My Lincolnwood Story- Pamela Stavinoga

“Life is a bowl of cherries. Just keep eating all you can. Everything out there is to be explored.”

Originally from Knoxville, Tennesee, Pamela Stavinoga has lived in Lincolnwood since the late 1980s. She is a published author, and a very active member of the community. Pamela is interviewed by Chris Renkosiak, the library’s head of marketing.

The views and opinions expressed in interviews do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Lincolnwood Public Library, including its Board of Trustees and staff.



TRANSCRIPT:

Christopher Renkosiak  0:00  
My name is Christopher Renkosiak of the Lincolnwood Public Library. I'm here with Pamela Stavinoga to do the interview for My Lincolnwood Story. Pamela, if you'd like to introduce yourself.

Pamela Stavinoga  0:10  
Hello, everyone.

Christopher Renkosiak  0:12  
Hi, Pamela. How long have you lived here in Lincolnwood?

Pamela Stavinoga  0:15  
About 30 years.

Christopher Renkosiak  0:18  
Nice. How did your family come to Lincolnwood?

Pamela Stavinoga  0:22  
I brought myself here. I met my husband, and I moved up here. And I've been here ever since.

Christopher Renkosiak  0:31  
Can you talk to us a little bit about your ethnic background.

Pamela Stavinoga  0:35  
My great grandfather was Cherokee, and my great grandmother was, as the record says, darky and Cherokee or Indian. She said Indian and darky. And he is Cherokee. And that's on my father's side. And on my mother's side, my mother said that we were Blackfeet, but I haven't been able to prove that. So basically, that's my ethnic background. My grandmother on her death certificate, when it asked what was her race - I think they asked race - I think she said American. Well, American Indian is as close as you can get, right?

Christopher Renkosiak  1:18  
Yeah, absolutely. How about geographically? Where does your family come from?

Pamela Stavinoga  1:22  
Knoxville, Tennessee. But most of my people are from Sweetwater, Tennessee, which is about 20 miles outside of Knoxville, about 20 miles north of Chattanooga.

Christopher Renkosiak  1:36  
So right in the Smoky Mountains.

Pamela Stavinoga  1:37  
You got it. 

Christopher Renkosiak  1:40  
Alright, so talk to us a little bit about how life was growing up. You said Knoxville, Tennessee is where your family was from.

Pamela Stavinoga  1:47  
Growing up, it was. Let's see. Slow. 

Christopher Renkosiak  1:52  
[overlapping] What does slow look like?

Pamela Stavinoga  1:55  
Slow means nothing really ever happens. You know, you go to school, you come home, you probably put on some shorts, you go out and sit on the curb. And you talk about the day at school. So it was slow. And to do something really exciting was to go downtown, and stand around and watch all the people go in to hear the rock stars and hoping that you'll get a peek at them.

Christopher Renkosiak  2:26  
Downtown Knoxville?

Pamela Stavinoga  2:27  
Yep. 

Christopher Renkosiak  2:28  
Awesome. 

Pamela Stavinoga  2:29  
There's only one street in Knoxville. Main street, and that's called Gay Street. And it runs straight through the City.

Christopher Renkosiak  2:36  
What was your favorite place to go?

Pamela Stavinoga  2:39  
My favorite place to go was the woods that was behind my house. 

Christopher Renkosiak  2:43  
Okay. 

Pamela Stavinoga  2:44  
I liked going up there because it was so quiet. Nobody was there. It was just me and Mother Nature and the sun. Oh, there was a lot of sun.

Christopher Renkosiak  2:55  
Yeah. Was it close to the river? Isn't there...?

Pamela Stavinoga  2:58  
There is a river, but the Tennessee River is a little further away.

Christopher Renkosiak  3:05  
Gotcha. So, tell us, did you get into trouble at all? What was the worst thing that you did?

Pamela Stavinoga  3:12  
The worst thing I ever did was that I stole honeybun. I was hungry; so I went in, I got it. I went out and I sit down right in front of the store. The man said, "You know you stole that." I said, "I'm sorry." And they were only a dime, I think at that point.

Christopher Renkosiak  3:33  
Well...

Pamela Stavinoga  3:35  
I said "I'm sorry." I said, "I'll pay it back." So I gave him his money out of my lunch money.

Christopher Renkosiak  3:43  
Alright, so childhood Pamela likes to steal honeybuns. And then she moves up to Lincolnwood. When you came up here...well, before you came up here, what did you want to be when you grew up? What was your dream job?

Pamela Stavinoga  3:58  
A ballerina.

Christopher Renkosiak  3:59  
A ballerina? Did you take lessons? 

