Over six decades ago, a small boy cut his finger to the bone with an old pocket knife. Fearing the pain of stitches, he hid the wound from everyone—even his mom—but when blood dripped from his catcher’s mitt one day in 1956, the jig was up. The wound healed, but for most of his life, an ugly scar remained until one day, close to his twilight years, he noticed there was no sign it had ever been there. He also became aware that other scars in his life, both physical and emotional, were gone, and with a feeling of peace and contentment, he smiled.

On the 25th day of August in 1965, at Methodist Hospital in Peoria, Richard and Peggy Connelly Fislar welcomed their son Brian into the world. He attended kindergarten and classes at South School, Pearce, and Chillicothe Jr. High, graduating from IVC in 1983.

During these years, his appetite for sports was insatiable. While he may not have been a top student, he was a sharp and driven individual who thrived in athletics. He competed in baseball, basketball, football, and golf, but it was on the diamond and the fairway where he truly excelled. His competitive nature was shaped by a cavalcade of notable coaches, including Ralph Nibbelin, Roger Tramel, Tom Snyder, Marty Ogburn, Paul Mercer, and JFL coaches Larry Kluge and Ron Fisher.

He grew up revering the St. Louis Cardinals, idolizing legendary players like Lou Brock and Bob Gibson. While he remains a dedicated member of Cardinal Nation, he also holds strong loyalties to the Chicago Bears, the Bulls, and the greatest of all time, Michael Jordan.

At the request of the incomparable Mary Ellen Harrison, he joined the junior high and high school chorus, participating in musicals like Oklahoma and Li’l Abner. He even took on the lead role of Georg Von Trapp in The Sound of Music. Wholly cow!

With his fervent drive to achieve, he once voiced an opposing opinion in frustration during a scrimmage game, prompting his basketball coach to say, “You’re skating on thin ice.” From that moment on, his teammates dubbed him “The Iceman.” He was later elected Senior Class President for the Class of 1983, a role that allowed him to proudly represent and lead his peers during such a memorable time.

Brian will always carry the memories of his closest friends—Wes Koch, David Buckman, Rob Johnson, and Kevin Espinosa, to name a few—where youth was about forging lasting friendships, learning to accept responsibility for mistakes, failures, and successes, and blending their unique talents with knowledge to contribute to society. Each day was a step toward growth, striving to become productive members of the world while hoping to be forgiven for their trespasses.

In his early years of employment, Brian shared a paper route for The Peoria Journal Star with fellow 6th grader Joby Sarver. His first real job during high school was delivering pizzas at Primo Pizza, followed by stints at McDonald’s, Baskin-Robbins, and Wendy’s, until he hung up his apron in 1986.

From 1984 to 1994, softball was his passion at Shore Acres Park and County Line, where he played alongside buddies Steve Mercer, Jeff Tolly, Brian Cline, and the Kinnary boys.

Brian began his career in the chemical industry in 1991 in Peoria before relocating to Channahon, IL, in May of 1997, where he continued what would become a 30-plus-year journey in chemical distribution. Over the next several years, he gained experience across many facets of the chemical industry, including operations, sales, and procurement/supply chain management.

In 2010, he relocated to Dallas, Texas, where he continued his trade in the industry, currently working from his home office for a small, family-owned chemical company.

In 1998, while in Tampa, Brian met Kristen, who had three boys—Timothy, Matthew, and Mark. Brian had a 4-year-old son, Bryce, and he and Kristen quickly realized they were meant to be together. On July 2, 1999, they married, and in the blink of an eye, he became a father of four boys. They have been happily together for 25 years. After three and a half years, they felt something was missing, leading them to adopt a little girl, Grace Valentina, from Ukraine. 

As Brian has matured, he has come to believe that everything happens for a reason and that God won’t give you more than you can handle.

In December 2024, Brian and Kristen welcomed their first grandson, a special moment for their family. Just 33 days later, their joy doubled as they were blessed with their first granddaughter.

In May of 2024, Brian made the decision to move his mother, Peggy Pierson, to Texas to live near him. Prioritizing her care and well-being was the most important thing, even if it meant saying goodbye to a chapter of their lives in Chillicothe, where she had been a lifelong resident and a beloved friend and neighbor for decades.

Three years ago, a good friend, Will Smith, told Brian about a new monthly town paper that was looking for volunteer writers to contribute true local human-interest stories and specifically recreate documented historical pieces. Intrigued and highly stimulated by the possibility of pursuing something he had always wanted to try—writing—he was drawn in like a magnet to a steel anchor and became one of many capable staff writers at The Chillicothe Hometown Voice.

Looking back now, Brian says, “It’s a decision I’m so glad I made.” (And, So are we.)

Brian’s first article covered the 1972 Pearce Mustangs State Championship team. Since then, he has written 40 articles, including the Timeline Series on the history of Chillicothe. What started as a leap into the unknown has allowed him to share his passion for history and help connect others to the stories that make the town so special.

In December 2022, he started a Facebook group called Chillicothe – Our Town, which quickly grew to over 4,000 members. The group has become a thriving community where he shares historical tidbits and connects with others who love the town as much as he does.

Chillicothe has a rich, bountiful, and endearing history that spans commerce, agriculture, politics, sports, and religion. Like in other small towns, it is the people and their stories that make it all work. History is who we are, where we came from, and what helps guide us to where we’re going.

Brian says that growing up in Chillicothe was filled with so many perfect days that he realized it wasn’t just the backdrop of his childhood—it was the heart of it.

We are indeed fortunate to have a writer of Brian’s talent and caliber preserving these memories. There have been, and always will be, heroes in Chillicothe from all walks of life. Now, Brian L. Fislar joins those ranks.