Naperville's Genevieve: A Daughter's Memoir

For over 45 years Genevieve Towsley was a highly respected journalist and historian in Naperville, Illinois. Through her weekly columns she chronicled and influenced the changes in Naperville from a rural community to a major and prosperous suburb. She was always a talented wordsmith, whether telling about one of the city's founding families, of an atomic physicist newly moved to Naperville or her pioneer childhood in Idaho. Her many historic articles were so well researched that they were collected and published in one volume, "A View of Historic Naperville" that is in its sixth printing. She was described as courageous and a woman of valor, for she often wrote about controversial issues. Because of her feature stories, the community's Centennial Beach became integrated, and there is a business corridor instead of a dog racing track north of the city. She championed the saving of an historic church which led to the establishment of the Naperville Heritage Society. She loved to bake as much as she loved to write and became famous for her caramel pecan rolls, This and other favorite recipes are included in the book. Her daughter, Caryl Towsley Moy, professor emerita, University of Illinois at Springfield, punctuates Naperville's Genevieve stories with her own memories of this unusual woman. Donna DeFalco, longtime Naperville resident and former Naperville Sun reporter, assisted in editing the book. The Idaho Childhood chapter is written by Genevieve herself..