Hello I just want to say TY to our Veterans for their service to our Great Country My dad and Uncle served in WWII My Uncle Nicholas J Cohan is engraved in the Memorial Wall next to McDonalds --I never new him my dad was in Italy a few days before he was killed and they spent some time together--my uncle Nick gave my dad his watch and some of his personal belongings when they met up in Italy. My uncle told my father he wasnt coming back and said his good bye to my dad then I never seen my dad cry till he told me that story a few years before he died at 76
My dad never spoke of his Military Service till a few years before he died--My Hero My Dad!!!
A BIG TY TO OUR VETERANS PAST AND PRESENT
I posted this letter when I read some of the stuff going on in Nameoki politics
My dad was also in Politics I posted a tribute to my dad a few weeks ago I think I will add it to this post again in honor of my dad Here it is
My dad Joseph Cohan held the Tax Assessor job for 24 years I think he retired in the early 70”s —I know Helen Hawkens and the real Mr Bill Handfelder remembers my dad well Carl Macious won the assessors job after my dad retired from that position. I can remember going to a township meeting and the then current road commissioner Charles Hanks threatened my dad after the meeting with bodily harm I understand very well how nasty it can get. I also remember our home on Rhodes street was shot at several times I remember at least 15-20 bullet holes in our home—it happened so much the Madison police wouldn’t t even respond to the call after the first 3-4 times this happened over a period of several months The house has been sided since then but I drive by the old house today and can still see where the bullets hit our front concrete steps . My father was a full time tax Assessor he had his office in our home on Rhodes St in Madison Ill I remember well after 4:00pm when all the deputy assessors went home and he was closed for the day he was still answering the phone during tax season up until 9:00PM. I remember back them you had to go out to measure home for the assessment – my dad employed summer help a few times to get the job done to go out and measure homes with him. I did that job for two (2) weeks with him he took a some heat from Taxpayers for nepotism he let me go after two weeks because it upset the taxpayers. I can’t every imagine my dad holding two positions with the Township and for sure not employing me full time as his helper like they do now I remember also my dad being a Notary Public he never charged a fee for being a notary to anyone I remember my dad always lowering taxes for the one who came in to protest their taxes he was very mindful of the people and how hard they worked for their money. I also remember since he worked from home that was before they moved the office to where it is now on HWY 162 he always cooked lunch for the deputy assessors If I remember correctly he would cut the staff during off season and only had on deputy on staff till the tax bill would come out--- he was mindful of how he spent taxpayers money.
I remember when he retired and passed away I found many letters from Taxpayers he received expressing how much they will miss him – I remember one letter saying “Joe you were truly a good public servant you will be sadly missed” I can also remember one local business man coming to our home after he retired and said to my dad “Joe you were the only Politian that never ask me for money” and he handed my dad a $100.00 bill. Politics was nasty y then and it is even worse now I remember my dad saying many time growing up saying “boy the only thing worse that a Politian is a lawyer” My dad was not a Politian he was an honest hardworking Statesman who loved and cared for people. I love and miss my dad very much todays Politian’s should take note of my dad and how he acted during his days in politics . Nick Cohan
on May 24, 2014, 11:09 pm
A BIG TY TO OUR VETERANS PAST AND PRESENT