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1922 - 2013

BORN

1922

DIED

2013

About

Oak Park And River Forest High School University of Chicago

Donald Rehkopf Obituary

Donald Caspar Rehkopf, born 18 October, 1922, in Petoskey, Mich. Died Feb. 20, 2013 in Ellensburg, Wash. Beloved husband of JoAnn Green Rehkopf; son of Caspar Henderson and Catherine Louise (Densmore) Rehkopf; loving father of Tacey Louise Rehkopf-all of whom predeceased him. He is survived by daughters Jill Christy (Dean) Smith of Gaston, Ore., and Carrie Beth (John) Michel of Ellensburg, Wash.; grandchildren Soren and Tacey Smith, Alec, Marcus and Luke Michel. Don grew up in Berwyn, Ill. He served in the Army Amphibian Engineers in the South Pacific during World War II. He received a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from M.I.T. in 1948 and worked for the Cook County Highway Department before getting a master's degree in English literature in 1954 from the University of Chicago. He taught English for more than 30 years at Oak Park River Forest High School. He and JoAnn met in the oboe section of the Oak Park Civic Symphony and married in 1953, settling in Elmwood Park, Ill. Don broke his hip last October while visiting his daughters and never fully recovered. He loved Wordsworth, Keats and Thomas Traherne, and called himself an "adherer to the high promise of Christian religious faith." A memorial service is being planned for August.

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Published by Chicago Tribune on Mar. 25, 2013.

Memories and Condolences
for Donald Rehkopf

15 Entries

Dustin Felix

August 12, 2013

Mr. Rehkopf was a kind, patient and infinitely wise teacher who gave me a glimpse into our place in this amazing universe. He was the teacher who had the most important and longest lasting impact on my life.

August 6, 2013

I loved getting letters from my Uncle Don - and I remember that he taught us a great way to eat popcorn!
love to all, Wendy (Rehkopf) Godowitz

paul rogers

June 2, 2013

My prayers are for him and his family, great person!

Laura Voigt

April 7, 2013

Hi Carrie and Jill,
I'm sorry to hear of the passing of your dad. I saw him sometime within the last year (maybe it was at FullerFest?), and he remembered me and was lovely to talk to. Condolences to you and your family. Laura Voigt

Elizabeth Tardy Holloway

April 6, 2013

I had Mr. Rehkopf for English my junior year at OPRF and I was also a member of his church, First Baptist. I remember he made us recite (and maybe memorize?) the preamble of Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales in the original Middle English. He was able to say it so beautifully, but the rest of us sounded pretty awful. I remember him as a kind and gentle man and one of my favorite teachers. My sympathies to Carrie and all of his family.

Mary Margaret Sinnema

April 2, 2013

I was in his class my freshman and senior years - loved every minute. I learned so much and enjoyed his enthusiasm, warmth and intelligence. He is who I think of when my children speak of their favorite teachers. I can still see his smile as we struggled with poetry memorization. My sympathy to Carrie and the rest of your family. I know he'll be missed!

April 1, 2013

I had such a wonderful time in Mr Rehkopf's class. He was one teacher that I simply adored - and I could never wait for my next class with him. He once told us that his last name meant "deerhead", so for several weeks that is what we called him - Mr Deerhead! Rest in peace, Mr Rehkopf.

Jill Rehkopf Smith

March 31, 2013

Thank you, all--It's wonderful to hear your stories and memories of my dad. As a father, he was a "new age" dad long before the new age actually arrived.

Lynn Veremis Karavitis

March 30, 2013

I had Mr. Rehkopf freshman year and remember him well. I so enjoyed his class. My sympathy to all the family.

March 29, 2013

Mr. Rehkopf wrote me the most encouraging letter when I was a freshman at OPRF and performed my first role in the play Tartuffe. He genuinely loved his students and cared about them as people. He was a great listener and he made teens feel valued. I never heard him say a negative or discouraging word. What a blessing to have known him. Angela DeWeese Phelan

OPRFHS Alumni Association

March 27, 2013

from OPRFHS Alumni facebook pages:
•Areta Drew …prayers to his family.
•Andie Hoffman Rathbone …RIP. I remember him well
•Bill Herhold …I too, remember him well. I never had his class however, he was one of those teachers who had a reputation for doing a great job of teaching his subject. After reading the obit, I have renewed respect for all his education and accomplishments. We have lost another great citizen of the Greatest Generation!
•John Brooks RIP....He was a great English teacher and a member of First Baptist Church in Oak Park. He was a good man!!! My condolences to the family.
•Jane Diokas… He made Ivanhoe come to life! (Not literally).
•Jo-Anne LaBuda Ozymandias…- Percy Blythe Shelly - RIP Mr. Rehkopf.
•Patty Preston Olejnik …My sister played ball with Mr. Rehkopf while I took violin lessons from Mrs. Rehkopf. I believe she also had him for English. His smile and quick wit will be missed!
•Chuck Ferrara …Mr. Rehkopf was my A-period teacher during his last year at OPRF, which was 1989-1990. Nice guy. At the end of the school year, he gave me a stack of back issues of the Trapeze dating back to 1971. I still have them.
•Anne Kroeger Endres …He was my English teacher Freshman year at OPRF. I don't remember much about hs but remember his class vividly and what we studied. Can't say that I always liked what we studied but he sure made it interesting with his humor.
•Christina Dardick …The Rehkopfs were wonderful people. From Joann giving me the crash course in playing oboe the Summer of '78 to Don giving me my first summer job in '79. My husband's favorite teacher who was instrumental in encouraging a career in writing. Class act all the way....We were fortunate to share our wedding day with them as our guests. Both of them made this a better world to be a part of....
•Dorothy Kingman Freitag …Why is it we never find out how truly amazing people are until we read their obituary? Mr Rehkopf was a wonderful English teacher.

Jane Affleck-Morocco

March 26, 2013

In The 1970's I had Mr. Rehkopf for English. He would turn the chairs around so we could look out the window during class. I would return during my lunch period to discuss philosophy with him, especially some of the great mystics. Such a wonderful man & my favorite teacher at Oak Park.

Peter Karahalios, Atty. at Law

March 25, 2013

Don was my sophomore English teacher; we became friends and he was kind enough to give me autographed copy of his book "Portraits in Words". He told me of his battles with the school board over his beliefs. He had the courage of his convictions. He will be missed.
Peter Karahalios
847.304.9595

Susan Hupac Ritzert

March 25, 2013

I remember him as a truly kind and gentle man who I had for my homeroom teacher in 1958-1959. A special man because he made it a little less frightening my freshman year having come from a parochial school and not knowing anyone. I wasn't fortunate enough to have him as an English teacher but will always remember his kindness. May he rest in peace.

Sharon

March 25, 2013

Remembering the days after school in your classroom learning far more about thinking than in the classes! You started me on my journey of curiosity, and I thank you and will always remember you with fondness.

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