Obituaries October 13, 2022
REV. JAMES D. BEATH
Rev. James D. Beath, associate pastor of Divine Savior Parish in Norridge, passed away Sept. 29. He was 69 years old.
Beath was born on Sept. 3, 1953, in Chicago. He attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary in Chicago, Niles College in Niles and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein.
He was ordained to the priesthood on May 9, 1979, by Cardinal John Cody, and celebrated his first solemn Mass on May 20 of the same year at St. Benedict Parish in Chicago.
Beath served the people of the archdiocese as assistant pastor at the following parishes: St. Gertrude Parish in Franklin Park; St. Mary of Celle Parish in Berwyn; St. Peter Parish in Skokie; St. Albert the Great Parish in Burbank; St. Barbara Parish in Brookfield; Divine Infant Jesus Parish in Westchester; and Divine Savior Parish in Norridge. He also served in the same role at the following parishes located in Chicago: St. Mary of the Assumption Parish on 137th Street; St. Thomas of Canterbury Parish on Kenmore Avenue; St. Dorothy Parish on 78th Street; St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish on 64th Street and St. Edward Parish on Sunnyside Avenue.
Rev. Alec J. Wolff, orat, STL, JCL, presiding judge at the Metropolitan Tribunal of the archdiocese, recalled that “under a stern façade, Beath had a gentle soul.” Wolff remembered his longtime friend had a heart of gold. “If somebody needed help, he was there. You didn’t have to ask – he was just there for you.” According to Wolff, Beath had numerous hobbies, but music was the one he treasured the most.
Rev. James F. Blazek, associate pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Deerfield, met his friend, Beath, in 1967 while attending Quigley Preparatory Seminary. “He loved being a parish priest and working with the people he served,” Blazek said.
All funeral services will be held on Friday, Oct. 14, at St. Eugene Church, 7958 W. Foster Avenue in Chicago. Visitation hours will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon, immediately followed by the funeral Mass. Rev. Henry Kricek will be the main celebrant and homilist. Interment will take place at St. Joseph Cemetery in River Grove.
JOYCE ANN CLONEY
Joyce Ann Cloney (nee Sprandel), 73, passed away September 7.
Beloved wife of the late Patrick Cloney; loving mother of Brittany Gedzius, Ryan (Samantha) Gedzius, Greg (Anjela) Gedzius and Harry (Laura) Gedzius; dear grandmother of Michael, Matthew, Gregory, Joseph, Destiny, Jack, Gianna, Nicholas and Arielle; dearest great-grandmother of Lynnux and Ethan; cherished daughter of the late Shirley (nee Hansen) and the late Elmer Sprandel; fond sister of Alan (Cheryl) Sprandel, Ronald (Judith) Sprandel, Mary Lou (Patrick) Nelson, Richard (Mary) Sprandel and the late David Sprandel. Also survived by nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
Visitation was held September 17 at Damar-Kaminski Funeral Home & Crematorium, 7861 S. 88th Avenue, Justice, with a Service and Time of Remembrance held at the funeral home. Cremation rites have been accorded.
LUPE GOMEZ
Lupe Gomez (nee Navarez), 43, of Oak Forest, passed away September 21.
Devoted mother of Kayla Gomez and Emily Gomez, the late Briana Rodriguez and the late Emilio Rodriguez; cherished daughter of the late Lupe Mata. She will be dearly missed by her many siblings. Lupe will be dearly missed by her many nieces and nephews.
Visitation was held September 30 at Foran Funeral Home, 7300 W. Archer Ave. in Summit. Visitation was held October 1 at the funeral home. Procession from the funeral home to St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church for Mass. Cremation Rites Private. Condolences may be sent to Lupe’s family on her personal tribute website at www.foranfuneralhome.com.
ANDRZEJ JARONCZYK
Andrzej Jaronczyk, 81, passed away September 10.
Beloved husband of the late Wladyslawa (nee Urbaniak) Jaronczyk; loving father of Irena (Wlodzimierz) Ozga, Halina (Robert) Rusnak and Szczepan (Margaret) Jaronczyk; dear grandfather of Mariusz, Tomasz, Kamilka, Lily, Nicole, Alex, Maya, Oliver and Lena. Also survived by relatives and friends.
Visitation was held September 14 at Damar-Kaminski Funeral Home & Crematorium, 7861 S. 88th Avenue, Justice. Funeral was held September 15 at Sacred Heart Church, 8245 W. 111th Street, Palos Hills for Mass. Interment Resurrection Cemetery, Justice.
ANNE LOPEZ
Anne Lopez (nee Aragon), 92, of Chicago’s Archer Heights community, passed away September 29.
