Tributes pour in for Marvin ‘Preach’ Webb

For a long time, Webb walked the streets of Edwardsville, working errands for regional businesses and most importantly, producing mates.

After his mom died, Webb lived with his brother, James Webb, in Edwardsville, and there was a time when every person in the downtown small business district realized his title.

“It started with our mother, Lillie Webb, who understood that Marvin was a special child,” James Webb reported. “She took him downtown and launched him to all of the merchants and instructed them if they essential a superior challenging worker, her son Marvin was that man.

“From that minute on, the doors opened up and Marvin would go to Vanzo’s Taproom, August Mirring Florist, Imber’s Men’s Put on, Schwartz’s Drugstore and a large amount of other enterprises all-around town. Skip Duffy at the Wildey Theatre utilized him as an usher, and he’d stay there late each individual night time so she wouldn’t have to depart by herself. He would take the deposits from Vanzo’s and other sites to the Bank of Edwardsville.”

Webb’s favourite spot, however, may have been August Mirring Florist.

“They gave him two carnations just about every day, one particular on just about every lapel,” James reported. “That was his trademark and the moment he received those people, he would wander up and down Most important Street and give them to the girls. He did that all of his everyday living until he could not do it any longer and then he retired.”

Gwen Baird is the daughter-in-regulation of the late Nina Baird, who was Edwardsville’s town clerk for 21 several years. She understood Webb given that the early 1980s.

“I fulfilled him at the old Vanzo’s (110 St. Louis St.) and Vickie Vanzo Stassi, whose spouse and children owned the tavern for all people a long time, was with me above the weekend when we frequented him at the hospital,” Baird reported. “Preach applied to come into Vanzo’s just about every working day and he was the star there.

“My mom-in-law was in all of the events like the parades, and he was also there far too. We grew to become close friends just from hanging out at Vanzo’s. The most enjoyable was when Vickie experienced karaoke evenings. Marvin had so several nicknames, like Cat Daddy, Preach, Marv, Elvis and Six-Timer. He generally utilised to get up and sing at karaoke and I would sing there also. I bought him an Elvis cap and some other Elvis stuff, but he was constantly thrilled to be singing.”

Stassi’s loved ones ran the unique Vanzo’s Taproom on St. Louis Avenue, and she ran the later on site on North Main Road. Webb was a fixture at both equally destinations.

“I can bear in mind him my whole life, but he was all over Edwardsville,” Stassi claimed. “Where Glik’s is now, they had the old National grocery retail store and if a cart was rolling in somebody’s way, he would go grab it.

“At the new Vanzo’s, he ran errands for me as perfectly as everybody else downtown. For me, he would go to the lender and get coins and transform. He came in just about every day for lunch, and he termed me ‘Bickie’ for the reason that he could not say ‘Vickie.’ I saw him 3 moments in the clinic ahead of he passed.”

Past week, Baird received a simply call from James Webb expressing that his brother was in the clinic.

“I was out in Bloomington at the time, but I termed Vickie and explained to her about it and she went to the medical center that working day to take a look at him,” Baird explained. “When I obtained back in city, he was nonetheless there, and he FaceTimed with me previous Saturday. I finished up coming to the clinic Saturday evening and he seemed superior, and he was in very good spirits.

“We were speaking about old occasions at Vanzo’s and I pulled up the karaoke version of ‘Kansas City’ on my cellphone. I strike the engage in button and it was like he reworked into his old self. He would snap his fingers and sing ‘Kansas City’ over and about yet again. The people today functioning at the clinic began coming in and inquiring us if we were being owning a social gathering. I stayed for a few of hours on Saturday and I’m so happy I did. I retained playing the aged tunes and he just sat back and liked it.”

Sherrie Hickman, in the meantime, is a member of the Preach on Principal Undertaking. In January 2021, the team held an unveiling and determination ceremony for a plaque honoring Preach at the Madison County Administration Building at 157 N. Major St.

The Preach on Main Venture also commenced the Marvin “Preach” Webb Scholarship.

“I’m from Edwardsville and I’ve identified Preach considering that I was a child,” Hickman mentioned. “I bear in mind at the large university when he utilized to stand outdoors of our basketball game titles and remind persons that they could not bring foods or drinks into the health club.

“I received included with the Preach on Key Undertaking quite a few a long time ago when there was dialogue of doing a statue of him. I received to know Preach’s relatives a very little more and I’ve read a whole lot of terrific tales about him.”

