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By Bob Goldsborough
Chicago Tribune
Dorothy Collin covered Congress and coauthored the Tribune's "INC." gossip column during a long career in which she wrote about a wide range of subjects with insight and wit.
"Dorothy had a lot of premier assignments and was a great Washington correspondent," said former Tribune Publisher and Editor-in-Chief R. Bruce Dold. "But the most interesting match might have come when she joined the Tribune's popular, personality-driven INC. column. She knew all the political players and fed the column with her knowledge and sources and that great sense of humor."
Collin, 85, died of complications from a collapsed lung Jan. 22 at Glenbrook Hospital in Glenview, said her nephew, Philip Collin. She had been a Lincoln Park resident for the past two decades.
Born Dorothy Sullivan in Denver, Collin was adopted as a child by her mother's second husband and took on his surname of Collin. She grew up in north suburban Golf and graduated from the now-shuttered Niles East High School. She went on to receive a bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa, where she was the city editor for the Daily lowan student newspaper and also co-edited the Daily lowan magazine.
She worked for a time for a paper in Florida before joining Chicago's American, a newspaper owned by the Tribune Co. that in 1969 became the tabloid Chicago Today. The 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago was one of eight national conventions she covered in her career.
She gained attention with a profile of social activist and civil rights leader Julian Bond, whom Collin followed on a whirlwind speaking tour in 1969. Bond was just 29 at the time, and decades away from his eventual longtime tenure as chairman of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, but Collin correctly deduced that Bond had an impressive future ahead of him.
"Going with him to a speech, (through) a crowd, is like tagging after the Beatles, or maybe James Brown or the Bobby Kennedy of 1966," Collin wrote.
In 1974, the Tribune absorbed Chicago Today, and Collin started writing a column simply called "People," about noteworthy personalities both in Chicago and around the U.S. She was part of a press junket interviewing actor Warren Beatty after the release of the film "Shampoo," while other subjects included profiling a meter reader, describing the work done by a video dating service and a wry look at the value of honorary college degrees.
In 1976, Collin began writing her own column, "Close-up with Dorothy Collin," which took a look at serious issues such as domestic abuse. At the start of 1981, Collin moved to Washington to work in the Tribune's D.C .bureau, covering Congress at the commencement of a new presidential administration. One of her colleagues was future Tribune Managing Editor Jim O'Shea, who at that time was the back-up reporter on Capitol Hill.
"Dorothys taught me how to write a story about the give and take needed to get legislation passed. 'You need to say who won and who lost real high in the story,' she told me, schooling me (on) how Congress worked," O'Shea recalled.
"She could zero in on who was worth knowing and who was legislative furniture. Most of all, though, she made work fun with her witty and, at times, snarky comments about those she covered or even those she observed," O'Shea said.
George de Lama, who worked in Washington and also went on to become a Tribune managing editor, said Collin was "warm, sweet, wickedly funny, assiduously astute and she was really diligent about learning her craft and learning her material."
"She was a fearless and highly competent woman who always moved very confidently in what then was still very much a man's world," de Lama said.
De Lama noted that Collin knew all the "lions of the Senate and the men who ran the House" in the mid-1980s, and "she had their respect, and most days, their grudging affection."
James Warren, a former Tribune Washington bureau chief arid later a managing editor, called Collin "a pro's pro with range, and a persistently upbeat spirit"
"When newspapers were like great department stores, with subject experts on every floor, Dorothy was a politics department expert," Warren wrote in an email. "She could write incisively about the inner workings of the U.S. Senate, a gripping feature about a tragedy or a happy-go-lucky travel story, and laugh at herself, and the world, when apt."
Tribune "Answer Angel" columnist Ellen Warren competed against Collin when Warren was with the Chicago Daily News and then worked alongside her for the Tribune on Capitol Hill.
"Dorothy embodied the very best of old-school Chicago journalism — tough, cynical, endlessly curious, work hard, play hard," Warren said. "She was a living, breathing encyclopedia of political Chicago and a hard-charging reporter when I watched her in action on Capitol Hill in Washington."
In 1989, Collin returned to Chicago and joined the Tribune's editorial board. A year later, she was tapped to coauthor the Tribune's INC. gossip column with Kathy O'Malley.
During her INC. years, the column headlined with topics such as White House correspondents' dinners, tussles between then-state House Speaker Mike Madigan and then- Gov. Jim Edgar, then-President Bill Clinton's inauguration and acclimation to Washington, the naming of the State of Illinois Center after former Gov. Jim Thompson, and then-Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun's relationship with her campaign manager, Kgosie Matthews.
"She was so knowledgeable — her whole life was reading politics and talking politics," said Chicago Sun-Times columnist Michael Sneed, a former INC. columnist and a longtime friend and traveling companion of Collin's. "She had this way of (telling) a story as if you wanted to be a part of it — she immediately made you feel smart and would bring you into this world of explanation that was not braggadocio, not that she knew more than everybody else, but you did sort of know that she knew more than everybody else. It was an amazing art — she would have all our fellow traveling companions in the palm of her hand."
In 1994, Collin moved to the newsroom to return to covering politics, and in particular the state's gubernatorial race that November. She retired the following year.
Collin traveled extensively to out of the way destinations such as Libya, India and Jordan. She took a solo trip to Afghanistan in 2008, surviving an accident in which her vehicle flipped and wound up in a ditch.
