Duane Krieger led efforts to establish first hospice residence in Illinois.
One of the former CEOs of Joliet Area Community Hospice, now known as Lightways Hospice and Serious Illness Care, has died. Duane Krieger was instrumental in the efforts to acquire land and build the first hospice residence in Illinois. Until that time, hospice care in the state was provided in patients’ homes and facilities.
“Duane’s passion and dedication to building a free-standing hospice facility in Joliet was unwavering, said Mary Kay Sheehan, CEO of Lightways Hospice and Serious Illness Care. “Duane understood the need and knew who to talk to, in both the private and public sector, to secure funding and pass the regulations to build this hospice home and elevate the level of and access to hospice care. Duane always went above and beyond to ensure residents of Joliet and the surrounding area had access to the care they needed. He was an inspiration and a true leader who will be missed.”
In 2001, Krieger led a capital campaign to raise funds to build a hospice home on the property on McDonough Street that was acquired from five doctors in Joliet. The initial goal was $3 million, but the campaign generated $4 million, which allowed the organization to build a larger hospice home and increase the bed number to 16. Jim Roolf was the chairperson of the campaign committee and remembers Krieger’s tenacity in raising these funds.
“Duane asked the staff to put together a map of the addresses of all patients Joliet Hospice served,” Roolf said. “The campaign committee went to Springfield and, with the support of Larry Walsh Sr., former State Senator from Elwood, and Brent Hassert, former State Representative from Romeoville, Duane showed all the legislators which hospice patients lived in their respective districts. This was a very impactful representation of the far-reaching service area of Joliet Hospice and helped secure $800,000 from the State of Illinois to build the hospice home. Duane also helped gain support from both hospitals, Silver Cross and Ascension (formerly Provena) St. Joseph, in this capital campaign.”
Roolf said the death of Krieger is ‘bittersweet.’ “It is ‘bitter’ Duane died, but it is ‘sweet’ that what Duane worked so hard for, the hospice home, has helped so many families in Illinois. This hospice home set the bar for others in the state. Barrington built the second Illinois hospice home and toured our building for inspiration.”
Dozens of hospice organizations across the state toured the Joliet facility in the years after 2004, and there are now eight in Illinois. Recently Sheehan and her team were able to increase the bed capacity to 24, with the assistance of Natalie Manley. In 2023, Lightways cared for 753 patients in the inpatient unit.
For more information about the services available at Lightways Hospice and Serious Illness Care, visit www.lightways.org or call 815-740-4104.