For Whom the Bell Tolled

St. Spyridon was built in 1906, the bell tower added in 1916 and the bell installed in 1917.

An early Greek settler, Vasilis Adamopoulos (Bill Adams), a successful and respected businessman in Sheboygan, was instrumental in getting the bell for the church.

At about the time the bell arrived, February 24, 1917, Bill Adams became ill and believing he would soon die, predicted the newly arrived bell would first ring for him. His friends, not realizing how ill he was, told him to stop worrying, that he only had a cold, but they were wrong. Mr. Adams was indeed seriously ill with pneumonia and sadly, he succumbed to the disease at the age of 37, on March 5, 1917, about nine days after the bell arrived!

His chilling premonition had come true; the bell, which he wanted so much to be a part of our church, ironically did first ring for him.

This story, told to me by my grandmother, Yiannoula Revezoulis (who knew Mr. Adams), always fascinated me, and never did I doubt it was true.

Its impact, however, became even greater years later when I read the story, practically word for word as Yiayia had told it, in the Sheboygan Telegram. It must have been quite a funeral; all Greek businesses were closed that day out of respect, according to the obituary.

One cannot help but feel a deep sadness at such a tragic loss of a young man, but fortunately, we have a picture of Vasilis Adamopoulos taken on a very joyous occasion -- Easter Sunday, 1904 -- along with many other Greeks roasting a lamb, lifting their glasses in a toast, one fellow playing what seems to be an accordion. What a celebration that must have been!

Contributed by JGR