Batavia man still going strong at 92

If he isn't the oldest Batavia resident who has never lived in any other town, 92-year-old Charlie Kline should at least be able to lay claim to this: He likely is the only Batavian alive today who can say that Col. George Fabyan shooed him off the Fabyan Villa property when he was fishing along the Fox River.

That happened around 1928 when Kline was 10 years old, and it is one of many memories he still fondly recalls.

In past columns, I have sought the oldest, continuous living resident in Geneva, St. Charles and Campton Township, and my most recent search in Batavia led to Kline. Most Batavians have agreed that Charlie Kline can likely lay claim to that distinction.

Because his mother died when he was only 9, his grandmother raised Kline in the house he was born in at 212 Park St.

He has a humorous memory of walking to Batavia High School (then located at the corner of Batavia Avenue and Wilson Street, where the library is now) with Don Schielke, the father of Mayor Jeff Schielke.

“Don's hair was always wet when we left for school, and one time it was below zero weather and his head was all ice by the time we got to the high school,” said Kline, who graduated in 1936.

Kline was “too light” for the football team in high school, and decided he “didn't want to be the tackling dummy for the team,” but in 1943 he was drafted into the Navy and worked as an electrician at Pearl Harbor.

A few years before the war broke, Bernice Kline's sisters introduced Charlie to the woman who would become his future wife.

“All of my sisters' boyfriends had Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and I wanted to meet someone who could give me a motorcycle ride,” said 87-year-old Bernice Kline. “Charlie had a Harley and he took me on that ride on April 26, 1938, and I am proud to say that on May 31st of this year, it will be our 70th wedding anniversary, and in April it will be 73 years since we met.”

Kline worked at the Batavia Dairy and the Challenge Co. as a journeyman molder, but is most proud of being a volunteer fireman in Batavia for 27 years — and the fact that he was one of four generations of Klines on the fire department.

Bernice said her husband has a goal of reaching 100 years old.

“He should be able to do it,” Bernice said. “He's in pretty good health, but he did have a quadruple bypass in 1999, mainly because he used to drink 100 percent fat dairy cream when he worked at Batavia Dairy.

“Nobody knew back then that it wasn't good for you, and he just clogged up his arteries.”

For now, the Klines continue to enjoy life at their home on Hamlet Street, where they have been since 1949, by staying in touch with their three adult children and grandkids.

“Charlie is very proud of his town, and has many happy memories of Batavia and the Fox River area,” Bernice said. “We've had many blessings.”

Royal flush for Cougars

So how many Major League baseball teams have the Kane County Cougars been affiliated with since introducing Class A minor-league baseball to region in 1991?

When the Cougars brass introduces the key figures in the Kansas City Royals organization at a “Meet the Royals” party at 6 p.m. Feb. 4 at Elfstrom Stadium, it will mark their fourth ballclub.

They started with the Orioles, and moved on to the Marlins and Athletics before signing a two-year deal with the Royals.

Sears patrons lament

OK, let's see how many things from Sears we have in our house. There's a freezer, a TV, a treadmill, a washer and dryer, plenty of clothes and, most importantly, my winter boots. Plus I just had an oil change for my car at a very reasonable price at Sears. Needless to say, we're not too happy about Sears leaving the Charlestowne Mall in St. Charles because of haggling over a lease agreement. Unless the city and mall management can convince Sears officials otherwise, it's “so long” to one of the mall's key anchors.

If only that former Montgomery Ward site on Randall Road now occupied by county offices was available.

Serious about craft

It is not impossible to become recognized in the entertainment world at a young age. Look at the successful early film career of 11-year-old Ethan Cutkosky of St. Charles as an example.

Teens who are serious about pursuing theater professionally will get a significant boost when the Fox Valley Rep Performing Arts Academy offers a six-week Master Class, starting Feb. 1 at Pheasant Run Resort.

The academy, formerly known as Noble Fool Theatricals Academy, has provided some incredible professional talent to guide youngsters who have a knack for acting, dancing and singing — all the disciplines that make theater what it is.

Professional headshots and resumes have to be emailed to education@noblefool.org by Jan. 18.

Big work at Big Mac

It may look like they are building a tunnel under the McDonald's restaurant on Merchant Street, off Randall Road in Geneva, but it's just the completion of the remodeling and expansion at that busy site.

With plastic covering a portion of the building, it was hard to tell if the restaurant was open. But cars in line at the drive-through were always a signal that the place is open for business.

dheun@sbcglobal.net