Patrice
I was born and raised here in North Chicago. I went to North Elementary here in North Chicago up until third grade. Then I went to Catholic grade school in Waukegan and high school in Mundelein.
My dad, who died a couple years ago, was the first Black police academy-trained officer in the county. He became the first Black sergeant, lieutenant, and first Black Chief of Police in North Chicago. Ernest Fisher. When dad retired from the police, he became an alderman.
My mom Betty Fisher was active in the community, and she’s known for her cooking. Everybody loved her peach cobbler. She was born and raised here. She was very social. Very involved in her church. If anything was going on at church, she baked. She was involved with so many different organizations. Whenever they had anything, and it didn’t have to be anything special, she’d fix something. Wednesday is meeting night, and so Mama’s gonna bring cobbler. Mama’s gonna bring cookies.
After graduating from Carmel High School, I went to Lincoln College in Lincoln, Illinois, right next to Springfield. I went there, I came back, and then I moved to Michigan and stayed with my aunt. I ended up working at General Motors in their traffic office. Logistics. That’s where I met my ex-husband. We moved to Atlanta and I was there for a while.
One of the main reasons I came back to North Chicago is because my eyesight was getting bad. I needed to be with family. My plan was to stay here for a couple years and go back to Atlanta. I enjoyed that city. I had some surgeries and my sight got a little better then got worse. Then my dad started getting sick…so I’ve been here…but you know, this has always been home. Now, do I want to live out my days here? That, I’m not quite sure of. I guess a part of me is wanting to see North Chicago do better...
When I was younger, North Chicago was more active. Family friendly. More social activities going on. There’s more problems now, and it’s not as homey. Times change and we have to change with them. I think it’s still a good place to live and grow up, but I’d like to see it feel safer and have more activities to do.
You returned to North Chicago to get a handle on your own health, and it sounds like you feel the same way about the city; that you want to see it in a better place before moving on.
There’s division here, so it’s hard to know where to start. The older ones who are in charge aren’t allowing the younger ones who are coming up to take over. It discourages the younger ones, who are very adamant about doing something. Changing, improving the city that they live in. And it’s a good thing that some of these kids go off to college, get their degrees and they may start working elsewhere– but they come home and whatever they’ve learned– they want to implement it here, into their own town. I think it’s going to take a long time.
There’s things I see that are wrong. I would like to help correct them, but it can be a challenge. I’m the kind of person that if I’m going to be involved, I’m going to work at it. But I don’t like the politics of things. I pull back if there’s too much junk going on. And because of my disability, I can’t get around like I want to.
What do you see for North Chicago’s future, or for yourself?
Each generation has their own “thing,” but I want that we can all come together like we used to. More unity.
My mother was very, very outgoing and because of her, everybody thinks I’m outgoing. I was a shy child and I’m still shy. She didn’t mind getting up in front of people, getting involved with stuff. I’m the helper. I’ll do whatever you need done if I’m able to do it, or I’ll try to figure out how to do it. That’s where I shine, where I’m comfortable. By helping. The little things that nobody wants to do. Right now, I’m taking everything one day at a time. I do want to get involved, I’m just not sure where or how.
What’s your fondest North Chicago memory?
It would have to be in high school. Going to the basketball games.
My mom’s brother’s name was Bob Armstead. He was big in sports in high school. Graduated in ’59. He played baseball, basketball, and football. He broke records in all of them. When you’d come into the gymnasium, they had pictures of the top athletes from each of the sports. His was the very first when you walked in. Going there, knowing that my family has a history and looking up, and there’s my uncle right there.
I went to Catholic grade school and high school and in each of them there may have been five Blacks. Going to those games, being around Blacks and Black culture, I enjoyed that. Parents, teachers, and everyone– they were all there, supporting.
This conversation has been edited and condensed.