SPOTLIGHT: ATHLETES OF THE MONTH

TWO CONTINENTS

ONE LOVE (OR HEART)

Frank and Maureen carved their initials in a tree years ago, and the carving is still visible.

Courtesy of Frank and Maureen Speller

WRITER & PHOTO: MONA L. WARRICK

“An invisible thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, space, or circumstance. The

thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break,” — Ancient Chinese Proverb

The love story of Maureen and Frank Speller spans not only decades, but continents. Theirs is a heart-warming story of a love that would not be denied.

In 1961, Maureen Allen was a 16-year-old schoolgirl at the Chase Cross School for Girls in Collier Row, Romford Row, Essex. Maureen and Frank were both born in England, Maureen in County Durham in the Northern part of the country, and Frank in Leicester. “At school, I befriended the school’s janitor, a lovely woman named Edith,” said Maureen. “There was something so special about Edith, you were drawn to her, As our friendship grew, Edith became a second mother to me. She mentioned that I should stop by her house for tea. One day, I did.”

On that day, Frank, Edith’s eldest son, was home for lunch. Frank said,. “I heard the bell, ding-dong,

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and headed to the door. I opened the door and there she was! Fair haired, blue eyes… and I fell in love with her straight away! The sight of her hit me like a thunderbolt. It changed my life.”

Maureen’s memories are as vivid, as she recalls, “I instantly liked him. He was tall, blonde, and blue-eyed.”

Frank, who was 20, was working as an electrical engineer. He had already graduated from the all-boys school. His father ill, and Frank acted as “man of the house.” He helped his mother with household responsibilities, and helped raise his two younger brothers.

“I invited Maureen in,” said Frank, “and handed my lunch plate to my mother. I couldn’t finish my lunch. Maureen stopped me right in my tracks, love at first sight.”

Maureen began spending more and more time at the Speller home. With Frank and his two brothers, Maureen said she was “always fighting for a seat at the table.” Maureen was spending more time with the Speller family than she did with her own.

One day, as Maureen was leaving for school, Frank handed her three letters. “He asked me to mail them for him,” Maureen said. “I noticed the top letter was addressed to me! In the letter, Frank told me what a special person he thought I was and wrote that he would like to take me out. I was thrilled!” “I wrote the letter because I was desperate,” Frank said. That evening, Maureen told her parents about the letter and asked if she could go out with Frank. My parents said, “Absolutely not! They thought Frank was too old for me.” Maureen’s parents agreed, Frank was “a man of the world.”

Maureen’s parents met Frank at Christmastime in 1962. “My brother had an electric train set that was not working, so Frank came to the house to see if he could repair it,” said Maureen. “I knew they would like him once they met him, and from that point on , he was a frequent visitor. However, we were still not allowed to date!”

“The magic year,” said Frank “was 1963. Maureen was 18 and she was finally allowed to date. That was the year everything changed.” By this time, Maureen’s parents were “absolutely head over heels in love with” Frank. “They thought he was wonderful,” Maureen said. “My boy is a term of endearment, and that’s what my father called Frank.”

The couple spent as much time together as they could. They visited old ruins and old abbeys. “We would spend a lot of time in Bower Woods,” Frank said. “We would listen to the nightingales, and in the spring, the woods was rich with the heady perfume of the magnificent bluebells. It is a magical place,” the place where the couple shared their first kiss “and maybe a cuddle or two,” Frank admits.

Reunited loves Frank and Maureen Speller.

In 1963, Frank proposed to Maureen at the Priory, an old monastery in Southend on Sea. “It is such a beautiful place, with secret gardens,” said Frank. Maureen declined the proposal, but the couple continued to date. On a visit to local Bedfords Park, the couple carved their initials into a Hornbeam tree. “We carved F.S. loves M.A.,” said Frank. The tree, with their initials intact, still stands.

“In 1964, there was a lot of building going on in the area,” Maureen said. “Frank took me to a cottage he had found for us. He took me to a jewelry store to show me the ring he had picked out for me. He was ready to settle down.” Maureen, still a teenager, was not ready for marriage. “I didn’t intend to scare her off,” Frank said, “but I did.” Maureen told Frank she thought they should stop seeing one another. “I was devastated, absolutely crushed,” Frank said. “I told her I would wait for her.” The break-up, for Frank, “was a life-changing event.”