Pamela Stavinoga  4:02  
No, but I used to see them on TV, and I thought they were so pretty. I thought they were so pretty. Their little tutus, seeing them when they go flopping around; that's so pretty. And then I said, "Well, I'll be a doctor." And I said, "I don't know if I can do that." Well, I'll be a physical therapist. Believe it or not in my high school, I didn't know there was an opportunity to go to a counselor and figure these things out. 

Christopher Renkosiak  4:35  
Sure. 

Pamela Stavinoga  4:35  
No one ever told us, or at least they didn't tell me. I pretty much thought that all the occupations there are are teachers and nurses and house cleaners. I didn't know. My venture was kind of sporadic. I didn't know what I really wanted to be.

Christopher Renkosiak  4:59  
Sure, and when where did you land? What was your...

Pamela Stavinoga  5:01  
I wanted to be a fashion designer. That's where I ended up because I drew a lot. I paint and draw. When I came to Chicago, I didn't have the money. I came here with no money. One friend and no money. I finally got a job and couldn't afford a portfolio. Someone told me about junior college. I didn't know anything about junior college because there's no junior colleges in Knoxville, Tennessee. But, I found out about junior colleges. 

Christopher Renkosiak  5:45  
[overlapping] Sure. 

Pamela Stavinoga  5:45  
And I went. And I went into physical therapy. 

Christopher Renkosiak  5:56  
Okay. 

Pamela Stavinoga  5:57  
Now for an art major, that is really the other side of the spectrum. 

Christopher Renkosiak  6:06  
[overlapping] A complete left turn, absolutely.

Pamela Stavinoga  6:09  
I didn't have anyone to tell me, to guide me doing that. And I cried, I cried. In physics, I cried because I did not understand what that man was talking about. He took me aside and tutored me. I was a 'A' student. In fact, I was on the Dean's list three years in a row.

Christopher Renkosiak  6:37  
Nice. Congratulations,

Pamela Stavinoga  6:39  
And the President's list. I was really proud of myself.

Christopher Renkosiak  6:44  
Two good lists. 

Pamela Stavinoga  6:45  
Yes. 

Christopher Renkosiak  6:46  
Alright, so physical therapy. Let's talk about how you actually got to Lincolnwood.

Pamela Stavinoga  6:52  
Lincolnwood. I was working for Catholic Charities, and I was developing the computer department for the company or institute or sector. It was to go from paper to electronic. I had a business, so it fit in real nicely. I left emergency intake when I started working at Catholic Charities. I was creating this department because it didn't exist. We were buying Zenith computers, and the person who was our vendor was right down the street on Devon Avenue. I come up, and that's when I met my husband. He was talking one day, and I said, "What do you like about me?" And he said, "You have the prettiest legs." I said, "Oh, thank you." He said, "Seeing you get in and out of that truck was really interesting." [laughter]. After that we started dating, and then I moved up here. Then the company closed and I retired from that business. I worked at my own business for a while and then I closed the doors on that. So that's how I got to Lincolnwood.

Christopher Renkosiak  8:33  
Nice. Alright, so let's talk about that early life in Lincolnwood. About what year was that when you moved here?

Pamela Stavinoga  8:40  
About 1989?

Christopher Renkosiak  8:43  
1989. So, just about 30 years ago. There's been a lot of change in 30 years. 

Pamela Stavinoga  8:48  
Oh, yes. 

Christopher Renkosiak  8:49  
Have you been in the same house?

Pamela Stavinoga  8:51  
Yes. 

Christopher Renkosiak  8:52  
Ok, so you've been in the same house? 

Pamela Stavinoga  8:54  
Yeah. 

Christopher Renkosiak  8:56  
Talk about some of those changes. What have been some of the biggest...

Pamela Stavinoga  8:58  
The biggest change? Well, let's see. I didn't see a lot of people because when I moved here, the Village was pretty much a senior village. There was a lot of seniors; no one came out. Mostly, all the kids had grown up and moved away, or the parents were the ones living in the house. A senior village, it was. I got involved in some things through the center. That was enlightening because I never knew they had these activities, the 50 something club for seniors. 

Christopher Renkosiak  9:52  
Sure. 

Pamela Stavinoga  9:54  
That was really, really interesting. I started to get to know some of the people in the Village, and then one of the ladies - I forget her name - her and her husband. Oh, God, that's my senior years. Oh, God. Well anyway, they invited me to join the Friends. They were looking for someone to work on the board.

Christopher Renkosiak  10:24  
The Friends at the Lincolnwood library?

