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AmiablyGivenSo ago

I don't know if this has already been posted but he's mentioned on FindAGrave.com:

Dr. William Louis Podesta (archive)

He donated land near Pana for the Boy Scouts camp called Podesta' Big Timber and helped established Lake Land College in Mattoon.

This sounds like a midwestern version of Ms. Dolores' story in True Detective.

leaveperiods ago

Again with the sick irony. I hate these gentlemen.

Mammy ago

Podesta's "Big Timber"?!? May as well call it "Big Woody". I'd LOL if it weren't so friggin' creepy. Good find!

pizzagate3456 ago

I can't find any info on the boy scouts camp besides the info in the findagrave website. Only thing I see is ebay posts selling the patch from the camp. We need to find more info about his camp to see if any of the kids were sexually abused

we_kill_creativity ago

Here's some more info on it: http://herald-review.com/lifestyles/rhodes-france-scout-reservation-a-wonderland-for-boys/article_a118b31c-1275-597d-b4e5-02061d04b692.html

The first sentence calls it by the podesta big timbers name.

SoldierofLight ago

Another good find. Great work!

AmiablyGivenSo ago

Here's more:

http://www.thexradio.com/news/78-local-news/19306-llc-honors-dr-william-podesta-w-clem-g-phipps-exemplary-trustee-award

Podestá viewed education as a top priority. He was a 12-year member of the Mattoon Community Unit #2 School Board, serving three terms as president. He was one of the original supporters of the junior college concept and he actively promoted the establishment of Lake Land College. The college was developed on land previously owned by the Podestá family.

Podestá established the dental hygiene and dental assisting program at Lake Land College. He was the founder of the annual scholarship awarded students in these programs and the Eastern Illinois Dental Society.

And then this is a different obituary that was improperly transcribed by a machine:

https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/84770910/

Dr. Podesta graduated from Livingston High School. He attended McKendree College and graduated from St. Louis University Dental School in 1934. In 1976, he received a Bachelor of Arts from Eastern Illinois Uni versity. In 1934, Doctor Podesta came to Mattoon to begin the practice of Dentistry and became an active supporter and volunteer in the community as well as -in the field of Dentistry. June 16, 1941, D o c t' o r Podesta entered the V V Dr. W.L. "Bill" Podest, 1942 v Army as a Lieutenant in the Dental Corp. While awaiting orders he was officer in charge of entertainment at the Cow Palace in San Francisco and, for a short time, was President Ronald Reagan's commanding officer. Among thirteen dentists chosen to head Plastic Eye Programs for the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, he was Director of the Plastic Eye Program in the Pacific Ocean Theatre. While in the Army, Dr. Podesta was awarded several commendations including the Bronze Star. In February 1946, Dr. Podesta received his discharge from active duty but continued ican Legion Matron of the She was actively for the past 50 Memorials

If someone wants to pay for a subscription and post a screenshot we'll be able to figure out the unintelligible parts.

SoldierofLight ago

That article about JP's uncle is the first time I've seen the acute accent used in their last name. Either it's a consistent mistake in that article or it's intentional. I did some quick checking and was surprised to see that it's not used with that name in Italian and is more common among the Portugese and Spanish Podestas. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acute_accent (Edit: I won't link to other Podesta families who use the acute accent in their name because I have no reason to think they're related and so I don't want to dox them.)

If it wasn't an editorial mistake, why is he the only one in the family who seemed to use it?