I was saddened to learn of the passing of my long-time friend and compatriot Danny J. Weems. Danny and I grew up on the West Side of Chicago, in East Garfield and spent many hours together playing softball and basketball. I can remember when we would play basketball at Marillac House and softball at Holstein Park. We also played softball on the playground of Dodge Elementary School and in the parking lot of the old A&P grocery store. It was Danny who came up with the name of our softball team "The Dodge Chargers."

I remember when Danny bought his first car on Western Avenue; it was a brown 1962 Oldsmobile. I also remember when he bought his second car; a gold 1968 Cadillac with a white convertable top. I remember when Danny, Chris, Ernest, Floyd, Cookie, Liz, and myself, we all worked at the old A&P grocery store on Jackson Blvd across the street from my house. I remember when his oldest son "Jerry" was born and when all of the "fellas" would sit on the front steps of my house laughing and joking with each other.

Danny was a consumate gentleman and very respectful to my mother. He always called my mother "Mrs, Penn" when speaking to her, but in our own conversation he referred to her as the "Big E" because my mom's first name began with the letter "E." In like manner, I would refer to his mom in our conversation as "Big E Number Two" because his mother's first name began with the letter "E" as well.

Often we would go to "Al's" on Lake and Francisco while listening to the Temptations sing "Run Away Child." Danny would sing the high notes, Chris would sing tenor, and I would sing bass. Sometimes we would sing "doo wops" together pretending we were the Dells. Whenever we would sing "Stay In My Corner" Danny would again sing the high notes of the song. One of his favorite songs of that time was "Are You Happy" by Jerry Butler

One of the funniest times I remember was when five of us (Sherman, Danny, Chris, Maurice, and myself) were coming from the old Sears YMCA after playing basketball one night. It was about 90 degrees and we were riding in Chris' 1960 Chevrolet. The car had no air conditioning but Danny said "Don't roll down the windows... We want everybody to think we got air!" Can you imagine how it smelled with five teenagers in a car who had just finished playing basketball in 90 degree heat?

Danny would often wear a black "Dobbs" hat and his tan trench coat during the fall which prompted us to give him the nickname of "Dubbs." I remember when he attended Marshall High School and I attended Crane High School. We would always bet "a dollar" when Marshall's baseball team would play Crane. I was the star pitcher for Crane and the second best high school pitcher on the West Side behind Caleb Glover who pitched for Marshall.

Finally, there are two things I remember most about Danny. The first is when I went to away college on a basketball scholarship and came home during the summer break. Danny said to everybody on the block "The college kid is back home and we are proud of him." He then said to me "My man, always do your best and keep on making us proud."

The second thing I remember most about Danny is that I asked him to be the "Best Man" at my wedding. One of my aunts asked me "Why didn't you pick one of your brothers to be your 'Best Man?'" I said to her without flinching, "I did pick one of my brothers... Danny is just like a brother to me!"

Hotep my Brother and Rest in Peace....

David C. Penn, Ed.S., Ph.D.
www.outskirtspress.com/DrDavidPenn 

 

The high moral standards you set for yourself has set the course of my life.  I will always remember you for the love, patience and kindness. You will always be in my heart.


Daniel Jerry Weems. your son 

We don't think of you gone away, your journey 's just begin.  Life holds so many facets, this earth is only one.  We think of you as resting from the sorrows and tears in a place of warmth and comfort, where there are on days and years.  We know you must be wishing that we could know today how nothing but our sadness can really pass away.  We think of you as living in our hearts which you're touched for nothing loved is ever lost and you were loved so much.



Rochelle, Cynthia, Tanya, Clyde and Benny