In Honor Of
James W. Retseck

The EASTLAND DISASTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY preserves and shares the names, faces, and stories of the tens of thousands of people affected by the tragedy.
JAMES W. RETSECK

In the late 2000s, Jim began his decades-long personal journey of becoming a leader in preserving and sharing the history of the Eastland Disaster. This included the very moving dedication in July 2022 of a gravemarker for Anna Kubiak, a victim of the Eastland Disaster whose family was a resident of Michigan City, Indiana (Jim's hometown). Anna's grave had been unmarked - nameless - for over 100 years.

To acknowledge and celebrate Jim's heartfelt and passionate contributions to EDHS, the EDHS Board of Trustees voted unanimously to create a permanent legacy honoring his contributions. (Read the board's declaration here.)

This honorary webpage, plus a parcel of Eastland Disaster materials named in honor of Jim that were donated to the Newberry Library, serve as reminders of Jim's lasting legacy to EDHS, its community of followers, and the public in general.