Obituaries September 8, 2022
BRONISLAW CIEZCZAK
Bronislaw Ciezczak, 84, of Orland Park, formerly of Chicago’s Archer Heights area, passed away on August 29.
He was the beloved husband of the late Stanislawa (nee Zatloka) Ciezczak; loving father of Czeslaw (Zofia) Ciezczak, Aniela (Stanislaw) Szczechowicz, Andrzej (Dorota) Ciezczak, Wladzia (Andrzej) Lojek and Zofia (Jan) Bzdyk; dearest grandfather of Christopher (Samantha) Ciezczak, Christina (Bartek) Karpiel, Beata (Wieslaw) Zwijacz, Andrzej (Donna) Szczechowicz, Monika Szczechowicz, David, Peter and Caroline Ciezczak; Bernadette ( Erik) Gruchalski, Daniel (fiancé Colleen) Lojek, Barbara, Robert and Matthew Bzdyk; great grandfather of Hubert, Jakub, Izabella, Olivia, Veronica, Maximilian, Sophia, Julia, Stanley, Emilia and Anthony; devoted son of the late Aniela (nee Marusarz) and late Jan Ciezczak; dear brother of the late Henryk (Aniela), late Leopold (late Anna), Wladyslaw (Mary) Ciezczak, Mary (Louis) Konat and the late Joseph (Stella) Ciezczak; fond uncle of many nieces and nephews.
Visitation was September 2 at Zarzycki Manor Chapels Ltd., 8999 S. Archer Ave., Willow Springs. Funeral was September 3 from the funeral home to Our Lady, Mother of the Church. Interment Resurrection Cemetery.
MARK J. COCHRANE
Mark J. Cochrane, 56, passed away unexpectedly August 25 at home in Naperville.
He was the beloved son of Margaret and the late Richard Cochrane; dear brother of Brian Cochrane. Mark will be missed by his aunt and many cousins and friends.
A memorial visitation will be held at St. Daniel the Prophet Church on Saturday, September 10, from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. A Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated at 11 a.m.
MARYANN CZUMA
Maryann Czuma (nee Bozek), 90, of Chicago’s Archer Heights community, passed away August 28.
She is the beloved wife of Edmund Czuma; loving mother of Barbara (Kenneth) Boyes, Pat (Russell) Charleston and Richard (Barbara) Czuma; dearest grandmother of David (Elizabeth) Charleston, late Kristen Ashlee Charleston, Richard Czuma, Michael (fiancé Sarah) Czuma and Christopher Boyes; devoted daughter of the late Stefania (nee Prydek) and late John Bozek; preceded in death by her siblings Sr. Viola Bozek, Genevieve (late Andrew) Jorasz, Helen (late Edward) Szymanski, Jessie (late Theofil) Paszkowski, Joseph, Stanley (Josephine), Edwin (late Eleanore), Casimir (Beverly) Bozek; fond aunt to many nieces and nephews.
She was the former St. Bruno School Secretary for 30 years. Member of St. Bruno Choir, Mother’s Club, Rosary Sodality, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Seniors and Bingo.
Visitation was held September 1 at Zarzycki Manor Chapels Ltd. 5088 S. Archer Avenue, Chicago. Funeral was held September 2 from the funeral home to the Church of St. Bruno for Mass. Interment Resurrection Cemetery.
JOHN L. FLAKUS
John L. Flakus, 76, passed away August 11.
Beloved husband of Carol (nee Bien) Flakus and the late Geraldine (nee Lewakowski) Flakus; loving father of Denise (Joseph) Alfery and Laura Volpe; step-father of Anthony Biernat, Karen Biernat, Christopher Biernat (Jessica Runge), Patricia Biernat and Jeffrey (Julie) Biernat; dear grandfather of Kyrstin and Chloe Alfery, Allie, Addison and Andi Runge, Mari and Vi Biernat and Hudson and Amelia Biernat; cherished son of the late Mary (nee Wojciechowski) and the late John Flakus; fond brother of the late Joan Christiansen and the late Jeannine Flakus; special cousin and nephew to many; step brother-in-law of Judy Bien and Paul Bien (Pamela Harding) and step-uncle of Alia Bien. Also survived by relatives and friends.
He was a member of the Hickory Hills Woodworking Club.
Memorial donations to the National Kidney Foundation are much appreciated.
Visitation was held August 16 at Damar-Kaminski Funeral Home & Crematorium, 7861 S. 88th Avenue, Justice. Funeral was held at the funeral home. Interment Resurrection Cemetery, Justice.
