Bob and Lorraine Baron
In the late 1930s/early 1940s, our country was still in the worst Depression in its history and World War II was just around the corner. But life was good for two couples from the south side of Chicago; Mary and Mitch Baron and Bernice and Vincent Domikaitis were about to increase their family size.
In the Roseland neighborhood, Mitch and Mary welcomed Robert Joseph, born September 21, 1939 (at home) to their growing family, which included, Claudette, 2 years old at the time. Not too far away, in the Calumet Park neighborhood, Lorraine Patricia, would join the Domikaitis family. Bernice and Vincent already had 3 daughters (Dolores, Marilyn and Arlene) and their family would be complete with the addition of their final child, Lorraine, born January 18, 1940. Mitch and Mary would add two more to their family (Thomas and Sandra) after the war and their family would be complete as well.
With four girls in the house, the Domikaitis household was alive with femininity. Lorraine and her sisters got along well, and they enjoyed many activities together. Lorraine, the youngest, and Arlene were close in age and had many things in common, like dancing. They eagerly went to dance class at the Chicago Dance Conservatory on Michigan Avenue across from the Art Institute, a trip they would make via the Illinois Central train (then it was considered safe for unsupervised children to ride downtown alone). At home they would happily demonstrate what they learned to friends and neighbors without too much prompting. She and Arlene were especially proficient at the baton and they twirled their way through many local parades. All those lessons would pay off in high school as Lorraine easily qualified to be a cheerleader.
Bernice and Vincent encouraged them to study hard and all the girls all did well at Calumet Grade School. Lorraine took her studies very seriously and became an excellent student. She was named the valedictorian of Calumet Grade School and she was always on the honor roll at Eisenhower High School in Blue Island and eventually college. Her crowning achievement in high school was to be recognized as a member of the National Honor Society, an academic status given to only the best students.
Meanwhile, just a few blocks away, Mitch and Mary decided to send their son Bob to Assumption BVM, a neighborhood Catholic Polish parish, along with their daughter, Claudette. Learning Polish was a part of the curriculum, at least in the first few years, but neither one of them would fully embrace the language. Their parents and grandparents spoke Polish amongst themselves, but Claudie and Bob did not partake as this was a new American generation in the family, one that spoke only English. Or maybe the adults in the family just wanted to hold on to the ability to communicate things to each other that they didn’t want the children to know?
When he was very young, Bob was the cause of much worry. He was small, skinny and often sick. Soon it was discovered that he suffered from asthma. Doctors advised his parents to encourage him to build strength and muscle through physical exercise, especially swimming, as this would help his lungs develop and strengthen. Fortunately, West Pullman Park, a part of a large and well-organized Park system in the city of Chicago, was within a few blocks of their home. It offered various sports and competitions between the Parks located throughout the City. Once he jumped in the pool there, Bob took to the water like a fish. Soon he began to conquer the sport. He worked summers as a lifeguard on Chicago’s beaches and the West Pullman Park pool. He became a local swimming star when he swam so many laps in the pool that it was equivalent to swimming across Lake Michigan. And he made friends and neighbors cheer when at the local swim exhibitions, Bob would climb to the rafters, alight himself and the water below, and dive into a ring of fire!
Bob was an outgoing boy with many neighborhood friends but two would remain close throughout his lifetime (Bob Zmuda and Bert Fugger, aka “Hubbie"). These three were together so much that one would think Mitch and Mary had additional sons in the family. Bob’s mischievous side would emerge quite often, especially within the family. His many aunts and uncles thought him quite humorous, but his sister, Claudie, often the victim of his pranks and teasing, was not amused.
When Mitch and Mary moved to their own home at 12242 Emerald, they joined the church located directly across the street, SS. Peter and Paul. Little did he know that it was the same church that Lorraine and her family attended. But their paths would never cross as children although they each admit that they would see each other occasionally in church. It took a high school dance to break the ice. Bob attended Mendel, a Catholic all-boy school in Roseland, and Lorraine was several miles away at Eisenhower High School in Blue Island. Mendel held a dance every Sunday evening and teens from miles around would congregate there. Bob asked her to dance and a spark was ignited. It was June 1956 and this common interest in dancing was the seed that would blossom into a relationship throughout high school and beyond.
Then it was time for college and decisions to be made. Bob chose Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. He scraped by with a small scholarship from the Pullman Foundation and by working in the cafeteria and as a floor counselor to pay tuition. With no spending money left, he devoted his time to studying and graduated early. Lorraine chose to stay at home and attend Chicago Teacher’s College [now Chicago State University] Despite their distance apart, Bob and Lorraine continued to date when Bob was home on weekends and through letter writing. And they would have the summers together. Of course, there would be dancing, especially at local night clubs such as the Willowbrook, Club 505 and the Baby Doll. In addition to other popular dances, they became proficient in the jitterbug polka, a modern nod to Bob’s Polish and Lorraine’s Lithuanian heritage.
