Readers’ kind notes, memories comfort after Dad’s passing

Last week marked one month since my father’s funeral after he passed away at the age of 96 on December 10th at the farm.

Mom, myself, my siblings and my family are grateful and blessed for such an outpouring of cards, notes and memories shared by so many readers, in addition to our friends and neighbors.

In the 23 years that I have written this column and published the cookbooks that accompany it, Mom and Dad, like me, consider you, the reader, to be our friends and neighbors.

Since last week, notes and other tokens continue to arrive to Mom and Dad, and we continue to be grateful for this beautiful feeling.

Here are some reader passages from hundreds of cards, emails, and notes, not even counting the social media attention that helped us get through the holidays. We miss Dad so much.

“I’m so sorry for your loss. I still have a birdhouse that your father made many years ago. Such a wonderful person and I love you all.” —Lisa Holliday of LaCrosse

“I send my condolences to you and your family. No matter the age, it is always difficult to lose a parent. Your father lived a long, beautiful life. My mother (now deceased) adored you and your columns!” — Julienne Gee of Valparaiso

“I was so sad to read Mr. Potempa’s obituary in the newspapers. What a beautiful tribute column written by you, Philip. We met him years ago at one of your family’s annual Valentine’s Day charity dinners to benefit Honor Flight. It is very painful to lose a loved one, but even more so during the holiday season. In addition to all the angels watching over you, you, your mother and your family now have a very special guardian angel watching over you My mother, Evelyn, and I extend our sympathy to you — Daughter Carolyn Lisek and mother Evelyn Lisek from Hobart.

“As a hunter who loved to hunt in the neighboring woods around your farm fields, I remember visiting Chester in the barn when we crossed paths. I loved those talks. God bless Chet!” — Angelo Pampalone and the Valparaiso family

“Condolences on the loss of your father. All the years you have written about your family members, we feel like we know them. Chester was clearly a good man, and we keep him, you and your entire family in our prayers.” — Alison Skertic of Munster

Dad returned to the farm on Monday, November 24, after three months in his rehabilitation center following his August 13 heart valve surgery at the University of Chicago. He was just in time to gather around the family dinner table on November 27 for Thanksgiving 2025. Early in the morning the day after Thanksgiving, November 28, a storm with rain and wind toppled one of the two remaining of what was originally a trio of “dwarf Macintosh apple trees” in the backyard of my parents’ house. The fallen tree was clearly visible from Dad’s bedroom window. Bought by Mom and planted by Dad in the late 1960s, he had always lamented planting the three apple trees so close together. However, they also provided generous crop yields, as well as welcome shade in the same yard where we played softball, badminton, and croquet for decades. (Dad had removed one of the trees ten years ago after it died and dried up.)

It remains symbolic for me to lose one of our family’s apple trees planted by Dad in the same window of time as Dad’s death. Both once robust and strong with lives that branched out to touch the world around them.

My previous columns featured delicious apple chip recipes, particularly one provided by Mom’s older sister, Aunt Ruby, now 96, and as featured in my original cookbook “From the Farm,” published in 2002. However, I never shared my mother Peggy’s apple chip recipe, a fall staple or a winter favorite for using up fall apples stored in the cellar. Today I’m sharing his recipe in memory of Dad.

Columnist Philip Potempa has published four cookbooks and hosts a weekly radio show on WJOB 12:30 p.m. He can be contacted at PhilPotempa@gmail.com or mail questions to: From the Farm, PO Box 68, San Pierre, Ind. 46374.

Peggy’s Hot Apple Chips

Makes 6 servings

4 cups peeled, cored and sliced ​​apples

2/3 to 3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup oatmeal

3/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup butter or margarine, chilled but softened

Instructions:

1. Place apples in a greased 8-inch square pan.

2. Use sugar, adjusted for the sweetness of the apples, when adding to the oat mixture.

3. In a medium bowl, combine sugar and remaining ingredients.

4. Mix until the mixture is smooth and crumbly and sprinkle over the apples.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.