Maureen was constantly chided by her mother for the break-up. “She would not let it go!” And her father would often say, “you silly girl.” Neither parent understood why she ended her relationship with Frank. And, to

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complicate matters, for two years following the split, Frank sent Maureen beautiful bouquets of flowers every week.

At the Officer’s Club on an American Air Base, Maureen met a soldier. She married him and planned to return to the states with her new husband. “I didn’t want to leave without telling Frank and his family, so I went by their house on New Year’s Eve 1965,” Maureen said. “There was no one at home. Had there been, this might have been a different story.”.

On January 1, 1966, Maureen left England and Frank, to begin her new life in the United States.

Frank remained close to Maureen’s parents. “I made arrangements to meet her father, Roy, for a drink. I said, tell me Roy, how is Maureen? He told me they received letters from her often. Letters?” Roy broke the news of Maureen’s marriage, and move, to Frank. The news came as quite a shock to Frank. “I had no idea she had absconded. I had to drink my beer straight down.”

Frank continued to pine for Maureen, “but her marriage progressed, the children came, and that was that.”

Years passed, and In 1974, Frank married. After 10 years, his marriage ended.

When Maureen visited England, she and Frank would see one another, “but we never discussed feelings,” said Frank. “You just don’t do that.”

Frank was with Maureen’s parents daily. And, when their health began to decline, Maureen visited

Courtesy of Frank and Maureen Speller

for several weeks. “I had to return home for work,” she said. “After I’d been in Illinois for about a week, Frank called telling me I should return, so I did.”

Now divorced, Maureen began to rekindle her relationship with Frank.

The health of Maureen’s father, Roy, was in decline. Roy asked the couple to take him to the Hornbeam tree where they had carved their initials decades earlier. Unfortunately, Roy died the day before the couple planned to take him to the tree.

“The day my father died,” Maureen said, “he told me he wanted to see his boy. Frank came. My dad was struggling and he was worried about me because I was on my own. My dad was lying in bed, eyes closed. I told him not to worry because Frank was going to take care of me. My dad opened his eyes, took one breath, and he was gone. Dad got what he had wanted all along.”

Soon, Edith’s health began to decline and Maureen became her caretaker. In 2004, exactly one year to the day of Maureen’s father’s death, Edith died. Maureen’s mother died in 2005.

Frank proposed to Maureen, a second time, at the Priory, the site of the first proposal in 1963. This time, Maureen said, “Yes!”

“We picked right back up,” said Frank. The only difference, all these decades later, “Maureen had two children, grandchildren, and a dog.”

Granddaughter, Morgan, who was 12 at the time, called and asked to speak to Frank. She asked, “What are your intentions with my Nana?” Frank told Morgan, “I intend to marry her.”

When Morgan and her sister, McKenzie, visited England in the summer of 2004, they insisted Frank propose in front of them. He did. Little did Frank know, there was one more proposal to come. Maureen’s dearest friends, from the States, visited anxious to witness the proposal.

Maureen and Frank were married on June 3, 2005 in St. Mary’s Church, a 900-year-old church in the quaint fishing village of Burnham on Crouch. Morgan was the maid of honor, McKenzie the bridesmaid.

Maureen’s children grown, the couple decided to stay in England. “However, I was lonely for my family and my friends,” Maureen said. “Frank knew that and told me he’d never seen me as happy as I was when my friends were visiting.” That was all it took. They moved to Carmi in October of 2006.

The Spellers, who still act like newlyweds, stay busy with their family. Maureen’s children, Karen Shorb and Mark Allen live in Carmi. They also relish time spent with their three granddaughters and their great-grandchildren.

Until recently, Maureen didn’t know Frank had kept souvenirs from their past. He still has a Brownie box camera with which he took pictures during their courtship, and “he even kept an old perfume bottle of mine,” said Maureen.

“Ah, yes,” said Frank, “Here is my Heart, a most wonderful scent.”

MONA TAYLOR WARRICK, a native of Grayville, lives in Carmi with her husband and two furkids. Warrick, a retired educator, still enjoys subbing in the Carmi-White County Schools. An avid photographer, Warrick is rarely seen without her Nikon in hand. Her passions include spending time with her family, rescuing animals, traveling, working crossword puzzles (in ink), reading, writing, working on presentations for her church, watching Jeopardy, and spending time outdoors… in the summer, that is! Warrick is obsessed with her eight-year-old nephew and has taken thousands of pictures of him. When he was two he learned to say “no more paparazzi!” Interesting fact, Warrick has been vegetarian since April of 2018, and recently began practicing veganism.