Pamela Stavinoga  10:25  
Yes. Me and my neighbor Gerry; I met my neighbor Gerry. I'm a gardener and she liked to work in her yard. We became good friends. I'd take her places because she didn't drive. So me and Gerry joined the Friends. And I got to meet all the gang there, more and more people. I'm beginning to learn more and more people. And I'm also getting involved with the Village. But I was also doing a lot of things outside of the Village, so my time was limited to what I actually did for the Village. Did I answer your question?

Christopher Renkosiak  10:25  
You sure did. 

Pamela Stavinoga  10:44  
And I didn't go off on a tangent, did I?

Christopher Renkosiak  11:09  
Tangents are always good. For those of our listeners who don't know you personally, it's important to note that you are still very active in town. You are on the board of the Lincolnwood Public Library. You're a member of the Friends. You are an avid photographer, a published author. What's been your favorite hobby?

Pamela Stavinoga  11:32  
I'm also on the Beautification Commission. 

Christopher Renkosiak  11:35  
And the Beautification Commission. Yes. 

Pamela Stavinoga  11:37  
My favorite hobby is gardening. And the arts; I'm still into the arts. The painting and photography, I think that's where the photography came in, just in making the picture. 

Christopher Renkosiak  11:53  
Sure. 

Pamela Stavinoga  11:56  
Those things I like. I'm really into cooking lately, since my husband died. I cook a lot. I freeze it and I give it away. I cook like I normally cook. 

Christopher Renkosiak  12:12  
Sure. 

Pamela Stavinoga  12:13  
Then I put it into the little containers, and then I give it to people. Families that I know that would appreciate it.

Christopher Renkosiak  12:22  
For sure.

Pamela Stavinoga  12:24  
That gives me the opportunity to cook a lot of things. And find all these different countries with all these interesting foods. The idea was to go around the world in my kitchen, and I was going to try as many dishes from different countries that I could. I got five from India already. I've got 10 from the Mediterranean. Turkey. I got Greece. I mean, I'm going all the way around. 

Christopher Renkosiak  13:01  
Yeah. 

Pamela Stavinoga  13:02  
I don't know what I'm gonna do when I get to Finland.

Christopher Renkosiak  13:04  
I don't know any Finnish recipes. I'm sure they have some kind of...

Pamela Stavinoga  13:11  
Yeah. I don't know what I'm gonna do in Japan. Sushi is not quite my tea. 

Christopher Renkosiak  13:18  
Ramen is always good. I'm sure you could find a ramen dish.

Pamela Stavinoga  13:21  
Yes.

Christopher Renkosiak  13:23  
All right. Let's get to know you a little bit better, too. I've got a bunch of questions. We'll kind of go through these...

Pamela Stavinoga  13:31  
Real fast. 

Christopher Renkosiak  13:32  
Real fast. All right, who has been the most important person in your life? 

Pamela Stavinoga  13:38  
God.

Christopher Renkosiak  13:39  
God, all right. Why?

Pamela Stavinoga  13:41  
Because He's always been with me. And if I need Him, all I have to do is call and He answers.

Christopher Renkosiak  13:50  
Would you consider yourself a spiritual...? 

Pamela Stavinoga  13:52  
Yes.

Pamela Stavinoga  13:54  
But I'm also very cardinal. I am in this world, but I'm also very spiritual.

Christopher Renkosiak  14:01  
Okay, nice. Who has been the biggest influence in your life? And what lessons did that person teach you?

Pamela Stavinoga  14:11  
My grandmother. She taught me how to be good to people; how not to judge people. Look at them from their heart instead of the facade that's on the outside. You look here and not here. She also taught me something that's very important. It is that to get an education. That's something that no one can take away from you. 

Christopher Renkosiak  14:39  
For sure. 

Pamela Stavinoga  14:41  
She was right. And I have four degrees.

Christopher Renkosiak  14:44  
Wow. Four degrees. All right, let's go through them real quick.

Pamela Stavinoga  14:47  
Okay. Chemistry. 

Christopher Renkosiak  14:49  
Chemistry. 

Pamela Stavinoga  14:49  
Business.

Christopher Renkosiak  14:50  
Business. 

Pamela Stavinoga  14:51  
Computer science.

Christopher Renkosiak  14:52  
Computer science.

Pamela Stavinoga  14:53  
And Human Services. What is that Master's in? Human service? Let's leave it that, Human Services. Yes.

Christopher Renkosiak  15:05  
And we got four of them. It's not important to know what they are called. It's fine. Alright, so looking at your life, what are you most proud of? 

Pamela Stavinoga  15:19  
The books that I have written. 

Christopher Renkosiak  15:21  
The books you've written. Let's talk about that. 

Pamela Stavinoga  15:23  
Okay.

Christopher Renkosiak  15:24  
Well, tell us about the books you've written. 