The scholarship is being administered as a result of the Edwardsville Local community Foundation and is open up to learners from District 7. Donations are continue to staying acknowledged as a result of the Edwardsville Neighborhood Basis at https://www.edwardsvillecommunityfoundation.org/.

“When Preach was in 3rd quality, they despatched him residence from college since they didn’t have the usually means to guidance his wants,” Hickman stated. “This scholarship will support other exclusive requires youthful older people get capabilities to more their independence.

“We’ve experienced two scholarship winners and Lewis and Clark Group School has a daily life techniques plan for unique demands college students. Every single yr, a large school scholar is awarded a $1,000 scholarship and they have the opportunity to choose courses at Lewis and Clark at each the Edwardsville and Godfrey campuses.”

James Webb is specially proud of what his brother meant to the city of Edwardsville, and what the town meant to him.

“Marvin was a piece of do the job and a pleasure to the neighborhood. He liked the town of Edwardsville and would not say just about anything poor about it,” James said. “He by no means skipped a soccer recreation or basketball video game at Edwardsville High University or just about anything else that went on there. They produced him an honorary mascot.

“One time when they were owning an celebration at SIUE, he walked all the way there, but I imagine anyone finished up providing him a trip house. They were astonished that he walked, but we wanted to be a portion of that celebration and he was not going to miss it.”

James also has fond reminiscences of his brother’s connection with the late point out Senator Sam Vadalabene, who died in 1994.

“When Senator Sam was ready to go to Springfield for a black-tie dinner at the governor’s mansion, Marvin would go with him,” James mentioned. “He would ship a notice home to my mother, and she produced confident that Marvin was dressed up in his fantastic suit. Senator Sam would send his driver listed here and choose Marvin up and off to Springfield they would go.

“Senator Sam would choose Marvin to all sorts of affairs and dinners. This was again when issues were being racially stressed and he lived by means of that period, but everyone cherished him. Decades in the past, when a Black person could not sit at the counter at Schwartz’s Drugstore, (proprietor) Bob Schwartz liked him and he would feed Marvin lunch and supper, and Marvin would sit there at the counter and chuckle and smile.”

Numerous decades just after Vanzo’s shut, Baird and Stassi taken care of their friendship with Webb.

“He lived with his brother James and for his last birthday (in January 2022), Vickie and I brought him a cake and a balloon,” Baird explained. “Not extensive just after that, I received him an Edwardsville Tigers shirt simply because he was the mascot of Edwardsville Higher College. He was usually at basketball video games and football games.

“When Vanzo’s was open, Vickie would give him the day’s deposits and he would wander them around to the Financial institution of Edwardsville. He would operate errands for persons all the time. He just had a heart of gold.”

Stassi has plenty of Preach tales from about the yrs and she shared a number of of them.

“He would often deliver me a card on my birthday, but because he couldn’t read through, it may well have been a sympathy card or a marriage ceremony anniversary card,” Stassi reported, laughing. “When I was sick, he would arrive in with a get-perfectly card or regardless of what card it might have been, additionally a roll of Hall’s cough drops.

“He also had an honorary badge that the city gave him. He would go all-around and ‘arrest’ people today and you would place your thumb on the badge like you were finding fingerprinted.”

As of Friday early morning, the Preach on Key Task Fb web page https://www.fb.com/preachonmainstatue/) experienced 176 feedback and 178 shares about Webb’s dying.

Tributes ended up also pouring in from latest or former Edwardsville people who even now try to remember Preach.

“I’ve not lived in Edwardsville for 37-additionally yrs but nevertheless have loved ones there and so quite a few fond reminiscences,” Tracy Gotz of North Augusta, South Carolina, mentioned in an email. “I remember my father, Herb Winte, constantly telling me if I ever necessary everything to seem for Preach as he would support, and I could often believe in him. Liked it when he would be at Schwartz’s counter possessing ice product with me and my dad.

“Everywhere my partner has been stationed and all over the place we have lived, such as our UAE good friends, have listened to me talk about Preach. Good childhood recollections I will always treasure.”

Thomas Webb (no relation) was a member of the Edwardsville Municipal Band from 1964 to 1968 and pointed out that Preach was an “unofficial” member of the band. 

“Any concert, parade, or other overall performance, Preach was there,” Webb reported in an electronic mail. “Setting up or taking down chairs, carrying the huge suitcase that held our audio, transferring devices, or just ‘directing traffic’.

