The art of listening

CATCHING UP WITH DOWNERS GROVE NATIVE SUZANNE DICKE MATTHIES

BY VALERIE HARDY PHOTOGRAPH BY CAROLINA MENAPACE F or Suzanne (Sue) Dicke Matthies, Downers Grove has always been home. It’s not only where her heart is, but also where her family’s history is.

Matthies was born in 1934 to Downers Grove natives Grant Dicke and Virginia Waples Dicke. She lived in her mother’s childhood home with her parents, older sister, Diane and maternal grandparents. Despite growing up amidst the Second World War, Matthies recalled her childhood in Downers Grove as peaceful and secure. “I trusted everybody," Matthies said. "I didn’t know there was anything not to trust in the world. It was such a safe place, and everyone knew everybody else."

Her family was even more distinguished than most, however. Her grandfather, Casper Dicke, was the founder of Dicke Tool, which he brought to Downers Grove in the late 1800s. “My father was the third from oldest of eight children," she said. "They all went to school through eighth grade, and then went to work for Dicke Tool." The tool company was just one of the Dicke family’s contributions to the community.

“My grandmother bought a property across the street [on Warren Ave. from the tool factory]," Matthies said. "Grandma gave my father a piece of the property to work on cars. [He and the automobile] kind of grew up together." Grant Dicke became an automobile mechanic and dealer in town, but he was most noted for his involvement in the original Downers Grove Fire Department.

“In the early 1900s, before World War I, the tool factory burned down, and…they didn’t have a big enough fire department, so my grandfather donated his sons,” Matthies said.

Matthies explained that her uncle, Henry Dicke, was initially more interested in the fire department work

than her father. When Henry became mayor, Grant Dicke became fire chief. A plaque dedication in Grant’s name was held on Feb. 5 at the site of the original Downers Grove fire station, (which is now Oak Tree Towers,) a retirement home. Though Matthies felt that the dedication could easily have been in the name of many early fire department volunteers, she said she is "very proud" of her dad.

"It meant the world to him doing that work," Matthies said. "We would sit down to eat dinner, the fire bell would go off, and he was out of there.”

Matthies still lives in Downers Grove, but now with her son David, his wife Joanna, and their three sons. David and Joanna run the Downers Grove-based business Matthies Builders.

Matthies is pleased that her son and his family are carrying forward her family’s tradition of having a business in town, and said “they also really love Downers Grove.”