Dick Illingworth
Aurora
July 03, 2008 10:59 PM
Longtime Aurora resident, Illingworth, 92, has tumour removed
By: Simone Joseph
Dick Illingworth wrote a play review during a three-day break from hospital.
The British farce Move Over Mrs. Markham was “well done, very funny”, he says.
Mr. Illingworth has colon cancer and had tests and surgery at Southlake Regional Health Centre two weeks ago.
Sick or not, in true Illingworth style, he wanted to do some writing.
Mr. Illingworth, 92, is a longtime area journalist and somewhat of a legend in town as a former mayor and former columnist at The Era-Banner.
Over the years, he has covered York Regional council, York Region’s two school boards, the conservation authorities and, of course, Aurora council.
So how is he doing following the surgery to remove a tumour from his bowel?
“I feel much better now. Last week was rough. I could not move much,” he said Monday.
He will try to attend the next Aurora council meeting July 15 and plans to continue doing his one-minute editorial on Rogers as part of its local newscast.
“You have got to have some reason to get up in the morning,” he said.
Despite his age, he is hardly living the life of a retiree and, instead, enjoys working.
He used to love playing golf and curling but a slipped disc in his back put an end to this.
“Every time I get the feeling like I want to exercise, I lie down until the feeling wears off,” he said.
Mr. Illingworth turned 92 June 11 and spent his birthday in the hospital. When the nurses found out, they rounded up others to sing him the Happy Birthday song.
“Some did not know my name and it petered off,” he said.
Mr. Illingworth does not have formal journalistic training.
In 1969, when Mr. Illingworth was first elected mayor, the editor at The Aurora Banner asked if he could do a mayor’s report. He did not think he could do it at first. He went on to write a column for the paper.
Mr. Illingworth has lived in Aurora since 1954.
He is optimistic about recovering.
“They think they got it all. It was a low-grade one. They got it early and the follow-up is at the end of July,” he said. “I feel much better this week. I was amazed at how good I felt. Last week, I was just dragging around.”
He was discharged from hospital about a week ago.