Pamela Stavinoga  15:26  
My first book was the genealogy called People of Difference: Annals for Posterity. The second book was a fiction called Moments of Feelings. The third book is Effie: The Farm Fairy and The Runaway Queen. Fourth book is Hastings Ghosts, which is a mystery. I'm getting ready to do My Goblin, which is a fantasy book. I have another one in an anthology called Jordan Goes Home and Paper Marriages.

Christopher Renkosiak  16:25  
Okay, I'm noticing a little bit of a pattern here, too. Just like your cooking. It seems like you're sampling the different genres. 

Pamela Stavinoga  16:31  
Yes.

Christopher Renkosiak  16:32  
You go around, which I think is an important lesson for for people out there to have, an open mind.

Pamela Stavinoga  16:38  
Yeah.

Christopher Renkosiak  16:38  
Try different things. See what you like, see what you don't?

Pamela Stavinoga  16:41  
Mm hmm.

Christopher Renkosiak  16:41  
Awesome.

Pamela Stavinoga  16:42  
Life is a bowl of cherries. Just keep eating all you can. This is spice of life. Everything out there is to be explored. And if you miss out, you know, it's your fault. Because it's there for you to do. It's there.

Christopher Renkosiak  16:58  
 Yeah. All right. When in your life, have you felt most alone?

Pamela Stavinoga  17:05  
When my husband died. That killed me. Almost did. 

Christopher Renkosiak  17:10  
Yeah. 

Pamela Stavinoga  17:10  
But I came out of it. I came out of it. 

Christopher Renkosiak  17:14  
Good.

Pamela Stavinoga  17:14  
Yeah.

Christopher Renkosiak  17:15  
Do you have any regrets?

Pamela Stavinoga  17:19  
That I wish I knew everything I know now when I was younger.

Christopher Renkosiak  17:27  
Oh, man, don't we all?

Pamela Stavinoga  17:32  
Oh, boy. Maybe my main regret is marrying my first husband because there was a voice in my head that said, "You don't want to do this." And I went on and did it anyway.

Christopher Renkosiak  17:44  
Well, live and learn.

Pamela Stavinoga  17:45  
Yeah. Live and learn.

Christopher Renkosiak  17:49  
With all of your lessons in life that you have learned throughout the years - from stealing that honeybun, to having the good legs in the car, to being a published author - what would you want to say to the Lincolnwood community right now? What is your hope for the Lincolnwood community moving forward in the future?

Pamela Stavinoga  18:09  
I would to see Lincolnwood keep growing. I know we're in an envelope. We're backed up on all sides. We can't grow landwise, but we can grow intellectually. 

Christopher Renkosiak  18:27  
Sure.

Pamela Stavinoga  18:27  
And economically. I think it's something that we have to maintain and keep growing so that we don't become dead. That's not the right word. 

Christopher Renkosiak  18:53  
Stagnant?

Pamela Stavinoga  18:54  
Stagnant, yes, stagnant. There's so many good things about Lincolnwood, and so many businesses that could come here and open up. We're right next to Skokie and Niles. We've got these great communities around us and if we could just grow inside then maybe we can uplift ourselves through some of the things like they do. They have a downtown that's really cool! We have a village hall, but it would have been nice to have a downtown. I mean, downtown could be Lincoln Avenue. You know, build it up in that way. It would be nice to see see us grow. 

Christopher Renkosiak  19:45  
Yeah. Okay. One final question for you. What is your absolute favorite Lincolnwood memory?

Pamela Stavinoga  19:54  
My absolute favorite. The first time I marched in the Memorial Day Parade. 

Christopher Renkosiak  20:01  
What year was this? 

Pamela Stavinoga  20:03  
I don't remember. 

Christopher Renkosiak  20:04  
Okay. 

Pamela Stavinoga  20:04  
But it was the first one. I just started working with the Friends, and we were in the Parade that year. I did the Queen's wave, and I threw candy. It was just marvelous. 

Christopher Renkosiak  20:22  
Sure. 

Pamela Stavinoga  20:23  
The most recent memory that I can think of? That would be it. 

Christopher Renkosiak  20:28  
Awesome. All right. Well, thank you so much, Pamela, this has been wonderful. 

Pamela Stavinoga  20:31  
Thank you.

Christopher Renkosiak  20:32  
Is there anything else you'd like to say? 

Pamela Stavinoga  20:33  
No, I can go on and on and we don't want that.

Christopher Renkosiak  20:38  
All right. Well, again, my name is Christopher Renkosiak of the Lincolnwood Public Library, interviewing Pamela Stavinoga for the My Lincolnwood Story project. Thank you, Pamela.

Pamela Stavinoga  20:46  
Thank you!