She was the loving mother of Ruben Lopez Jr., Arthur Lopez, Maria (Dennis) Merz and Laura (Daniel) Balles; much loved grandmother of Jennifer (Patrick) Polick, Nicole Merz and Dana (Brett) Rehr; dearest great grandmother of Trinity, Tristan, Liam, Brayden, Grayson, Ryland, Jillian Ballas and Natalie Ballas; dear sister of Natividad Aragon, Charles Aragon and Josephina Aragon-Marroquin. Aunt of many nieces and nephews.
Visitation was held October 3 at Foran Funeral Home, 7300 W. Archer Ave. in Summit. Procession from the funeral home to Our Lady of Snows Church for Mass. Cremation private. Condolences may be sent to Anne’s family on her personal tribute website at www.foranfuneralhome.com.
JAMES F. LOUDA
James F. Louda, 75, passed away September 13.
He was an Army veteran.
Beloved husband of the late Sandra Louda; cherished son of the late Mary (nee Pech) and the late James Louda; dear brother of Barbara (the late Ron) Popjoy; fond brother-in-law of Veronica Husick and Susan Teresi. Also survived by nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
Visitation was held September 21 at Damar-Kaminski Funeral Home & Crematorium, 7861 S. 88th Avenue, Justice. Funeral was held September 22 at the funeral home. Interment, Mount Carmel Cemetery, Hillside.
LAURIE A. NOODWANG
Laurie A. Noodwang (nee Fic), 58, passed away August 25.
Loving mother of Denise Noodwang, Richard Noodwang Jr. and James Noodwang; cherished daughter of the late Mary (nee Ciciura) and the late Joseph Fic. Also survived by relatives and friends.
Visitation was held September 10 at Damar-Kaminski Funeral Home & Crematorium, 7861 S. 88th Avenue, Justice. Interment, Resurrection Cemetery, Justice.
ROBERT PASINSKI SR.
Robert Pasinski Sr., 72, formerly of Chicago’s McKinley Park community, passed away October 5.
He is the loving father of Robert, Jr. (Jill DDS) Pasinski and Vickie (Kevin) Thornley; dear grandfather of Grace, Sophia and Robbie; fond brother of Judith Nelson, Sharon (Ted) Sucharski, Christine (Tom) Buzecky and Raymond Jr,; uncle of many nieces and nephews.
Visitation was held October 9 at Zarzycki Manor Chapels Ltd., 8999 Archer Avenue, Willow Springs. Funeral was held October 10 at the funeral home. Interment Resurrection Cemetery.
NANCY A. POPIELEC
Nancy A. Popielec (nee Flannigan), 69, passed away October 1.
Beloved wife of Waldemar Popielec; loving mother of Andrew Popielec, Christine (Thomas) Kozmel and Michael Popielec; cherished daughter of the late Anna (nee Ewen) and the late Robert Flannigan; dear sister of Mary Kate Walsh and Patrick Flannigan. Also survived by nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
Visitation was held October 5 at Damar-Kaminski Funeral Home & Crematorium, 7861 S. 88th Avenue, Justice. Funeral was held October 6 at the funeral home. Interment Resurrection Cemetery, Justice.
BEVERLY A. RABER
Beverly A. Raber (nee Robison), 80, passed away September 7.
Beloved wife of the late Carl Raber; loving mother of Carl (Margaret) Raber, Eric Raber (Lynn Woods), Kurt (Teresa) Raber and Bonni Raber (Joe Bochniak); dear grandmother of Eric, Kevin, Olivia, Gabrielle, Shane, Adam and Sophie; cherished daughter of the late Tillie (nee Meyer) and the late William Robison; dearest sister of Art Robison, Ron Robison, Joan Kosieniak and Dan Robison. Also survived by nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
Visitation was held September 9 at Damar-Kaminski Funeral Home & Crematorium, 7861 S. 88th Avenue, Justice. Cremation rites to be accorded. For more information,
FLORENCE A. RAFAC
Florence A. Rafac, 92, late of Palos Park, passed away on October 6.
She was the wife of the late Joseph A. Rafac; mother of Kristine (Stephen) Kahn, Tom (Karen) Rafac, Kathleen (late Walter) Chase, and John Rafac; grandmother of 13, and great-grandmother of 17; sister of Ruth (Thomas) Banasiak, the late Charles (late Rita), and Grace Locke; aunt of many nieces and nephews.
Florence was an associate member of the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, October 13, at Thornridge Funeral Home. A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, October 14, at Our Lady of the Woods Church. Interment St. Mary Cemetery.
Arrangements entrusted to Thornridge Funeral Home (Janusz Family Funeral Service).
RENE SALTO
Rene Salto, 18, suddenly passed away September 26.
Will be forever missed by his beloved family and friends.