"An intrepid traveler, she embraced life with an adventurous spirit and was truly unafraid of anything," said Leslie Hindman, a frequent travel companion. "My favorite memories were of a trip to Libya weeks before the Arab Spring went down. Dorothy and Mike (Sneed) were afraid of nothing. Another time (in Paris) she insisted on going to the Arab quarter where cars were on fire and she walked around interviewing people who were protesting? for fun."
"Dorothy had been everywhere," Sneed said. "She talked the world, she traveled the world."
Collin leaves no immediate survivors.
A celebration of life is being planned for this summer.
Goldsborough is a freelance reporter.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 7, 2026 Media Contact Information: Aunt Millie's Bakeries Melissa Koeneman, director of marketing (260) 417-2581 mkoeneman@auntmillies.com
John F. Popp, President of Aunt Millie’s Bakeries
FORT WAYNE, Indiana — Aunt Millie’s Bakeries is deeply saddened to announce the passing of its President John F. Popp, who died on Friday, July 31, at the age of 94. A third-generation member of the family business, John’s leadership, optimism, faith, and unwavering commitment to people helped shape the company and its culture for more than four decades. John Franke Popp was born March 2, 1932, to Lucile and Les Sr. Popp. He grew up with his older brother, Les Jr., on Forest Park Boulevard in Fort Wayne and graduated from Northside High School in 1950. He went on to attend the University of Michigan, graduating in 1954, and entered the U.S. Army that same year. He served as a second lieutenant before returning home following his military service. John was offered an opportunity to begin a career as an analyst with T. Rowe Price, but his path ultimately led him back to Fort Wayne and the family bakery. At his mother’s urging, he returned home to join the business — a decision that would shape not only his own life, but the future of generations of the Popp family and Aunt Millie’s employees. Long before his career in baking, John developed a love for Lake Wawasee and water skiing, eventually becoming the Indiana state slalom water ski champion. It was at the lake that he met Esther Rolene, the love of his life. They married on June 19, 1960, and spent the next decades building a life together, raising two sons and creating countless memories with family and friends. Even with the demands of running a growing company, John made time for what mattered most, including cheering his sons on from the sidelines at their baseball and football games.
John F. Popp and his wife, Esther Rolene Popp
In 1967, John stepped away from the family bakery to pursue a career in real estate, where he developed the subdivisions of Devil’s Hollow, Manitou, Lakewood, West Hamilton Estates, White Loon, and Winding Brook. In 1980, he returned to Perfection Bakeries, where he helped guide the company through a period of significant growth and expansion. The company that would become known as Aunt Millie’s grew under his leadership into one of the largest family-owned baking companies in the United States. John viewed the people around him as an important part of that success. He loved being part of the team and was known for his optimism, encouragement, and genuine care for employees. His leadership was not simply about growing a business; it was about building an organization where people could grow, contribute, and feel that they were part of something bigger than themselves. A third-generation leader of the family-owned bakery founded in 1901, John was deeply committed to protecting and building upon the legacy established by his grandfather, John B. Franke. His influence also reached beyond Aunt Millie’s. He was a passionate advocate for independent bakeries across the country, working with industry organizations to strengthen and protect family-owned businesses. He believed in the importance of education and workforce development and encouraged lifelong learning within the company while supporting the next generation of leaders in the baking industry. In recognition of his contributions to the baking industry, John was inducted into the Baking Hall of Fame by the American Society of Bakers and Engineers in 2021. He also served the state of Indiana after being appointed by Governor Mike Pence to serve on the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. While John’s professional accomplishments were many, those closest to him knew that his faith and family were at the center of his life. He cherished Bible Study Fellowship and worshiped at The Chapel and Wawasee Lakeside Chapel. He was quietly generous and found joy in serving others through organizations including the Euell Wilson Center, Women’s Care Center, and Ratio Christi. John enjoyed spring breaks in Florida, trips to Maine, his ’61 Corvette, and working on projects at the lake. He appreciated the simple pleasures of life, but most of all, he loved his family. His greatest legacy will not be measured solely by the company he helped build, but by the family he loved, the people he encouraged, the lives he touched, and the values he carried with him throughout his life. “John Popp believed that success was built on people,” said Rick Brown, Chief Customer Officer. “He cared deeply about our employees, our customers, our communities, and the generations of families who have made Aunt Millie’s a trusted name. His leadership was defined by humility, kindness, and an unwavering commitment to doing what was right.” John’s passing leaves a tremendous loss for the Popp family, the Aunt Millie’s family, and the many people and organizations whose lives he touched. While the company mourns his loss, Aunt Millie’s leadership team remains committed to carrying forward the mission, values, and legacy John championed throughout his life. Daily operations will continue uninterrupted as the company moves forward under its established leadership plan. The Popp family extends its heartfelt appreciation for the many expressions of sympathy and support received during this difficult time. Memorial service information will be shared at a later date. About Aunt Millie’s Bakeries Founded in 1901 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Aunt Millie’s Bakeries is one of the largest family-owned bakeries in the Midwest, serving customers across six states with fresh bread, buns, rolls, bagels, and other baked goods. For more than a century, the company has remained committed to quality, innovation, and serving the communities it calls home.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 21, 2026 Media Contact Information: Michael Korman, highway commissioner North Township Road District (847) 728-7055 mike.korman@northfieldtownship.com
Northfield Township Road District’s Phase II project placed in Group 1, the top tier, of MWRD’s 2026 Stormwater Partnership Program; construction could begin as early as 2027
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