No...not Ryno! Some lady dancer I never heard of. I thought the subject title might catch some attention. Sorry for trying to have a little fun.
From today's Chicago Tribune:
Bernadette "Betty" Sandberg, a longtime Hinsdale resident, performed as a dancer in leading theaters and clubs around the country in the 1930s and '40s and also took her solo act on the road for USO tours during World War II.
Mrs. Sandberg, 91, whose unique style of dance blended tap and ballet, died Tuesday, Jan. 12, in her home after a long illness, family members said.
"It was a time in her life when she really loved to dance," said her husband of 58 years, Wallace. "And she was quite good at it."
Mrs. Sandberg was born near Bremen, Ind., and was raised on her family's farm. When she was in her 20s, she moved to Chicago to attend a dance academy.
Using the stage name "Betty Hill," Mrs. Sandberg created an act combining dance movements from ballet and tap and performed in various clubs around the city, including The Minuet on Rush Street.
In 1942, the Chicago Herald American newspaper gave Mrs. Sandberg rave reviews for her performance at the city's Hi-Hat Club. One critic wrote, "With her modern style of rhythm and dance, she's packing them in!"
During the war years, Mrs. Sandberg traveled across the country, performing in such famed venues as the Golden Gate Theater in San Francisco. She also performed on USO tours, entertaining thousands of troops at military bases in the U.S.
Mrs. Sandberg did not dance professionally following her marriage in 1951.
"She'd been dancing for more than 10 years," her husband said. "We decided at that point to make a complete switch in our lives."
Mrs. Sandberg lived with her family in Minnesota, Michigan and Iowa, before moving to Hinsdale in 1963.
"Her role with us was as a mother, and she was wonderful at that," said her daughter Laura Yeo.
Other survivors include another daughter, Diana; two grandchildren; and many nephews and nieces.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in Hinsdale United Methodist Church, 945 S. Garfield Ave., Hinsdale.
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