John

I've lived in North Chicago, on and off for 60 years. I was born in Waukegan, and I went to North Chicago High School and grade schools. And ever since then I've lived off and on in North Chicago. I made my home here permanently in 1980. The townships– at one time, North Chicago was considered South Waukegan. We went to North Chicago high school. A lot of the people a few years older than me or 10 years or 20 years older than me– they went to high school in Waukegan.

You mentioned that you you had been a Certified Public Accountant.

Had been. Working part time doing income taxes and various other little accounting work. Doing that independently.

Have you ever thought about leaving? 

No, not at this point. 

I understand that you have some relatives in local politics, is that right?

That's correct. I have I have a cousin, she's an Alderman. Bonny Mayfield. I have a relative who's a state representative by the name of Rita Mayfield. She lives in Waukegan.

If someone is just learning about the community, how would you describe it? What would go into the brochure?

I would say It's a fascinating community on the North Shore, but you can have a lot of economic challenge. We need businesses here, like mostly everyplace else in America to survive. But we got we got a lot of things to offer– you can make a living here if you want to. There's a lot of boarded up homes in North Chicago now. And I think at one time it was close knit community. But now I think it's more of a community of opportunity. We have had a lot of small industries that left, the jobs have– but they're slowly coming back. You can look around the city, you will see different businesses springing up all the time. It's a it's a good working-man's town.

Was being a CPA something you always wanted to do. How did you decide on that career?

Well, I've been an accountant since I got out of college, and then then I just started working with numbers and working with different manufacturers and things. 

Was it the numbers or the finance part that you enjoyed most?

It was a job. It's still a job. Yeah. And it's just a job.

What did you aspire to? What was that thing you wanted to be?

Probably social work. 

A social worker? Why was that?

I love people– it probably that would have been that– possibly a pastor or a minister or something like that.

Very salt of the earth stuff. No astronauts or anything like that?

Nah, nothing like that. Wasn't good enough to play for the Cubs or the Bears, so– and I like to eat so you pick something that you know that is down to earth kind of kind of job that do you can just be stable enough to have an income.

What do you aspire to now? What do you hope for?

I hope to try to stay as healthy as I can to see as much life as I can. Ask God everyday to give me life and give me strength every day. And as most people– just inspired to see the next generation grow up and do well.

What do you most proud of?

Most proud of?! I would say just being able to survive. Over these years. Sometimes it's just a day-to-day basis and being happy and thanking God every day that that Almighty gave me enough time to see a lot of things come and go. In the in the whole country, not just North Chicago, see a lot of things that have inspired  me. I’ve seen a lot of people have gained success out of North Chicago. Doctors, lawyers– people that have came out of this North Chicago school system and have become very influential.

There's community pride in knowing that.

There is. Knowing it and then seeing it. 

Edited and condensed, this conversation took place in 2016.