“On a parade, you could glimpse off to just one aspect as we marched the parade route and he would be there, carrying that beat-up suitcase.  He even had his possess Muni Band cap. I are unable to say for sure, but I’m absolutely sure ‘Gus’ Etzkorn may well have arranged to make sure Preach was compensated in some way.

“We all knew this working day was right before us and it has arrived. Sad to say, Edwardsville has lost an icon. Just about every village, city, or metropolis has a citizen that typifies the character of the local community, and Marvin ‘Preach’ Webb outlined Edwardsville.”

Kari Eaker is the proprietor of Eaker’s Spouse and children Barbershop, 227 N. Most important St. She cannot keep in mind a time when Preach was not element of her lifestyle.

“We’ve been open up considering the fact that 1951 and even prior to we ended up open up, Marvin was presently walking up and down Key Street,” Eaker explained. “The amusing issue is that he would under no circumstances enable my dad or grandpa minimize my hair, and he did not begin coming to the barbershop for a haircut right up until I came there. Prior to that, he understood my dad and grandpa and ran errands for us as effectively as all of the other merchants in town.

“I imagine people beloved him simply because of his pure coronary heart and his innocence. He was often happy to see everyone and often explained hi there to them. He would pull out his badge and say he experienced issues below regulate.”

Like numerous people, Eaker has put in the earlier couple of times reminiscing about Webb and swapping Preach tales with pals.

“We have a few of photographs of him in the barbershop and he’s talked about all the time,” Eaker reported. “He came in for a haircut within just the earlier couple of months. His brother James begun bringing him in close to the time he stopped going for walks up and down Primary Avenue. He explained that Preach talked about us each individual working day and he usually wanted to go downtown, even in the previous couple of days of his life.”

Webb’s pure heart and innocence shine by way of in a pair of tales that Eaker shared.

“I despatched him to the post office 1 day to buy 100 stamps and I considered they ended up about $49, but he arrived again with the stamps and pointed to the receipt,” Eaker explained. “I stated, ‘Preach, I didn’t give you plenty of funds,’ but he paid $8 out of his personal pocket to shell out for the remainder of my stamps. Of training course, I gave him the dollars back, but it was very exclusive to me that he did that for me.

“Another time, I went to his household right after he experienced knee surgical treatment to give him a haircut and he was so happy to have me there with his family members. He was making an attempt to get me to reduce their hair way too and his brother James imagined that was hilarious.”

Damon Johnson is yet another person whose daily life was touched by Webb at an early age.

“I’ve recognised him for 61 years, but I was 8 several years aged when I achieved Preach on Major Road in the Ben Franklin shop,” Lucas said. “My mom and I ended up checking out and he seemed down at me and explained, ‘Hey kid, how are you performing?’ I looked at my mother and she stated, ‘talk to him,’ so I mentioned hi there and instructed him my title.

“When I was 16, I commenced performing at Schwarz’s Drugstore and I was there for 4 years. My identify according to him was ‘Demon,’ and that is what he called me my full everyday living. He gave various names to a whole lot of folks and if you have been fortunate more than enough to be tagged with just one of people names, you had been component of that near circle that he always embraced.”

Through his time functioning at Schwartz’s, Lucas would see Webb 5 times a week, and the two turn out to be shut mates.

“When I was young, I experienced a bike and if I was getting a day off and heading down Primary Road, I’d pull more than and he would get on and we would just take a trip,” Lucas stated. “He would hold on tight, but he would wave at a couple of people today.”

When Lucas would go on getaway, he would deliver again presents for Webb.

“Marvin would go household, and his brother James would inquire wherever he obtained those people offers, and he would say ‘Demon gave it to me.’ James read about ‘Demon’ for many years and had no thought who I was,” Lucas said, laughing. “A handful of yrs back, Marvin was in the clinic, and I stopped in to see him and James was there.

“As soon as I walked in the doorway, Marvin said, ‘Hey Demon, what are you accomplishing in this article?’ James looks up at me and he claimed ‘so you are Demon. Ultimately, I have received a face to put with the name.”

Lucas’ description of his mate offers a fantastic summary of why Marvin “Preach” Webb is an Edwardsville icon who can never ever be replaced.

“He would give you unconditional friendship – if you have been his mate, you ended up likely to keep his close friend,” Lucas stated. “Other cities have their goodwill ambassadors, but we like to feel that Preach was the finest goodwill ambassador a city could ever have.”