THADDEUS J. “TED” FORNEK
Thaddeus J. “Ted” Fornek, 99, passed away.
He was an Army Air Corps veteran of World War II.
Beloved husband of Jean (nee Buras); loving father of John (Geraldine) and Alice (Matthew) Luetger; dear grandfather of Michael, Brian (Kenzie), Jennifer (Jim) Tsai, David and Mark; dear brother Roy (Maryann), the late Claire (late Stanley) Wojtak, the late Alex, the late Edwin (late Lillian), the late Leonard (Geraldine) and the late Annamae (Ray) Zmuda; fond uncle of many.
He was a life member of the Central Park American Legion Post 1028.
Funeral service was held August 31 at the Richard-Midway Funeral Home, 5749 Archer Ave., Chicago. Interment at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations to your favorite charity would be preferred.
JEANNETTE JURCZEWSKI
Jeannette Jurczewski passed away August 29.
She was the beloved daughter of the late Frank and Estelle Jurczewski; loving sister of Patricia (late Ted) Dubrowski; Jeannette will be remembered by her dear aunt and godmother, Irene Strock and her many cousins.
She was a longtime dedicated employee of Local 150 Midwest Operating Engineers.
Jeannette will be cremated. She will be buried with her parents at Resurrection Cemetery.
PETRA “TITA” MALDONADO
Petra “Tita” Maldonado, 82, peacefully passed away August 25 at home.
Tita was daughter to the late Jesus Macedo and Maria de Jesus Rodriguez-Macedo, wife of the late Gildardo Maldonado. Tita leaves to cherish her loving memory her children, Griselda (Ismael Garcia) and Pedro; granddaughters Kristina, Sofia, Viviana and Alejandra; siblings Celia (Florencio Eusebio), Jose Macedo and Paz (Leonel Medina) and a host of nieces and nephews, family and friends.
Funeral was held September 1 at the Richard-Midway Funeral Home, 5749 Archer Ave., Chicago, to Our Lady of the Snows for mass. Entombment Queen of Heaven Cemetery.
ANNA MOCHEREK
Anna Mocherek (nee Gogola), 72, passed away August 12.
Beloved wife of Jakub Mocherek; loving mother of Miroslaw Mocherek and Grazyna Dudas; cherished daughter of the late Malgorzata (nee Kaczmarczyk) and the late Andrzej Gogola. Also survived by many relatives and friends.
Funeral was held August 17. Family and friends gathered at Saint Fabian Church, 7450 W. 83rd Street, Bridgeview, for Mass. Interment Resurrection Cemetery, Justice. Arrangements entrusted to care of Damar-Kaminski Funeral Home & Crematorium, 7861 S. 88th Avenue, Justice.
SHARON A. MONARI
Sharon A. Monari (nee Lewis), 70, passed away August 12.
He was an Army veteran.
Beloved wife of Joseph Monari; loving mother of Tina (Michelle) Monari, JoAnne (Tom) Coco, Michele (Jim) Paulsen and Mike (Michelle) Monari; dear grandmother of Jordan, JaVanna, Jeeno, Tyler, Cheyanne, Giovanni, Nico and Leilani; cherished daughter of the late Rosemary (nee Carter) and the late Basil Lewis; fond sister of Danny (Debbie) Lewis, Kathie (Johnny) Bentancourt, Mike (Rita) Lewis, Gene (Kay) Lewis and Terri (Mike) Edgell. Loved by numerous nieces and nephews.
He was a member of the American Legion.
Visitation was held August 15 at Damar-Kaminski Funeral Home & Crematorium, 7861 S. 88th Avenue, Justice. Cremation rites to be accorded.
GENOWEFA PAWLOWSKI
Genowefa Pawlowski (nee Cudek), 84, passed away after a brief battle with cancer August 17.
Beloved wife of the late Marian Pawlowski; loving mother of Margaret (Adam) Stoklosa and Jerzy (Iwona) Pawlowski; dear grandmother of Anya Stoklosa, Kalya Stoklosa and Michal Pawlowski; cherished daughter of the late Katarzyna (nee Kobylarczyk) and the late Wladyslaw Cudek; fond sister of Maria Swierczek, Janina Kazanowska and the late Marian Cudek. Also survived by nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
Visitation was held August 21 at Damar-Kaminski Funeral Home & Crematorium, 7861 S. 88th Avenue, Justice. Funeral was held August 22 from the funeral home to Saint Fabian Church, 7450 W. 83rd Street, Bridgeview for Mass. Interment Resurrection Cemetery, Justice.