MOUNT CARMEL COMMUNITY

TAGGED FISH CHALLENGE AT BEALL WOODS Beall Woods State Park is hosting its first-ever Tagged Fish Challenge. Forty-five tags are distributed among different species of fish in the park’s lake including largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, redear, and channel catfish. The fishing frenzy has begun with only two of the tagged fish being caught. There is still plenty of time for anglers to try and catch the fish. The challenge will continue until Aug. 31.

Anglers of all ages are encouraged to wet a line. Residents of Illinois must have a valid Sport Fishing License, with the exception of persons declared legally disabled or blind, under the age of 16, and a person on leave from active duty in the armed forces. Non-resident sport fishermen must purchase an Illinois Sport Fishing License before participating in the contest, unless under the age of 16.

All tagged fish must be caught in accordance with all state and local laws, codes, rules and regulations. Illinois Department of Natural Resources fishing regulations can be found at HYPERLINK “https://www.ifishillinois.org/”https://www. ifishillinois.org. Site specific size and creel limit can be found in the kiosk by the park’s boat dock. If an angler doesn’t comply with regulations, Beall Woods State Park staff and sponsors will have no obligation to award any prize to that angler. He or she will be disqualified.

Fish must be caught on a rod and reel. Angler should take a photo of themselves with the fish (tag needs to be visible in the picture). The top of the tag can be removed from the fish (cut and leave the bottom portion in the fish). Angler will need to contact the park’s Visitor Center 618-298-2441 to inform the Interpreter that a tagged fish has been caught and schedule a time to meet with the sponsor to receive their prize. Any tagged fish caught after Aug. 31st, 2020 will not be eligible for a prize. One individual is only allowed to catch two prize specific tagged fish. There is no limit to the number of generic tags an angler can catch for the grand prize. Anglers catching tags for the grand prize will be contacted at the beginning of Sept. 2020 to meet at the park for the drawing.

Twenty-five of the tags correspond with specific prizes donated by the following sponsors: Kenny Saxe – State Farm ($100), The Smile Center ($100), Nobbe – Albion ($100), Citizens National Bank ($100), Ingram Meredith Funeral Home ($100), Edwards County Concrete ($100 gift certificate), Zachry Industrial Inc. ($100), Wabash Valley Bass Club ($100), CTB Repair ($65 value – oil change and tire rotation), Hanging Rock Bass Club ($50), Wabash Valley Association (sponsored two $50 gift card fish), Kids Outdoor Zone – Little Prairie Christian Church (sponsored two $50 fish), Kids Outdoor Zone – Little Prairie Christian Church (sponsored four $25 fish), Brian Mewes – Edward Jones (Product Package), Gottman’s Jewelry ($25 gift certificate), Casey’s General Store (sponsored two $25 gift card fish), Darrin’s Collision (sponsored two $25 fish), and JUSTINERTAINMENT ($25).

The remaining 20 tags are not prize specific. Anglers catching generic tags 1514-1534 will be entered to win a grand prize. The grand prize consists of a guided fishing trip at Rend Lake with BONEYARD Fishing and a gift card from the First Baptist Church of Mt. Carmel! The guided trip is sponsored by the Illinois Conservation Foundation.

MOUNT CARMEL CEO TO HOST TASTE OF THE TRI-STATE Mount Carmel CEO program hosts a food tasting event, called Taste Of The Tri-State, at which food and drink vendors from around the area provide a sampling of their goods for the public to taste and experience. The event, scheduled for Feb. 1 at the Eagles in Mount Carmel, will also have entertainment and activities for people of all ages to enjoy.

DISTRICT 109 CANDIDATE FORUM IN MOUNT CARMEL Candidates running for Illinois’ Legislative District 109 appear in a series of public candidate forums sponsored by the nine

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EVENTS

GET ON THE CALENDAR Share your community events with 618 Hometown Magazine readers by contacting us on Facebook or emailing news@mtcarmelregister.com

* Event listings are on a first-come, first-served basis

county Farm Bureaus in District 109 as well as Frontier Community College, Olney Central College, and Wabash Valley College.

The Mount Carmel forum is Feb. 6 at Wabash Valley College, Brubeck Arts Center Theatre.

