I NEVER TOLD MY FATHER I LOVED HIM and he died suddenly of a heart attack at 53.

TO THIS DAY, MANY YEARS LATER, I regret never having said those words, never having had the chance to thank him for all his sacrifices, his concern, his support.

FATHER’S DAY IS JUNE 19 but we should honor and thank our fathers every day of our lives.

SADLY, TOO MANY SONS AND DAUGHTERS HATE their dads for real and imagined reasons. The anger, the hostility, the charges of abuse and abandonment mar this day and mar lives.

THERE ARE NO PERFECT FATHERS and no perfect children, either. If dads sacrifice for us, and most do, they deserve our love and appreciation.

TOO MANY FATHERS end their days unloved and alone, despite the family they created. Some get a child’s visit at the nursing home once a year — on Father’s Day.

WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT for all of us to say “I love you,” and to say “Thank you?”

THESE WORDS HEAL AND NOURISH, and heavens know we all hunger for love and acceptance.

DON’T LEAVE YOUR DAD OUT IN THE COLD if he’s still around. When you finally find the courage, the strength and the time to tell him you love him, he may be gone.

WHO ARE THE TWO SISTERS who still believe their stepfather killed their frail mother by pushing her down the stairs in their posh duplex co-op? She died of her injuries two years ago and he’s been enjoying her wealth and is planning his wedding to a much younger divorcee.

THE FBI HAS BEEN CALLED IN to unravel an alleged $40 million fraud that reads like a Greek tragedy. The only son of a well-known, respected Chicago businessman forged his father’s name to gain control of property and lines of credit, as well as solicited clients for business ventures that were phony and went belly up.

two hundered NUDE BIKERS showed their bare essentials Saturday night during the annual World Naked Bike Ride that made its way down Division Street. Some wore shorts but most, just a smile.

YOU CAN HAVE THE BEST MEDIC in the world but if his staff isn’t savvy, you may have problems. A reader called to tell me that he phoned his doctor and left a message that said, “I FELL OFF THE WAGON, ate a lot of greasy food and have severe stomach pains.” He was told to come to the hospital for tests. They took x-rays of his elbow. “Why are you doing this?” he asked. “You fell off a wagon,” was the reply.

CORRECTION: FRENCH FINANCE MINISTER Christine Legarde, in line to replace disgraced Dominique Strauss-Kahn as head of the International Monetary Fund, was formerly head of the giant law firm Baker & McKenzie, and officed here.

BEEFING UP SECURITY because of the roving mob attacks are many Near North buildings, adding doormen and garage personnel, especially because summer months (and the July 4 holiday) mean more pedestrian traffic.

ROMANTIC NEWS about singer and playwright Melody Swink. The pretty blond was the bride May 27 of Hubert Bromma, CEO of Entrust Group, a global financial services company with offices around the world. He has written five books on global investment strategies, published by McGraw-Hill. The couple will live in their homes in San Rafael, Calif. and in Paris … “In a single drop of his love,” said Melody, “I became an ocean.”

WANT A FRESH, IMPUDENT VIEW OF OUR WORLD? TRY WITTY TOM KOLOVOS, via acontrolledsubstance.com.

HOTEL TYCOON IAN SCHRAGER, REMODELING THE AMBASSADOR EAST HOTEL to be an important, hot new addition to our town, is asking us whether the dining room should be called the Pump Room, as of old, or Gold Coast Kitchen. It is a no-brainer, Ian. Rename the new restaurant the Pump Room Kitchen!

IF WE ASK EVERY SEX-MAD POLITICIAN TO RESIGN, like wildman Anthony Weiner, we will loose the bulk of our lawmakers. It is between them and their wives, and hopefully, their psychiatrists.

THE GORGEOUS PODIATRIST Dr. Gina Santori has given a $1.25 million gift to the Rush-Copley Medical Center in honor of her husband, Richard Santori, who died last November. “Richard was a warm, genuine man who cared deeply about others,” she said. “The gift will help patients seeking care.”

I WAS SADDENED AND SHOCKED to receive an anonymous death threat because I am against the heliport atop the new Children’s Memorial Hospital east of Chicago Avenue in a densely populated area. “If you had a critically ill child, you wouldn’t feel this way,” my detractor typed, vowing to do me in. Sorry, I am concerned about sick kids when every second counts, but the margin for error is zero in this situation, and the weather and wind conditions can be brutal. Experts far smarter than me see the danger in this heliport.

CHANNEL 9 NEWS ANCHOR MICAH MATERRE and 
her daughter, McKenzie, attended the Adler Planetarium 2011 Women in Space Science Awards presented at a luncheon in the Standard Club. Later, 300 girls from public schools spent an afternoon at the Planetarium for a science program.

PAYING MILLIONS TO THE WIDOWS AND KIDS of two British businessmen he killed with his Porsche while driving in Fort Lauderdale has kept Ryan LeVin out of prison. He is the son of Shirley and Arthur LeVin, popular and respected local owners of Park Lane costume jewelers, a home party-like operation. Although this has been called “checkbook justice,” and caused some consternation, it must be noted that the victims’ widows supported the sentence of two years of house arrest, and checks to them “of an undisclosed amount.” The philanthropic LeVins, who also own racehorses, have eight children. Ryan, 36, manages their properties in Florida. The Trib of June 4 made this story the front-page headline, citing the interest in Florida and in London. Meanwhile, friends of the LeVins have rallied around them.