Visitation was held at Szykowny Funeral Home, 4901 S. Archer Ave. Chicago. Funeral Mass was held at St Paul Catholic Church, Chicago. Final resting place is Woodlawm Cemetery Forest Park. To leave any tributes, please visit Funeral Home website at wwwSzykownyFuneralHomeIL.Com.
RANDALL A. SCHROEDER
Randall A. Schroeder, 67, passed away September 2.
Loving dad of Sarah (Brian) Green, Elise (Tony) Krch, John (Brianna) Schroeder and Dan (Nicole) Schroeder; dearest papa of Michaela, Layla, Emily, Isabella, Hannah, Aubrey, Sophia, T.J., Billy, Keira, Jack, Ashlynn and Cailin; cherished son of the late Grace (nee Wlodarski) and the late August Schroeder; fond brother of Jacqueline (the late Robert) Bianchi. Also survived by relatives and friends.
Visitation was held September 10 at Damar-Kaminski Funeral Home & Crematorium, 7861 S. 88th Avenue, Justice. Cremation rites have been accorded.
DANIEL SHEPPARD
Daniel Sheppard passed away October 2.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Irene Sheppard and his brothers, James and Thomas. He will be lovingly remembered by his sisters-in-law, Tillie and Tootsie. He was the loving uncle of Michael, Patricia, Bobby, Billy, Sandy, David, Kevin and Bill and great uncle to many.
Visitation was held October 5 at Foran Funeral Home, 7300 W. Archer Ave. in Summit. Procession from the funeral home to Resurrection Cemetery where Daniel was laid to rest next to his mother.
IVAN TKALEC
Ivan Tkalec, 90, of Willow Springs, passed away October 5.
He is the beloved husband of Regina (nee Hozian); loving father of John (Gelse) Tkalec; dearest grandfather of Ethan Tkalec; devoted son of the late Ann (nee Vucko) and late Stefan Tkalec; preceded in death by his siblings, Maria Behek, Stefan Tkalec, Ann Zgalich, Tony Tkalec and Martin Tkalec; fond uncle to many.
Visitation was held October 9 at Zarzycki Manor Chapels, Ltd., 8999 S. Archer Avenue, Willow Springs. Funeral was held October 10 from the funeral home to St. Mary Slovenian Catholic Mission, Lemont for Mass. Interment Resurrection Cemetery.
LUDVIK F UHLIR
Ludvik F Uhlir, 75, passed away September 16.
Visitation was held at Szykowny Funeral Home, 4901 S. Archer Ave, Chicago. Funeral Mass was held at Five Holy Martyrs Church, Chicago. Final Interment in Poland. To leave any tributes, please visit funeral home website at www.SzykownyFuneralHomeIl.com.
Local News
Tax exemptions will be automatic, Kaegi says
Spread the loveFrom staff reports In response to the ongoing pandemic, the Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s office will continue the automatic renewal of the Senior Freeze, Veterans with Disabilities and Persons with Disabilities Exemptions. The Homeowner and Senior Exemptions will continue to auto-renew every year. If a homeowner received any of these five exemptions…
Marist wrestlers take Illini Classic crown; Shepard’s Damari Reed stays unbeaten
Spread the loveBy Steve Millar Correspondent When Peter Marinopoulos was a freshman, he served as the Marist wrestling team’s manager when the RedHawks would travel to tournaments. Two years later, he is finishing tournaments on top of the podium. Marinopolous, ranked No. 2 in the state in Class 3A at 195 pounds by the Illinois…
Warrant issued for suspected shooter in Worth double homicide
Spread the loveBy Bob Bong Worth police have an arrest warrant for a man suspected as the shooter in a double homicide January 10 at the Crossing Bar and Grill in Worth. Worth police are working with numerous law enforcement agencies to seek the man, who was not identified. Police said the suspect is not…
Oak Lawn officials rip governor, legislators over crime
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle Two Oak Lawn officials are calling for Gov. J.B. Pritzker and local legislators to re-evaluate a police reform law that they say has resulted in a rise in crime. Trustee Alex Olejniczak (2nd) served as mayor pro-tem during the Oak Lawn Village Board meeting Tuesday night in place of Mayor Terry Vorderer,…
Troop 1441 Scout earns Eagle rank
Spread the loveFrom staff reports A journey that began years ago for Adrian Ayala recently culminated in Boy Scouting’s highest honor. Ayala, a member of Boy Scout Troop 1441 (sponsored by the St. Mary Star of the Sea Holy Name Society) was honored at an Eagle ceremony at Duggan Hall on Jan. 13. The Eagle rank…
Hog Wild to open Monday in Oak Lawn
Spread the loveBy Kelly White Dining choices will get a boost in Oak Lawn with the arrival of Hog Wild. The restaurant is scheduled to open Monday, January 17, at 4040 W. 111th St. That’s a week later than originally scheduled. “We are very fortunate here in Oak Lawn to have attracted Hog Wild,” Oak…
Home security cameras could be big help to Orland cops
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Residents of Orland Park could have a hand in solving crime in the village. The board of trustees unanimously approved to move forward with a voluntary security camera registration program at its Jan. 4 meeting. It’s expected to start on Feb. 1. This program gives citizens and businesses a chance…
Ailing eagle on the mend
Spread the loveSeveral blocks northwest of Garfield Ridge—just west of 47th and Harlem–motorists late last month noticed an eagle flying low and acting erratically. The Villa Park-based Chicago Bird Collision Monitors was contacted, and its volunteers found and captured the majestic bird. It was transported to a facility owned and operated by Glen Ellyn-based Willowbrook…
Can’t we just fast-forward to spring?