Participating are candidates Andy Hires (R), Cory Musgrave (R), Adam Niemerg (R), and John Spencer (D). The forum begins at 7 p.m. and concludes at 9 p.m. It is free and open to the public.

Questions will be chosen by county Farm Bureau leadership. Candidates will not receive questions in advance of the forum.

For additional information about the District 109 Candidate Forum, contact Wabash County Farm Bureau.

SELF DEFENSE CLASSES FOR WOMEN Self Defense classes for women only. All ages welcome! Young ladies under 16 have to have a parent consent and are encouraged to come with an adult.

Classes are three 3-hour sessions that include information to increase awareness and learn techniques to decrease opportunities for an attack along with hands on demonstrations and practice with a certified instructor for R.A.D. Systems.

Classes are Feb 10, 17th, and 24th from 6-9 p.m. Cost is $25 per person which includes a student manual. Classes will be held at the Community Church of God in Mount Carmel.

WVC Foundation Hosting Crystal Ball February 15 Wabash Valley College Foundation Crystal Ball is Saturday, Feb. 15 in the Eagles Banquet Hall. Social hour will begin at 6 p.m., followed by dinner. This annual fundraiser by the Foundation to assist Wabash Valley College offers an evening of dining, decorations, and music. Through the annual Crystal Ball, the foundation has raised over $300,000 with to help with WVC projects through the years. The foundation’s contributions to the capital development of the college include: Purchase of the site for the WVC Campus, Applied Arts Building, Student Center, Bookstore, Physical Plant, Indoor Pool, Tennis Courts, Valley Gardens Dorms, International Building, Parking Lots, Building Improvements, Athletic Fields, Vehicles, Library Security System, Fitness Center, Electronic Marquee, Scholarship Program, Administration/Foundation Building, Amphitheatre, and many ongoing projects.

ASWEARE PERFORMING IN MOUNT CARMEL AsWeAre has become known nationally for its message of hope and unity. Forming in early 2012, (AWA) has been active in the music industry nationally and internationally. From DIY tours, to big ticket festivals, AWA has kept a consistent tour schedule. The band’s feet on the ground approach, has gained them recognition world wide, and has helped them brand their own style and sound.

AsWeAre’s 2016 release, The Change, charted in the top 30 on the Christian Rock charts. In 2017, the band was listed, in several publications as one of the top bands to get to know in 2017.

AsWeAre will perform at the Little Egypt Arts Center at 500 N. Market St. in Mount Carmel on Friday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m.

FMH Mobile Digital Mammography in Grayville Feb. 29 Fairfield Memorial Hospital’s digital mammography truck stops at Horizon Healthcare Grayville Clinic for a mobile mammography event Saturday, Feb. 29, with appointments starting at 8 a.m. at the Horizon Healthcare Grayville Clinic, 319 W. Commerce Street, Grayville. To schedule a mammogram for the event, call Fairfield Memorial Hospital Diagnostic Imaging Department at 618-847-8249.

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ATHLETES of the month spotlight

EDWARDS COUNTY SELECTION: SENIOR CAMDEN COWGER Camden has started in football, basketball and baseball since his sophomore year. As a junior, he was elected All-Conference in baseball, and this season he was elected All-Conference in football as a wide receiver. After high school, he will attend Olney Central College to play baseball. He is the son of David and Tiffany Cowger of West Salem.

MOUNT CARMEL SELECTION: SENIOR ADEN GILL Aden Gill is a three sport athlete at Mt. Carmel High School who has lettered in football, basketball, and baseball. Aden is a leader in the school and a top student in his class with a nearly perfect GPA. Aden was chosen as a captain on the football team and also was awarded the Golden Helmet Award. Aden is a leader in all the of the sports in which he participates as well as clubs and organizations at MCHS; including National Honor Society and Youth Advisory Board. Upon graduation Aden plans to go on to college to pursue a career in the medical field.

SUBMIT YOUR STUDENT ATHLETE Each month we ask athletic directors of the high schools in Wabash, Edwards and White Counties to nominate one athlete to spotlight in our edition. Coaches and athletic directors can nominate athletes from any sports. Send nominations, photo and a brief bio to Evan Merrill via message to 618 Hometown Magazine’s Facebook page or email:

emerrill@mtcarmel register.com

* Compiled by Evan Merrill