Each town, city, and small village, as well as larger municipalities, numbering over a thousand, in our state, are the birthplaces or homes of a proud but slowly dwindling number of a generation known as the Baby Boomers of WWII. They became the beneficiaries of the freedom provided by another generation before them, known as The Greatest. The price was very high, too high, but out of that terrible experience came an American resolve and statement to the rest of the world that said: Yes, we are still here and standing tall. 

Many Americans then knew what was of real importance—family, faith, God, and country. And in that period, a lot of young Boomers were exposed to heavier doses of morality, values, principles, and a stronger appreciation for the ground we would die for and for those common, average, ordinary, working men and women who paid the price. 

As he reckons, he was born in the front door opening of their house on Benedict Street in North Chillicothe on October 15, 1942 to Charles and Ella Adams—they named him Albert Dean. His dad was a conductor on the Santa Fe RR for 44 years and his mom worked part-time as a cleaning lady at Mottler’s Motel. Albert would have over the years, three brothers— Charles, Ronnie, and Ricky, and three sisters Harriet, Phyllis, and Jeanette, at different times, all living in a small 3-room house, and later included a dog named Smokey Joe. 

Al was an average student at Pearce Grade School and lettered in basketball. He played baseball as a Grey Ghost with a better-than-average fastball and curve and graduated in 1960 from Chillicothe Township High School. In those early days of the 50s, he fished a lot with his good friend, mentor, and neighbor, Howard Morgan. In 1963, he worked for the city under Art Jackson and on the Auxiliary Police, and later as a deck hand on a tow boat with his brother-in-law, Captain Jack Moore, on the Illinois River. In 1966, Uncle Sam said: Boy, here I am, and Al would spend a tour in Germany, then Vietnam at Bien Hoa in the US Army with a Hawk Missile Radar outfit as a crewman holding the rank of E-4 Specialist. 

After being honorably discharged in 1968 at Oakland California, he returned to Chillicothe where on December 14th at The La Prairie Methodist Church he married a cute little waitress, named Anita Arlene Miller, which has lasted nearly 57 years producing their daughter Nancy Lynn and grand daughter Allee, who is the owner of his 83 year old heart. He hired in at the Mossville Caterpillar Tractor plant in 1969 and after 30 years he retired. 

In 1964, some concerned city fathers decided it was time to do something in regards to the creation of a volunteer hometown emergency ambulance service for Chillicothe, free to the public. With some good old fashion ingenuity and spirited grit they gradually overcame their obstacles and road blocks and put a satisfactory transport service into motion and for the next 47 years with fund raisers, donations, sponsors, bake sales, and many other unpaid volunteer’s actions they provided the best free and professional medical transport in Illinois. It should go without saying that each individual involved in that unselfish group is a bona fide Hometown Hero. 

In 1994, Albert volunteered to be on call as much as he could to transport patients to the hospitals, night or day and in all weather conditions for our Rescue Squad and for the next 18 years he did so along with many other drivers like: Dave Wiley, Charlie Will, Mike Heneger, Rudy Rudolphi, Ron Hedden and the list goes on and on with most of them, at that time, being of EMT status or higher and it mattered not to them if you were independently wealthy or living off your last paycheck. This was a good fit for boomers like Albert, who always loved his small town’s atmosphere and people who helped others. Whatever event or special function that needed extra help to set up, he could usually be counted on. Whether flipping flap jacks, turning pork chops, erecting food tents at Claude-Ellen Days or delivering thousands of donuts all over Chillicothe and surrounding areas he felt proud of being a part of it and being able to give back to his hometown, however he could, like coaching two Little League teams of 8 and 9 year olds to two first place Championships. 

Being raised in a large family by strong parents with many mouths to feed and chores to be done, sharing, sacrifice with compassion and love were expected in Albert’s early home family life, which probably drew him to our town’s growing health care transport service and a much larger family of like members where he felt needed. Quote: “It is only in the heart that one can see rightly, what is essentially invisible to the eye.” “The Little Prince”. 

In his 18 years of service behind the wheel, there’s no telling how many lives he has affected with positive outcomes providing safe and expedient deliveries to Peoria hospitals. None cast a taller shadow than those who willingly volunteer their time and labor freely in the service of friends or strangers in times of need and emergency. If you have trouble understanding that axiom, just ask a boomer or one of the Greatest, who just might tell you that happiness does not result from what we get, but from what we give. Quote: “ Ben Carson”. 

Those were the days of a great love affair with our town’s mobile caregivers, and the feeling was quite mutual. There have been and always will be Hometown heroes in Chillicothe of different walks, occupations, and statures, and now Albert Dean Adams joins those ranks. Thank you for all your contributions to the town you always called home.