| Friends of BNC membership meeting and elections were held on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 1:00 p.m. in the Columbarium/Crematorium chapel. Our program, "Chicago Rocks: Geology of Bohemian National Cemetery" presented by Jean Hemzacek Laukant, was an informative, illustrated talk about the "rocks" that make up our beautiful monuments. After viewing the images, we took a short walk on our way to the gatehouse to actually view some of them. Jean is a geology professor at our neighboring Northeastern Illinois University. All were welcome to this free event. Refreshments were served in the gatehouse. |
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| On Sunday, January 28, 2007, at 1:00 p.m., Friends of BNC hosted a free program, open to all, about Jens Jensen and Ossian C. Simonds, contemporary architects of naturalistic landscape design. Jens Jensen (1860-1951) created the landscape design for Columbus Park, located on west edge of Chicago. He redesigned the landscaping in Humboldt, Garfield, and Douglas Parks, as well as for several North Shore private estates. Ossian C. Simonds (1855-1931) is known for his design of Graceland Cemetery, as well as other rural cemeteries. Barbara Geiger, our presenter, is a landscape historian and design consultant. She is an instructor at I.I.T., Northwestern University and the Chicago Botanic Gardens, and a lecturer and landscape tour guide at Graceland Cemetery. The program, along with the Friends' winter meeting, took place in the Columbarium. |
 Jens Jensen, 1943 |
The vocal ensemble Con Spirito and cellist Mara Leonard, sponsored by the Bohemian National Cemetery Association, presented "Anthems of a Life's Journey", a short program of music for All Souls Day, on Sunday, November 12, 2006, in the Columbarium. The music, devoted to sacred and secular anthems on the themes of death and hope, included works by Maurice Greene, Samuel Barber, John Bennet, J.S. Bach, and Randall Thompson, as well as a hymn from The Sacred Harp. |
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Members of Con Spirito, all current or former church musicians, were drawn together by their love of great choral music. They have sung works ranging from large symphonic pieces to chamber music, and many have performed as vocal soloists. Featured cello soloist Mara Leonard performs actively in the Chicago area. She has appeared with the Illinois Philharmonic and Civic Orchestra of Chicago and is the music director at St. James Lutheran Church in Western Springs. |
| Con Spirito's music director Rebecca Patterson led the Chicago Bar Association Chorus in rehearsals for its recent performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony at Navy Pier. She has served as music director for Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church in Oak Park and for the Chapel of the Holy Spirit at Divine Word International in Northbrook. As a concert artist, Patterson has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Music of the Baroque and sung a variety of opera roles. |
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| At 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 7, 2006, Friends of Bohemian National Cemetery sponsored a 2 hour walking tour of Bohemian National Cemetery. Tour guide and historian, Albert Walavich, who has led our tours in previous years, is an expert in mortuary art. His narratives are informative and entertaining. On this general highlights tour, Mr. Walavich discussed the founding of the cemetery and its unusual features as he walked participants through the highlights, including the Victorian gatehouse, the Columbarium and Chapel, Masaryk Mausoleum, Mayor Anton Cermak's Mausoleum, the war memorials and other special and unique turn-of-the-century monuments, focusing on their cultural, social and historical significance. Refreshments were served in the Gatehouse after the tour. |
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On Sunday, August 27, 2006, at 1:00 p.m. in the Columbarium Chapel, Tony Jandacek spoke about Albin Polasek, using a slide presentation to illustrate the scupltor's works. Albin Polasek was born in Moravia and came to the United States in the early 1900's. He sculpted the Mother and Pilgrim monuments at Bohemian National Cemetery. Large public commissions brought him world attention. Retiring to Winter Park, Florida, at the age of 71, he began gathering much of his life's works and set up a foundation opening his estate to the public. Brochures for the museum and sculpture garden were available at the meeting. |
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On Saturday, May 6, 2006, Friends of Bohemian National Cemetery sponsored a walking tour of Bohemian National Cemetery. Tour guide and historian, Albert Walavich, who has led our tours in previous years, is an expert in mortuary art. His narratives are informative and entertaining.
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On Sunday, February 26, 2006, at 2:00 p.m. Friends of BNC hosted a free program presented by the Eastland Disaster Historical Society about the tragic capsizing of the S.S. Eastland on July 24, 1915. Told through story, video, and slides, this multi-media presentation explained the problems that the ship encountered and the human stories of heroism and suffering that were all part of that summer day excursion turned to tragedy. This presentation took place at the Westchester Library, Westchester, IL. |
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| Chicago Daily News negatives collection, DN-0064932. Courtesy of the Chicago Historical Society. | Chicago Daily News negatives collection, DN-0064944. Courtesy of the Chicago Historical Society. |
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***Special Event*** |
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On Sunday, August 21, 2005, Friends of BNC hosted a free program about John Anton Mallin, the church decorator and artist who designed and applied the decoration for the upper and lower chapels, lobby and hallways of the Crematory-Columbarium building. This presentation was given by Kathy Mallin, granddaughter of the artist, in the lower Marble Room of the Columbarium at 2:00 p.m. Ms. Mallin discussed the gold leafing techniques used by her grandfather. Our newly published "Introduction to Bohemian National Cemetery Columbarium/Crematorium" 24-page booklet with colored illustrations became available that day. |
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On Saturday, May 7, 2005, Friends of Bohemian National Cemetery sponsored a walking tour of Bohemian National Cemetery. Tour guide and historian, Albert Walavich, who has led our tours in previous years, is an expert in mortuary art. His narratives are informative and entertaining.
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