SANDRA A. RIVARD
Sandra A. Rivard (nee Hlavaty), 69, of Chicago’s West Lawn community, passed away August 24.
She is the beloved wife of Ronald E. Rivard; devoted daughter of the late Penny (nee Kolecki) and the late Charles Hlavaty; loving sister of Charles (Diane) Hlavaty, Jim (Deb) Hlavaty, Cindy (Ken) Steele, Debbie (Bill) Knobbe and the late Lynne Kratovil; dear aunt of Kim Green, Joy McCoy, Noel Brinker, James Hlavaty, Ken Steele, Christy Knobbe and Samantha Knobbe.
Visitation was held August 31 at Zarzycki Manor Chapels Ltd. 5088 S. Archer Avenue, Chicago. Funeral was held September 1 at the funeral home. Interment Fairmount Willow Hills Memorial Park.
SAMUEL SANDOVAL
Samuel Sandoval, 89, passed away August 15.
Beloved husband of the late Delores (nee Olson) Sandoval; loving father of Denise (Mark) Adams, Laurie (Mahir) Affaneh and Sam Jr. (Isella) Sandoval; dear grandfather of Denise (Sergio), Amjed, David (Stephanie), Sam, Sara, Michael, Jacob, Addison, Max and Lee; dearest great-grandfather of Julian and Joshua; cherished son of the late Juana (nee Inocencio) and the late Juan Sandoval; fond brother of Elizabeth Torres. Also survived by relatives and friends.
Visitation was held August 19 at Damar-Kaminski Funeral Home & Crematorium, 7861 S. 88th Avenue, Justice. Cremation rites to be accorded.
GERALDINE A. SANTORO
Geraldine A. Santoro, 80, of Cape Coral, Florida, formerly of Orland Park, passed away September 1.
She was the wife of Philip R. Santoro Jr.; mother of Philip R. (Jennifer) Santoro III, and Lisa (Michael) Sneed; grandmother of six; sister of Judy (late Jack) Barry, Janet (Bret) Coyne, the late Carol (late Ron) Ecker, and John Wieczorek; sister-in-law of Phyllis James, Nancy (Howard) Chevlin, and the late Arlene (Jack) Riffice; aunt of many nieces and nephews.
Gerry was formerly a Sister of St. Joseph nun for seven years, and an English teacher in Orland School District 135 for 22 years. She was also CCD teacher and extraordinary minister at St. Michael Church in Orland Park.
Visitation will be held on Monday, September 12, at Thornridge Funeral Home, 14318 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park.
A Funeral Mass will be held on September 13 at St. Michael Church.
Interment Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery.
Arrangements entrusted to Thornridge Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorials directed to the Alzheimer’s Association are appreciated.
CONSTANCE SANTOS
Constance Santos (nee Valencia), 100, passed away.
Beloved wife of the late Victor M. Santos; loving mother of Riano (Celeste) and Victoria (Nuno); dear grandmother of Victor, Jennifer, Paul, Natalie, Thomas and Manny; great grandmother of many.
Constance was honored for her community work by the Fil-Am TV Hall of Fame, received Chicago’s Outstanding Senior of the Year award, and was recognized by the Filipino Women’s Network as one of the 100 Most Influential Women in the United States.
Funeral was held August 30 from the Richard-Midway Funeral Home, 5749 Archer Ave., Chicago, to St. Richard Church for mass. Interment Resurrection Cemetery.
