GROWING COMMUNITY WEDNESDAY JOURNAL, INC.
ForestParkReview.com
Vol. 103, No. 16
$1.00
#SpritzersWithPritzker
F O R E S T PA R K
REVIEW APRIL 15, 2020
PAGE 8
Easter bunny rides through town PAGE 10
@FP_Review @ForestParkReview
Remembering ‘Uncle John’
A good man and a masterful songwriter By MICHAEL ROMAIN Staff Reporter
Rolling Stone magazine once called John Prine — who died on April 7 at the age of 73 due to complications from COVID-19 — the “Mark Twain of American Songwrit-
ing.” Bob Dylan once said Prine’s “stuff is pure Proustian existentialism. Midwestern mindtrips to the nth degree. And he writes beautiful songs.” Anne E. Prine Sorkin, a longtime River Forest resident and former educator, simply called him “Uncle John.” “I recognize his gifts and talents, and have always enjoyed his music, but I admired and loved him even more for family things,” said Sorkin during an interview on April 10. “He
had a really good heart and from the time I was a really young kid, I recognized that.” Sorkin, the daughter of Prine’s oldest brother Dave Prine, said that she grew up next to her grandparents’ Maywood house, which was a block south of Proviso East High School, where she, her father and her three uncles attended. “I enjoyed being with John and I was so proud of all of my uncles,” she said. “My dad is the oldest of the four brothers and
still lives in Maywood. I was next door with my grandma probably more than I was at home. My Uncle Bill, the youngest of the brothers, was seven years older, so he was more like a big brother to me.” Sorkin said she was no more than “seven or eight” when Uncle John, still working as a mailman, would play his songs for his family before they caught the attention of the world. See PRINE on page 12
Walmart employee dies of COVID-19 Another employee has tested positive By MARIA MAXHAM Staff reporter
An employee of Walmart, 1300 Desplaines Ave., has died of a COVID-19 infection. He was identified in a statement from Walmart only by the first name Francisco. According to Forest Park officials, who spoke to Walmart representatives, the employee showed signs of illness at work on April 2. He went home and did not return to work again. He died at home on April 7. A second employee, who has not been to work since March 31, has also tested positive. See WALMART on page 4
ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer
HEAR OUR PRAYER A man prays outside St. Bernardine Catholic Church on Easter Sunday, April 12. Locally, churches are closed for in-person services, but faithful around the world still found comfort and celebration on the holy day.
IN Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 THIS Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 ISSUE Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Business provides meals for medics
Forest Park COVID-19 update
PAGE 4
PAGE 12
Follow us Online! ForestParkReview.com