I did not know her personally. I only ever saw Odessa Beals at the Paramount Theater whenever we went there to see a movie. She was the one person I continually saw there that I remembered year after year. We would chit-chat over the years. I once asked how long she had been at the Paramount and found it had been six years at that time.

 I will miss her. 

Odessa passed this past week, her funeral was on the 4th. I found out when her obituary ran in the Daily Journal on January 1. I saw her at the top of the page and thought the woman looked familiar. I did not recognize her out of the setting I have always seen Ms. Beals. My hope is that a life of peace has opened its doors to her as I would anyone else. 

There she was with a listing of family (Two sons, two daughters, 10 grandchildren, a great-grandchild) and friends. The obituary talked about she was respected by co-workers, a hard task when most of your co-workers are teens. I was also surprised to find she was 58. I would have taken ten years off, easily. 

Odessa was a small part of my life as I was in hers. We passed, said hello, exchanged money and tickets. She smiled at my cute kids and we all moved on to whatever came next. But I could count on seeing her there. Not anymore will that happen. 

I will miss you, Odessa. God’s speed to your new life.

Karyn Bowman lives in Kankakee County with her outdoor writer husband and four children. Become friends with Karyn on Facebook or send an e-mail to momgoestothemovies@sbcglobal.net.

By Karyn Bowman

I have to admit I love some forms of talk radio. There is nothing better than listening to someone who could be your neighbor down the street who is funny and interesting. That is what I loved about Spike O’Dell before he retired from WGN last year. His interests became my interests and I found out about new and interesting people or things while listening to Spike.

Now that he is gone and other changes have occurred with favorite talk show hosts disappearing, I have been at a loss. There is much on the radio landscape I avoid, such as the opinionated screamers or the hosts who have an opinion and really do not care to hear yours despite the fact that they invite people to call in. Even sports radio gets on my last nerve as the latest game is analyzed to the nth degree in loud booming voices that hurt my ear drums.

However, there is one station that is getting more and more of my time. WKCC 91.1 on the FM dial has become a staple for our household. For years, the husband and I have wanted to listen to A Prairie Home Companion but we could not get the Chicago radio station in our house, although we got great reception in the car. It is really hard to justify hanging in your car for two hours in the heart of winter.

Then we discovered that our house radio could pick it up. Glory be!! Now we get to listen to Garrison Keillor as he tells his stories through Guy Noir, Rusty and Dusty the cowboys, ketchup commercials or the News from Lake Wobegon. We laugh, we cry, we can share it with our kids.

I am also finding myself turning it on in weekday evenings for classical music. The husband enjoys listening to the Friends of the Blues program with James Walker and D’Arcy Ballinger. Last Sunday, I woke up to Sunday Baroque and it was wonderful music to hear as I meditated on the day ahead.

Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me is another NPR staple we listen to and I find myself checking in with Marketplace. I could go on but you get the picture. You can get a wide variety of music, news from sources other than the screamers and radio shows that love to make fun of anything and everything.

To find out more about the station or to see their programming schedule, visit the Web site or tune your FM dial to 91.1 for something out of the ordinary.

Karyn Bowman is also known as Mom Goes to the Movies and wrote for The Daily Journal as their movie reviewer for over seven years. She lives in Kankakee County with her outdoor writer husband and four children.