NORMAL – In today’s world, sometimes, to get noticed, there has to some level of flashiness to what they do to get noticed. In introducing Earl Kingman as Normal ’s Citizen of the Year at a function held July 26 at Destihl Brewery on the Town’s north end, Mayor Chris Koos began the event by quoting an old Yankee proverb which suggests that people should “be quiet and saw wood.â€
“This honoree has sawed a lot of wood,†Koos said in concluding his introduction to this year’s recipient, Earl Kingman. The introduction brought cheers and applause from the gathering.
“Earl has worked to keep the Asahikawa-Bloomington-Normal Sister Cities Committee active and relevant over these many, many years,” Koos mentioned. “He has been instrumental in keeping that organization very, very active and relevant over all these many years. That group celebrates 56 years of operation this year.
Koos credited Kingman for organizing “about 25 Cubs Caravans and an equal number of ‘ Bloomington -Normal Day’†events at Wrigley Field. That began in 1983. His efforts earned him a designation as an honorary Cub in 2012. Partly because of his aspirations to be an Air Force Reserve pilot, Kingman was helpful in nurturing the growth of the Prairie Aviation Museum , Koos reminded. He was appointed and served on the Board of Central Illinois Regional Airport beginning in 2005.
After admitting he was “the most surprised person here†regarding his honor, Kingman told the gathering, “It’s been a pleasure to work with the Town of Normal and I appreciate this award.â€
Speaking with reporters following the formal announcement, Kingman said he felt the Sister Cities Program was his best contribution to the Town. He was a member of that group for 33 years, which included visiting Asahikawa 10 times. He called forming and maintaining such a group “one of the important things for world peace because if you get to know those people real well, you don’t want to fight with them.â€
Now 85 and a native of Gardner , Ill. , Kingman went to University of Illinois , entered ROTC, and moved on the Air Force for three years of active duty, exiting with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. But he reentered military service when the Air Force said they needed navigators. He also spent 12 years with the National Guard and Reserve dealing with refueling planes. The bulk of his 32-year non-military career was spent in the Crops Division at Growmark in Bloomington . He retired in 1996.
Wife Was Notified Of Honor 3 Weeks Earlier: His wife of 62 years, Rhea, was notified of the honor to be bestowed onto her husband three weeks before the ceremony. She readily admitted “it wasn’t easy†to keep the news from her husband. “City Manager Pam Reece called me but I wasn’t home, so Earl answered the phone,†Rhea Kingman explained. “So, Pam made some excuse about the Sister Cities Program for her call. In the meantime, they were able to call our son in Colorado †and he informed his mother about the honor.
Dignitaries Present: Among the dignitaries present at the event, which the Town has held since the mid-1950s, were: Normal Town Council members Jeff Fritzen, Kevin McCarthy, Scott Preston, Kathleen Lorenz, Chemberly Cummings; City Manager Pam Reece; former Normal Mayors Paul Harmon and Kent Karraker; Dr. Larry Dietz, President of Illinois State University; Dr. Keith Cornille, President of Heartland Community College; Rep. Keith Sommer (R-88th Dist.), and Sen. Jason Barickman (R-53rd Dist).