Calvin Frogge was a pure Illinois Man of the Soil. He suffered no fools gladly, but took them to his heart with charity little found in our current cynical days. Calvin farmed. He farmed before and after flying for the U.S. Navy in WWII.
After the war Calvin had the good sense to woo one of the beautiful McCue girls and the good fortune to manage an 'OK' to his offer of marriage. Calvin and Marietta raised two very talented sons. Calvin lost his pal and bride, Marietta a few years ago and had been in poor health. I know that he nearly wore out the kneelers at St. Anne Shrine in St. Anne and also St.Mary's Beaverville.
At weddings and family gatherings, this son of French voyageurs and resident of Martinon, Illinois was last man off the dance floor and usually last man standing. Calvin was never a gabby man, but he was always a witty man and given to rustic saws like , It's colder than a mother-in-law's kiss! and rainin' harder'n a cow peein' on a flat rock!
Calvin was a sweet tempered man, who laughed with the sun rise and got out into the cornrows and got things done. He specialized in growing pop corn for Popeye PopCorn and knew how to rotate his fields for just the right yield for soybeans to confound the digital grains futures street board on the main drag of Watseka.
My prayers and sympathies to Jim and Margaret Frogge and Jim's brother Tom and grandkids, Jessica, Sarah and Nathan Frogge for the loss of this great man.
They are not growing them like Calvin anymore.
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