the summer between high school and college.....and we did make it home safely. I went back many years later, with my son and daughter and a neighborhood friend of theirs. Carried a canoe across a mile long portage, and in general loved the experience. The years had taught me a few things. But that trip in 1964 may have signalled the end of Roy's Eagle Scout days.
Marty Campbell
i just magically google-found Roy's younger brother Myron. he is happy if i post his reply to me on this page:
What a wonderful surprise to hear from you! And yes, you found the right person. Fifty years is a long time, but there’s hardly a day that I don’t think about Roy and my parents. Your email brings back wonderful memories of our lives in Skokie, and my times with Roy and his friends in Hyde Park.
Thank you for all the wonderful things you wrote, as well as for the links to the class of 1964 web site. I wouldn’t have known where to look for it.
As you figured out, my wife Barbara and I have been living in Boulder for the past five years. It’s a wonderful place to be, with lots of opportunities to be outside and a beautiful mix of small college town and city life. Barbara and I met in the summer of 1968, and we’ve been married for almost 48 years. We have a son, Robert, who lives in New York City with his wife and two children. We spend a lot of time with them, in an otherwise quiet existence. You found me, so you’ve figured out that my professional life is well known and not worth saying much about. Mostly, I’ll say that I’ve had a lot of fun, and continue to do so.
If you make it to the reunion, please enjoy yourselves and give our love to everyone who thinks of Roy and the rest of the Gutmann family.
With best regards,
Myron
Alice Rosengard
Marty,
Thank you for posting Myron's letter. Reading it, I'm in tears all over again. I wish his parents (whom I recall vividly) could know how we hold Roy in our hearts.
Richard Blackwell
Thanks to Marty Campbell's efforts, several of us got together in Hyde Park on Sunday, June 3, to share our memories of Roy. Marty, me, Stan Bratman, and Toby Klass (not from ETHS but dated Roy in '67) joined 15 or so U of C '68 alums who were remembering classmates.
After 50 years, it all comes back, the confusion, the sadness, and so many questions. We all felt that Roy had a special path ahead, and not sharing it with him has been a tremendous loss. Not knowing what else to do, I am planning to make a small gift in Roy's name to an organization (still to be chosen) that helps people deal with loss, and will post info here for others who feel the same.
Thanks Marty for setting this up.
Marty Campbell
Rick, when you choose, i am ready. grateful ole marty
Susan Spiegel (Pastin)
What a wonderful, moving comment stream!
Richard Blackwell
I have contacted an organization called Chicago Survivors. They were established by the city with Dept of Justice funding in 2014, and provide a variety of services for survivors of violence. Here is an article from the Chicago Tribune that describes their involvement -
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-chicago-homicide-responders-met-20151015-story.html
I thought of them because of the circumstances of Roy's death, and of course because of what is happening in Chicago today. I'm sure Roy would be supportive.
If you choose to donate, go to the donate page of their web site,and refer to Roy in the comments section at the bottom of the checkout screen.
https://chicagosurvivors.org/donate/
They will mention Roy at their gala this fall, and if we choose to, we can also support a small in memorium plaque for a wall at their offices. You can also contact them directly at
rhonda@chicagosurvivors.org
Marty Campbell
done.
interesting that their office address is
5600 S. Woodlawn Ave., Suite 400
Chicago, Illinois 60615
i believe 3 blocks W. of where Roy died, April 22, 1968.
thank you Rick for your research & dedication! i think this is excellent, short of running our own. it worries me that they liaison between the police & the victim, where the CPD have a long tradition from our day to now of producing the victim, and racistly so. but maybe they can effect change in even that. bless their best intentions and ours.
i suggest posting this on our Message Forum and on our Home Page at some point.
bless us each with peace & community, however brief. grateful ole marty
Marty Campbell
i like the idea of a plaque there right nearby! Rick please let me & us know how to enact that. bless us each.