WEDDING CAKE TOPPERS, statues that really look like the bride and groom are the work of Taylor Zitman, 22, who sculpts them custom-made. She’s an artist who believes in love and wedding cakes. After we wrote about her two weeks ago, several brides called to ask us for a pix.

BICE RESTAURANT held a grand opening party in the Talbott Hotel where Raffaele Ruggeri and Chef Mario Camia greeted guests and served traditional northern cuisine.

DR. JACK KEVORKIAN, 83, DIED PEACEFULLY but still protesting that the terminally ill have the right to assisted suicide. He admitted he helped 130 people from 1990 to 1998 end their suffering. We shoot horses and put down sick dogs, but let humans suffer. Morphine drips cannot always end pain. Oregon, Washington and Montana have passed laws so that mentally competent, terminally ill citizens can request lethal medications from their physicians. The right to die with dignity should be allowed to all. We never thought Kevorkian should have gone to jail. He was a selfless humanitarian.

FASHION DESIGNER RICHARD DAYHOFF is now with Zeglio custom clothiers lending his expertise as creative designer.

MAKE-A-WISH is honoring Dr. Jason Canner for his work at Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital.

BUDDY LAWYERS on the new TV series “Franklin & Bash,” Breckin Meyer and Mark Paul Gosselaar play wild cards who are in a straight-laced legal firm. The TNT stars met fans at the Dana Hotel and Spa. Meyer starred in Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. Gosselaar was in NYPD Blue.

ONE OF SUMMER’S BEST MUSICAL EVENTS is the Chicago Opera Theatre’s “High Cs on the High Seas” June 28 with Kanan Cruises, planned by Brian Dickie. Call 312-704-8414.

PIVEN THEATER’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY gala and reunion dinner, auction, music at the Museum of Contemporary Art Loft is June 25. Maybe Jeremy Piven will show up with an entourage to spark the event.

BRUCE ABRAMS GOOD NEIGHBOR AWARD has gone to Hasani Steele of Steele Consulting Group of Properties, contractor Lewis Korompolis, Premium Builders; and architect John Hanna. The award is part of the Chicago Realtors program.

GRANDE DAMES OVER 50 will model at the Drake Hotel June 23 and proceeds will go to charity. 50 is the new 35, 40, 45, er, 50?

BAYER IS MAKING A NEW CRYSTAL ASPIRIN TO DISSOLVE UNDER THE TONGUE. Keep one near at all times. They work faster than the tablets. If you think you are having a heart attack, take aspirin, then call 911 and do not lie down! If you have chest pain, pain in the left arm, severe pain in your chin, or sweating and nausea, dissolve two aspirins in your mouth and swallow them with a little water. CALL 911 AND SAY “HEART ATTACK” AND SIT ON A CHAIR NEAR THE DOOR. DO NOT LIE DOWN!

PHOTOGRAPHS USED TO CREATE ATTRACTIVE, UNIQUE PRINTS are the basis of Cheairs collection created by designers Francesco Lowe and Harrison Luckett. It is a ready-to-wear line that has fashionistas’ approval and it is made in the USA. Dresses and separates boast prints made from stills from their fave movie of the moment, layered in unusual ways.

CELEBRATING THEIR 25TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY in Bali are trader Brad Griffith and designing wife Tiffani Kim.

DID YOU SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Prince, Gabrielle Giffords, Julianna Margulies, Natalie Portman, Johnny Depp, Hugh Laurie and Prince Philip?

DO YOU DREAM OF WAVING THE BATON and leading the Chicago Symphony Orchestra? It is an auction item at the June 22 benefit at The Casino, 195 E. Delaware Place, where the super-talented Michael Lerich and his orchestra will feature a tribute to Benny Goodman. The sponsor is the League of the CSO.

OLYMPIC CHAMPS IN THE SHOPPING DEPARTMENT, savvy fashionistas invaded Lulu’s at the Belle Kay and next door Urban Core Pilates for a special event. Standouts were Julie Roland, Caren Ehret, Christine Hall, Shannon Eiger, Amy McCarty, Maria Sullivan, Heather Nordloh, Jannie Pearlman, Jacqui Monieson, Laury Levy, Ginger Wineburgh, Deb Cole, Nina Mariano of Safia Jewelry, Lulu’s owner Laurie Davis, Dusty Stemer (mother of shoe designer Brian Atwood) and Maureen Schulman.

“IN MY HEART I LOVE WOMEN MORE THAN MEN. But I am more careful when I’m being interviewed by a woman, because from experience, I know there is a little stiletto knife hidden behind the back.”
 —HELEN MIRREN

CONTACT: annbgerber@gmail.com or 847-677-2232

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By Terry from Uptown
Posted: 06/22/2011 3:08 PM

Hey Ann - I\'m the Hannukatz Saves Hannukah guy. Anyway, here\'s a little farewell tweet for Dad-to-be Anthony Weiner. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbcRxX_z3Kc