Shirley Emily Slanker, Vice President and Historian for the Franzosenbusch Heritage Society (Westchester Historical Society) has been a Westchester resident for over 53 years.  She was born in Berwyn to Charles John Jablecnik/Jable and Emily Marie (Veverka) Jablecnik/Jable.  Early in her life her family name was shortened from Jablecnik to Jable.  She attended the Westchester grade school (Nixon) and was among the first class to graduate from the newly built gymnasium at Nixon School.  Previous classes graduated from the Seventh Day Adventist Academy facilities in Broadview, Illinois because of lack of facilities in Westchester.  She attended Proviso High School in Maywood -- at that time the only high school in Proviso Township. 

Shirley's family (parents and two brothers) lived on the 2100 block of Portsmouth Avenue, Westchester which originally was the Batterman farm site.   She married Robert Slanker in the Westchester Community Church.   Shirley and the late Robert are the parents of five children: Lynn, Robert, Jack, James and Thomas Slanker.  Shirley, Bob and their two children lived with her parents until they bought their home in Westchester.   In 1958 they moved to the then newly developed Martindale Estates in the south west corner of Westchester and Shirley has lived in the home ever since.  Shirley and Bob's children attended the Mary Jane Kennedy Grade School (Lynn was among the first class to start kindergarten and graduate from Mary Jane Kennedy.  Tom, her youngest, was among the last class to graduate from Kennedy School before they discontinued the use of the school). They then went on to attend Proviso West High School. 

Many of Shirley's her family bought George Nixon homes in 1948, 1949 and 1950. 

• Her brother Charles Frank Jable and his wife Mildred and their children Roger and Gayle bought one home on the 2100 block of Portsmouth Avenue in 1948.

• Her brother Erwin Jable and his wife Gertha and their children, Dawn and Glenn, bought another home on the 2100 block of Portsmouth Avenue in 1948.  Erwin Jable and wife Gertha still live in the same residence.

• Her aunt and Uncle John and Anna Vokoun (Veverka) bought another which was on the 1900 block of Portsmouth Avenue in 1949. 

• Her cousin Michael and Gladys Malpier (Vokoun) bought another home which is on the 2100 block of Newcastle Avenue.  Michael and Gladys still live in their home.

In 1964 Shirley and Bob Slanker became the publishers of the "Westchester News" and continued the publication until 1974.  Because of her continuous involvement in the history and development of Westchester, it has been a very satisfying and enjoyable role for Shirley to play in the Historical Society.  Shirley and her late husband Bob actually started out with Luella Seida in the collection of material about Westchester around 1965.

Another plus for Shirley is the fact that her nephew Roger Jable married Janice (Hohne) Jable who is a great-great-granddaughter of Heinrich Degener, one of the founding fathers and builders of the Immanuel Lutheran School being renovated by the Franzosenbusch Heritage Project at 11225 Constitution Drive, Westchester.

Last Modified:  01/01/2007