Letter: Dick Vandermyde is the ‘All-time Good Friend

Sauk Valley Letters to the Editor

Dick Vandermyde and I have been friends for 86 years. I went to his 6-year-old birthday party. We graduated from Prophetstown High School in 1947.

In all those years, we never “had words.”

The only exception was at the bridge table. We were very serious about bridge, and all friendships end at the bridge table. Vandermyde was an excellent bridge player. I was pretty good too, but he was better. We played every Friday afternoon. We would eat lunch at Prophet Hills Country Club and play when it was warm.

When it was cold, we ate at Niccoli’s and played afterwards. We were interrupted many times by, “Dr. Vandermyde, do you remember me? You delivered me.” Or “Dr. Vandermyde, do you remember me? You delivered my kids.”

In his years of practice, Vandermyde delivered over 2,000 babies. That is the same as Prophetstown’s population. He would sometimes recognize the person, but other times he wouldn’t. In both cases, Vandermyde was sincere and polite in his response.

He should have been proud of his accomplishments.

If there had been a contest to determine the “All-time Good Friend,” Vandermyde would have won by a landslide.

Bud Thompson

Prophetstown