Local News
‘Grizzled’ sophomores help Naz beat Marist
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Nazareth’s “grizzled veterans” have won 19 of their first 20 games. The Roadrunners’ were victorious in a big East Suburban Catholic Conference showdown with Marist, with two sophomores doing most of the damage in a 53-42 win in LaGrange Park on Jan. 19. Nazareth improved to 19-1, 4-0.…
Postseason Sports Report: Area stars ready for state bowling and dancing
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer The first two IHSA state tournaments for winter sports will take place this weekend, and an army of area athletes will be competing in both. The boys bowling and competitive dance championships will be held Friday and Saturday, with the bowlers heading to St. Clair Bowl in O’Fallon…
Strus tops former coach in Stagg’s win over Sandburg
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff writer Marty Strus has nothing but good things to say about his former high school coach, John Daniels. “He’s meant a ton to me,” Strus said of the coach he faced off against last week when his Stagg Chargers took on Sandburg. “He meant a lot to me as…
Palos Area Chamber dedicated to promoting area
Spread the loveBy Kelly White Dedicated to helping local area businesses strive is the Palos Area Chamber of Commerce. The chamber was formed in 1949 when a small group of merchants joined together for the purpose of advancing economic, industrial, professional, cultural, and civic welfare of the Palos Heights area. For 68 years, the Palos…
We need real solutions to crime
Spread the loveBy Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 Crime and safety concerns are the number one topic of all the calls and texts I receive. It seems that many politicians offer no solutions except the usual lists of ways to keep safe. I think everyone knows about locking…
Icy spill yielded plenty of good will
Spread the loveBy Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 284-7394 Here is a giant shout out to our first responders in the community. On Jan. 9, when a sheet of ice descended on Chicago, I was walking the dog. Walking around Peck School was great.…
It’s a busy January in Gage Park
Spread the loveBy Joan Hadac Neighborhood correspondent at large Greetings, Gage Parkers! I’m pleased to be filling in this week for Karen Sala. It’s fun for me to report on Gage Park, the neighborhood where I lived for the first 26 years of my life. There’s always something happening in this big, exciting part of…
You can bank on good service here
Spread the loveBy Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 In this world of corporate takeovers, it is kind of hard to feel safe in the hands of big business. First, we have to supply some of our personal information to the automated system. Then there’s…
Palos Park police to hold active shooter drill
Spread the loveFrom staff reports Palos Park Police will fine tune their strategies for dealing with an active shooter to ensure the safety of both officers and citizens later this month. The end goal of the January 30 drlll is to test the department’s active shooter response plans and fine tune them. “Palos Park effective…
Neighbors
Niego Real Estate salutes America again
Spread the love. Popular flag program underway . By Tim Hadac Clearing and Garfield Ridge residents who want to decorate their blocks in red, white and blue this Independence Day are encouraged to contact Niego Real Estate and reserve a supply of U.S. flags at no charge. The popular program to promote patriotism and community…
Lyons Mental Health Commission pulls LeaderShop funding
Spread the loveExecutive director accused of harassment From staff reports The local nonprofit service community was jolted when nearly $300,000 in mental health funds was withdrawn by a Lyons Township agency from the Western Springs LeaderShop, a social service agency that has provided youth programs for nearly 40 years. The Lyons Township Mental Health Commission…
Mount Carmel, Marist and Oak Lawn among 84 teams at Riverside-Brookfield shootout
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent High school boys basketball does not stop in March and pick back up in late autumn. For many players, playing hoops is a year-round commitment. AAU ball is a big reason for, that there are summer camps, shootouts or other events at most schools during the summer. The…
Dog lovers to celebrate ‘Fur of July’
Spread the love. By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . I’m starting out with some fun news. The West Lawn Dog Park Advisory Council will be hosting a Fur of July Pet Parade on Saturday, June 29 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at West Lawn…
Fourth of July not happy for everyone
Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . Happy Fourth of July. Cannot believe I am already saying that, time sure goes. Hope it is safe and quiet for everyone and especially all of our house pets. For us its shutting…
St. Rita’s transformation is worth a look
Spread the love. Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 . St. Rita of Cascia Church, 63rd and Fairfield, continues to undergo its transformation from the sunflowery/harvest golds and browns of the 1960s and 1970s to the calming pastels of the 2000s. Since the basilica-style church…
Loss to Courage brings Red Stars’ winless streak to five games
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Chicago Red Stars historic start to the season is all but forgotten. In the last five matches, the Red Stars have failed to win, with the latest setback being a 3-1 loss on the road to North Carolina on June 23 in an NWSL battle. The Red Stars…
Summer League Basketball | Illinois powers compete at Riverside-Brookfield Shootout
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent School’s out for the summer, but high school athletes across Illinois are remaining active during the summer sports season. This includes basketball players, who can be found at camps, open gyms, camps and even weekend tournaments. Among the more high profile hoops action in the area was the Riverside-Brookfield…
Dana Rettke and Ryan Murphy heading to Paris Summer Games
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Area fans of the Summer Olympics will have extra reasons to cheer athletes from the United States in the upcoming Paris Games. Dana Rettke of Riverside is a member of the U.S. women’s volleyball team and Palos Heights native Ryan Murphy will represent the country in swimming. Rettke, a…
Hope Church feeds the hungry at Marquette Park
Spread the love. Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 . Last week on the way to our CAPS meeting at the Marquette Park Fieldhouse, I stopped in at the Tuesday Community Dinner hosted by Hope Church every week in the auditorium. Pastors Ben and Jordyn…