Eden Brekke

Eden T. Brekke (December 22, 1893 - July 29, 1978) was a Chicago businessman and politician who served as the last Commissioner of the West Chicago Park District (1930) and as Republican Committeeman of the 37th Ward (Austin).cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Eden Brekke |url= |quote= |publisher=Chicago Tribune |date=July 30, 1978 |accessdate=2007-08-21 ] [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Brekke Facing Stiff Battle in 36th Ward race. Gubbins Levels Charges of Bipartisanism. |url= |quote=One of the city's blue ribbon campaign features is the 36th ward Republican committeeman fight between the veteran Committeeman Eden T. Brekke, and Joseph F. Gubbins, assistant secretary of the Illinois Commerce commission in the Chicago office. |publisher=Chicago Tribune |date=March 19, 1944 |accessdate=2007-08-21 ] [cite news |first=Charles |last=Shaw |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Saul Bellow: Eulogy from a former student. |url=http://media.www.dailyfreepress.com/media/storage/paper87/news/2005/04/08/Opinion/Saul-Bellow.Eulogy.From.A.Former.Student-918346.shtml |quote=At the time a 12-year-old Bellow was stuffing mailboxes for Thompson, my Great-Grandfather Eden Brekke was sitting alderman of the 37th Ward, Austin District, and would soon serve under then Mayor Thompson as commissioner of the Park District. |publisher=Daily Free Press |date= |accessdate=2007-10-31 ]

Birth and siblings

Eden was born in 1893 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. His siblings included: Mabel Brekke (1898-1980) who married a Bowie; John Brekke; and Evelyn Brekke who married a Mackett.

Marriage and children

In 1910 Eden was working as a clerk and living at 815 North 51st in Chicago. Eden married May Danielson (1894-1986) in 1912. May was the daughter of Carrie Hansen. Together Mae and Eden had the following children: June E. Brekke (1914-1989) who married Charles N. Shaw; Donald E. Brekke (1915-1982) who died in Barrington; Fern Brekke (1918-bef1978) who married a Williams; and William E. Brekke (1922-1990). On June 5, 1917 Eden registered for the draft for World War I while living at 1010 Latrobe Avenue and he was working as a coal and ice dealer. [World War I draft registration]

Career

Eden was working as a the Superintendent of Parks for the City of Chicago from at least 1920. Charles Shaw writes:

Eden Brekke, was a rising Alderman and Committeeman for the 37th Ward, and the Commissioner of the West Chicago Park District, under the infamously corrupt William Hale "Big Bill" Thompson, chief political lickspittle to one Alphonse Capone. As Park Commissioner, my great-grandfather worked with the internationally renowned landscape architect Jens Jensen and his associates to build a number of smaller West Side parks including Austin, Davis, LaFollette, and Riis in the 37th Ward. [cite news |first=Charles|last=Shaw |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Roots |url=http://www.consciouschoice.com/2007/01/editorsnote0701.html |quote=It may surprise you to learn that my green pedigree goes back at least a century in this fair city of ours, to the early 1900s when my great-grandfather, Eden Brekke, ... My great-grandfather’s lifelong attachment to Urbs in Horto transcended politics, and transmuted itself across time into me. I only hope I can honor his legacy in the years ahead. |publisher=Conscious Choice |date= |accessdate=2007-08-21 ]

Death and burial

He died in 1978 at a nursing home in Long Grove, Illinois and was buried in Mount Emblem Cemetery in Bartlett, Illinois.

References

External links

* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=brekke&GSmid=46580804&GRid=7930268&pt=Eden%20T.%20Brekke& Findagrave: Eden Brekke]