A letter from John Croessman's family on the closing of the Call

As John's brother Allen said at the dedication of Croessman Square in June 2018, "John and the Call, the Call and John ... over the years they became virtually synonymous."

That is why the announcement of the closing of the Du Quoin Call is felt so deeply.

The Call has played a key role in John's life. His love of writing began in high school while working on the school paper, The Magnavox.

After graduating from SIU in 1974 with a degree in journalism, John accepted a position with the Call. Whether he was a writer, editor or publisher, he always believed the readers deserved nothing but the truth.

For John, working at the Call was not just a job, it was a privilege. He was employed there for over 40 years and felt fortunate to have the chance to write about the lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of local residents who made a difference for their community. He said the years were a gift, "You owe me nothing."

The people in Du Quoin mattered to him. The city of Du Quoin mattered to him.

On behalf of John Croessman and his family, we would like to thank the community for all of the support given to John and the newspaper and for allowing him the pleasure of writing and sharing his stories with you.

Sincerely,

Barbara Croessman and family