The years went by fast and soon graduation was upon them. Bob graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and Lorraine received a bachelor’s degree in science. Marriage was on their minds, but they realized that more groundwork needed to be laid before taking that big step. Bob decided to pursue law as a career as his summers working in construction taught him that using his brain was preferable to using his muscles all day. Another scholarship influenced his decision and he chose Northwestern Law School in Chicago. Lorraine decided to continue her academic studies and she pursued a master’s degree in Guidance and Counseling. She became a teacher at Calumet Grade School (8th grade) and attended graduate school in the evenings. A year later, when Bob completed his first of three years of law school, they married on February 3, 1962. A huge reception (500+ people) followed at the Polish Home (with lots of dancing, of course) which lasted well into the night despite a horrific ice storm early in the day. Their wedding gifts not only paid for much-needed furniture, but there was enough to expand their honeymoon plans. Rather than stay at a local resort, they flew to Puerto Rico. That first taste of travel would make them hungry for more!
After their honeymoon, they settled into a small apartment just next door to Lorraine’s parents in Calumet Park. It was there that they welcomed their 1st child, Laura, born in 1963. Bob and Lorraine agreed she would become a full-time mother rather than return to teaching. Bob continued working at construction during the summers while he was in law school. In 1964, after Bob graduated, he accepted a job offer in Joliet. They decided they would continue to live in the area and commute until Bob was satisfied that the employment offered long term prospects. Around this time his grandparents’ house was available so they moved into 12048 S. Lowe Ave in Chicago. By 1965, it was clear that his career would flourish at the firm of Thomas, Wallace, Feehan (and eventually Baron) and they decided to plant roots in Joliet. They moved into their first home at 950 Glenwood as it was in a good location (Joliet’s Cathedral area) and it offered room for needed expansion as their family was growing. Soon they welcomed their son Tom, born in 1965, and their final child, daughter Lynn, born in 1969. They would live there for the next 25 years.
As the children and their activities grew, so did Lorraine’s community involvement. Whether it was the local Brownie, Cub, Girl Scout or Boy Scout troops, Lorraine was there to lend a helping hand. And as a former teacher, Lorraine understood the importance of parents volunteering at their school, so she was always an eager participant. She put her education to work when she began teaching CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) classes in elementary school. When the children reached high school, she continued her volunteerism at the schools they attended. She especially enjoyed her leadership role as President of the Mother’s Club at Providence Catholic High School. She became adept at balancing academic and sports activities, especially swimming (son Tom was quite the fish, too), and she somehow found the time to help others in her community by volunteering at Women of Rotary and the Visitation and Aid Society.
Meanwhile, Bob’s skills in private practice as a trial lawyer grew. First, he handled lawsuits of all types and eventually he began representing large companies in defense of negligence and defective product claims. Later he focused on the defense of physicians, hospitals and nurses accused of medical malpractice. He has argued cases successfully before the Appellate and Supreme Court of Illinois, as well as the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. In 2000, after 36 years of practice, Bob accepted an appointment as Associate Judge of the Circuit Court of Will County, Family Division, and served in that position for 13 years, 10 of which were as the Presiding Judge. Outside the law, Bob served a Board member of the University of St. Francis in Joliet and was President of both the Joliet Rotary and the Will County Bar Association.
While the children were growing, Bob and Lorraine pursued their passion for travel, this time with the kids in tow. At first, it was just long weekends to neighboring states, eventually extending to visits to different parts of Europe and later, the world. They especially enjoyed sites that offered athletic offerings. Skiing together in Colorado each holiday season became a tradition they enjoyed for many years. And when the opportunity came to visit an exotic site that offered scuba diving, Bob made sure that everyone had proper training before they left on such an adventure. As the grandchildren started to appear, they were scooped up onto the bandwagon and they became savvy travelers as well. Finally, when all the children reached adulthood and began to pursue other interests, Bob and Lorraine expanded their travels to more remote places. They have visited over 120 countries and they are not done yet.
In their later years, Bob and Lorraine remain active. Bob joined Mahoney, Silverman & Cross, a local law firm. His “of counsel” status means that he advises the firm on family-related divorce and custody disputes, especially his daughter, Laura, who works there as well. Bridge has become his daily passion and he plays on a competitive level with others around the world via the internet. His interest in swimming continues and now he competes with the local US Masters Team in the 75-year-old age group with national success (and a few undefeated records). Lorraine’s dance passion expresses itself daily for she has become a “Jazzercise” aficionado. They both continue to love golf and travel; they have added “cruising” to their travel itinerary each winter interspersed with foreign travel with family and friends.
