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Born in Baltimore, but Morton Grove is home
Mary Jo LeBeau, administrative secretary/aide for the Morton Grove Fire Department has worked at the department for 39 years. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: December 12, 2012 9:10AM
MORTON GROVE — Mary Jo LeBeau is closing in on her 40th year with the Morton Grove Fire Department. She started as a secretary, hired to help the department’s first fire chief, Chris Hildebrandt. At the time, there wasn’t even space for her at the fire station. LeBeau worked out of the north station until the new one at Lincoln and Callie was built. LeBeau has served each of Morton Grove’s five chiefs over the over the four decades. Mirroring the growth of the department, LeBeau’s job and responsibilities have expanded as well. As administrative assistant, she handles personnel and payroll issues. She also serves as secretary for the Morton Grove Fire and Police Commission, which interviews applicants for both public safety departments. Though she’s not a native of Morton Grove, LeBeau has lived in town most of her life. She moved to the area from Baltimore at five years old when her father started at Baxter Travenol Laboratories’ Morton Grove facility.
Q: How would you describe your connection to the village?
A: I grew up here. I went to St. Martha’s (Catholic School). I raised a daughter here and now I’m a grandma. My mom still lives here. My dad was on the Board of Health. My mother worked for Public Works. My daughter was the chamber director for a while. We’ve all been a little part of the village.”
Q: Have you been active in the village in other ways?
A: I’ve been active in the Morton Grove Foundation and on the Taste (of Morton Grove) Committee for 25 years. I’m the person who coordinates the silent auction. The Taste is something that has grown. We started at the Fireside (Inn) when that was here with about 300 people. We moved to the Ritz in Niles until it got too small and we moved to the White Eagle. We have more than 800 people. Each year it’s grown. It’s our major fund-raiser for the foundation.
Q: How have the fire department and your job changed since you started?
A: When I started the firemen didn’t have masks. They would walk into a fire with a cigarette hanging from their mouth. They would hang on the outside of a fire truck. Those things have changed. Too many of them were getting killed. The paramedic program was just starting when I came. There is so much more record keeping now. Everything’s computerized.
Q: Why have you stayed in Morton Grove and at the fire department for so long?
A: Anybody establishes roots. You have your network of friends and coworkers who are also friends. I know Morton Grove doesn’t have a motto of a community of volunteers, but there are a lot of volunteers. That’s good. Just look at these guys (firefighters). They’re always helping out with something. The firemen are good guys to work with. They like to work as a team. They depend on each other. That makes working here also very pleasant.
