09/29/2026
A little history from our WCA meeting today! Submitted by our historian, Doris. I always love hearing the history she shares with us, so we thought we’d share it with you too!
Clarence Richard (Dick) Propes was born on September 29, 1929, in Granite City, IL, to
Clarence H. and Luella (Randall) Propes. He graduated from Granite City High School and
then earned an associate's degree from Southwest Baptist College in Bolivar, MO.
At age 22, he was drafted into the Army during the Korean War. He went to basic training at
Fort Leonard Wood, MO. He was a supply specialist with the 74th Engineers. That
command’s duty involved keeping the flow of heavy equipment moving to the United
States troops' front lines. They provided soldiers with bulldozers and trucks.
After the war, he continued his education at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.
He majored in Education. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from SIU-C
in 1955. There he met his wife, Margery Parker, who also majored in education.
They married the following year in 1956 in Johnston City, IL. They had 1 daughter named
Karen.
Dick was a lifelong educator who began his teaching career in the Roxana School District.
He came to the Alton School District as principal in several buildings. More fondly, he
was my principal from grades first through sixth at McKinley-Delmar Elementary Schools.
He was a stellar volunteer. At Alton Memorial Hospital, he had 6,000 service hours over
thirty-two years up until his death. He was involved in many community organizations, like
Boy Scouts, Alton Head Start, Madison County Arts Council, Alton Area Education Credit
Union, LCCC Foundation Board and Scholarship Committee, Phi Beta Kappa, Godfrey
Lions Club, Alton History Tour Guide, an active member of Main Street United Methodist
Church, and an usher at the Fox Theatre. I assure you this short list does not do him justice
because the list goes on and on. He also received many awards and many honors. In
2011, one of his most memorable honors was his Lincoln Honor Flight to Washington, D.C.
His daughter Karen traveled with him. He was privileged to sit next to a 92-year-old WWII
veteran who was admittedly on his very first flight.
After 32 years of volunteer service at Alton Memorial Hospital (serving some of those
years on the White Cross Auxiliary Board), he was faithful to the end. Mr. Propes wrote an
excerpt titled “My Personal Walk with Christ” in 2011, in which he stated in the last
sentence, “God has blessed me through all of my walks of life and I feel assured that He will
be at my side when I take my final walk.”
I firmly believe that because Mr. Propes - as I always called him – showed up to volunteer
his Monday afternoon shifts faithfully, even having to use 2 canes to assist in his walking.
Mr. Propes passed away on February 12, 2024, at Alton Memorial Hospital.
Happy Birthday tomorrow !!!!!!!
