Lake County IL Archives Obituaries.....Blanck, John  October 21, 1923
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Kathy Stinson findingthepast@comcast.net January 19, 2014, 4:54 pm

The Lake County Register - October 24, 1923
John Blanck Claimed By Heart Disease in Newspaper Plant


The Wauconda Leader, which is published once a week will issue as usual next 
Thursday.  Fourteen year old Francis Blanck has given his word on that.

Standing very erect beside the body of his father, Francis made the 
announcement.  His chin was quivering a bit, and there were tears in his brown 
eyes as he faced the little group in the office of the Wauconda Leader.

"The paper will come out on time," he said.  "I'll git out myself."

THE EDITOR HAS DIED

For the Leader, you see, was without an editor, staff, typographer or pressman.  
John Blanck, the man who filled all those positions, had just died. 

It was twelve years ago, when Francis was learning to walk that John Blanck 
bought the Wauconda Leader from F. L. Carr and this came into the tradition of 
Greeley and Bennett and Dana and Medill.  He toiled late in the little office on 
Bangs street and between times he turned an extra dollar with the auctioneer's 
hammer.

As soon as Francis was old enough to hold a printer's stick in the palm of his 
hand, he began to help his father.  Later he fed the flatbed press and even 
wrote items for the Leader's columns.  Citizens of Wauconda, sauntering past the 
one story frame building on Bangs street, grew used to seeing father and son 
working over the type cases.  When a lone linotype was installed, John Blanck 
operated the keyboard; while Francis, perched on a high stool stuck to the 
printer's stick.

"He'll be a good newspaper editor, just like his dad," said H.E. Maiman and 
other prominent Waucondans.

DIDN'T FEEL WELL

Last Saturday John BLanck officiated at an auction on the Hook farm, about a 
mile east of town.   Later he complained that he wasn't feeling well, be he went 
down to the Leader office yesterday morning just the same.  There were a few 
items to write for the paper.

A short time later Francis put on his cap, "I'll go down and help father," he 
told his mother.

The door was locked, but Francis had a key.  As he stepped into the office, 
musty with the smell of ink and old paper, he found his father slumped forward 
in the worn old editorial chair.  The boy spoke to him, but John Blanck didn't 
answer.  Then he hurried home to tell his mother. A physician, quickly summoned, 
said the editor died of heart failure.

It was then that Francis Blanck - 14 year old chip of the old block - made his 
solemn announcement:

"The paper will come out on time, I'll get it out myself."

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