Mark and Cindy Todd of Oak Park announce the engagement of their son, Richard Todd, to Linnea Post, daughter of George and Linda Post of Renton, Wash. Richard, a 2002 graduate of Oak Park and River Forest High School, is a Petty Officer 2nd Class in the U.S. Navy assigned to the nuclear submarine USS Louisiana. Linnea, after finishing her student teaching this fall, will receive her degree in French and Secondary Education from Seattle Pacific University in June 2009. The wedding will take place on March 21, 2009 in Seattle.
Italian-American artists
The Cultural Center of the Casa Italia recently exhibited the works of more than 20 Italian-American artists, including painters, sculptors and photographers at the Cook County Treasurer’s Office, 118 N. Clark St., Suite 112, from Sept 23 through Oct 27. Among the artists displaying their works were filmmaker-painter Tom Palazzolo and painter Claudia Pontarelli-Hallissey, both of Oak Park.
Engineering a wedding
Rob and Eileen Kleps of Oak Park announce the wedding of their son, Stephen Matthew Kleps, to Rebecca Louise Oppenheim, daughter of Mark and Rosalie Oppenheim of Downers Grove. The wedding took place on June 22, 2008, and was followed by a honeymoon trip to Canada. Stephen, a 1998 graduate of Oak Park and River Forest High School, received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 2002 and a master’s in structural engineering in 2003, both from the Illinois Institute of Technology. He is self-employed as owner of Kleps Construction Inc., a general contracting company. Rebecca received a bachelor’s degree in theater from Drake University in 1999 and a masters degree in Elementary Education from Dominican University in 2004. She is a fourth grade teacher at the Avery Coonley School in Downers Grove. The couple lives in River Forest.
OPer marries RFer
Megan Elizabeth Murray, daughter of Gerald and Joanne Murray of River Forest, married Samuel James Elsener, son of James and Patricia Elsener of Oak Park. They were married on June 14, 2008, at St. Giles Catholic Church.
The bride received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and master’s degree from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism. She is an associate producer for The Oprah Winfrey Show. The groom received his bachelor’s degree from Butler University in Indianapolis. He currently manages Samsung Electronic’s IT division.
Murray and Elsener both graduated from Oak Park and River Forest High School in 1999.