Spread the loveBy Joan Hadac Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (708) 496-0265 • joan.hadac@gmail.com Hi everyone. Is it spring yet? Is the pandemic over yet? Not that I’m impatient or anything. I want to move forward past all the negative COVID-19 has brought to my life and everyone else’s life. I want to see…
Scavenger Sale different this year, Pappas says
Spread the loveFrom staff reports Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas’ 2022 Scavenger Sale will look different, as the Treasurer’s Office takes steps to help small developers, homeowners and investors rebuild neighborhoods and create generational wealth. Under Illinois law, the Treasurer’s Office is required to conduct a Scavenger Sale every two years, offering at auction the…
Neighbors
Baseball | Marist claws way back to .500
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent This season has thus far not been what Marist had expected, but the RedHawks came into this week at .500. Marist was 2-8 after 10 games this season, with three of those first eight losses coming via shutout. But the RedHawks turned things around with a stretch of eight…
Red Stars fall to Spirit for third loss in past four matches
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent After enjoying one of their best starts in franchise history, the Chicago Red Stars have slid to the middle of the NWSL standings, with the latest setback being a 4-2 loss to Washington at SeatGeek Stadium. The Stars (3-3-1) entered this week having dropped three of their past four…
Red Stars take aim at NWSL attendance record with Wrigley game
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Chicago Red Stars are thinking big when it comes to their upcoming game at Wrigley Field. The team is taking aim at the NWSL record for single-game attendance when it hosts Bay FC at the historic home of the Chicago Cubs on June 8. The record is held…
IHSA announces boys volleyball postseason assignments
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Last year, the area sent a pair of boys volleyball teams to state as Lyons finished runner-up to champion Glenbard South and Brother Rice lost in the quarterfinals. This year, both could face each other in the sectional finals. The Lions picked up the second seed and the Crusaders…
Badminton players from Reavis and Lyons going to state
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Reavis singles player Dania Amjad finished third in the Bolingbrook Sectional on May 2 to qualify for the IHSA state tournament. The Lyons doubles team of Simone Brown and Mia Graziano finished fourth in the York Sectional to qualify for state. The state finals are May 10-11 at DeKalb…
Brother Rice, Sandburg sending boats to bash fishing state tourney
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Brother Rice is sending two boats to the IHSA state bass fishing tournament. The Crusaders had first- and third-place finishes at the Des Plaines River Big Basin Marina Sectional on May 2. Sandwiched in between the Brother Rice boats was a group from Sandburg in second place. The Crusaders’…
Lions Club District 1A Helen Keller race draws big field
Spread the loveBy Kelly White The damp weather from overnight rain did not deter more than 100 people on Sunday morning from getting some exercise. The 14th annual District 1A Helen Keller 5k Fun Run/Walk proudly took place along at Harold L. Richard’s High School, 10601 Central Ave., Oak Lawn. “This is a really great…
EPCHS students collect shoes for Christmas Without Cancer Sneaker Drive
Spread the loveFrom staff reports Students in Evergreen Park Community High School’s junior physical education leadership class teamed up with the non-profit organization Christmas Without Cancer to help local families battling the devastation of cancer. The class – taught by EPCHS physical education teacher Ree McDonald – helped gather donations for Christmas Without Cancer’s second…
Swallow Cliff Chapter, NSDAR, honors JROTC cadets
Spread the loveFrom staff reports Swallow Cliff Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, participated in recent JROTC awards ceremonies held at Shepard High School in Palos Heights and Richards High School in Oak Lawn. The DAR JROTC award, consisting of a medal and certificate, was presented to Navy Cadet Emily Schrode at Richards…
Man charged with child abduction in Stickney Township
Spread the loveFrom staff reports A Chicago man was charged last week with child abduction and luring of a minor after Cook County Sheriff’s Police detectives found he attempted to lure a minor into his vehicle, said Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart. According to police, about 4:43 p.m. on Monday, April 22, officers responded…