Matt Gavin Wake Set for Monday

Visitation for Richards High School teacher Matt Gavin, who passed away at age 32 of cancer, is set for Monday at Adams-Winterfield & Sullivan Funeral Home in Downers Grove. Funeral services will be private.

Richards Teacher Matt Gavin Loses Battle With Cancer

Popular social studies teacher and tennis coach with a knack for bringing out the best in students, dies Friday at age 32.

Richards High School is reeling from the loss of a popular teacher and tennis coach who lost his battle with cancer. Parents received an automated voice-mail from the school principal informing them that Matt Gavin had passed away at age 32 on Friday morning. Gavin is the son of Mary Ellen Gavin, who serves Dist. 218 as a speech pathologist at Eisenhower High School in Blue Island. Listen to the automated message from the Richards HS principal. In his automated message to parents, principal John Hallberg said that counselors would be available at the school Monday to talk to students and staff. After the news broke late Friday afternoon, many parents and students left messages of sadness and grief on Richards’ Facebook page, portraying …

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Committed Oak Lawn Hospital Volunteer Dies

Long time Christ Hospital volunteer Rita C. “Ritzie” Schober died Monday. She was 86 years old.

Former South Sider Rita C. "Ritzie" Schober, nee Burns, passed away April 22 in Lake Geneva, WI. The former Southsider was the wife of the late Edward Schober. She is survived by her children: Raymond, Daniel, Lynda, David and Edward; twelve grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Mrs. Schober is recalled as a loyal, long-time volutneer at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn. “Rita was the first adult in the work world to want to be my friend. She was a sweet heart,” reads a comment posted on Schober’s obituary from Wood Dale resident Olga Colon Bartolomeo. Visitation will take place Wednesday, April 24 from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Central Chapel Funeral Home, 6158 S Central Ave., Chicago. Services will be held Thursday with mass beginning at 10 …

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Northwestern College Mourns President Emeritus

Violet Schumacher, passed away at the age of 98.

Pillar of Oak Lawn Community Dies at Age 83

The mother of three doctors also starred as lead actress in several 99th Street Theater shows.

Long-time Oak Lawn resident, teacher and community volunteer Ave Maria Green died Tuesday. She was 83. Green graduated from Loretto High School and then St. Xavier College before becoming a Chicago Public School teacher. She and her late husband of 57 years, John M. Green were active parishioners of St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish in Oak Lawn. Green also supported Mother McAuley High School. There, she often volunteered to provide fashion show commentary and played the lead actress in Broadway shows at the 99th Street Theater. Green was known as a “remarkable wife, mother, grandmother and friend.” She is survived by her five children and many grandchildren. Visitation will occur Friday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Blake-Lamb Funeral Home, …

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Ryan Fitzpatrick

10:33 am on Friday, April 5, 2013

Apologies for the mistake. The information has been corrected.   more ›

Oak Lawn VFW Commander Dies at 72

Robert J. Hennessy passed away on April 1.

Robert J. Hennessy, 72, commander of the Oak Lawn Veterans of Foreign Wars post, died Monday. Mr. Hennessy was the Commander of Johnson Phelps VFW Post 5220. He is survived by his wife, Judi; children Lisa, Todd, Amy, Paul and Sara and grandfather of Kristin, Kylee, Cara, Michael, Nicky, Zo and Xavia. Visitation will be Thursday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Zimmerman & Sandeman Funeral Home, 5200 W. 95th Street. Services will be held Friday at St. Germaine Catholic Church, 9735 S. Kolin Ave. A friend mourned Mr. Hennessy's passing with a memory on tributes.com: You can find Hennessy’s full obituary online.

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Archdiocese: Fr. Pat Was 'Peaceful, Kind, Gentle' Priest

The official Archdiocese of Chicago obituary for Fr. Patrick Henry of St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish in Oak Lawn. Priest recalled as "kindness personified" was born in Evergreen Park and also served at St. Christina and St. Symphrosa.

Following is the Archdiocese of Chicago's official obituary for the late Fr. Patrick Henry of St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish in Oak Lawn. Rev. Patrick Henry, pastor of St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish, died Monday, March 11, in Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park. Fr. Henry was taken to the hospital with internal hemorrhaging that resulted in organ failure.  He was 61 years old and a priest of the Archdiocese for 23 years. St. Catherine’s associate pastor, Fr. Stanley Stuglik, described Fr. Henry as “peaceful, kind, gentle, with a cheerful disposition,” who was also an attentive listener.  Fr. Henry was involved in Catholic Charismatic Renewal and celebrated a Mass of Healing quarterly at St. Catherine for anyone …

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Former St. Linus Priest Dies at 73

Rev. Charles Balskus, 73, who served as an associate pastor at St. Linus and St. Cristina, died last week.

A former associate pastor who spent time at St. Linus Parish and  St. Christina Parish in Beverly died Feb. 18 while traveling in Florida. x Rev. Charles Balskus, 73, served at St. Christina from 2001 to 2008, according to the Chicago Archdiocese who reported his death. Fr. Balskus was born in Chicago and graduated from Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of Saint Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. He was ordained a priest in 1965.  He began his career at St. William Parish in Chicago, and from 1971 to 1978,was the assistant pastor of St. Philomena Parish. He spent one year at St. John Fisher and then six years as an associate pastor at St. Benedict in Blue Island.  Fr. Balskus eventually returned to the Southwest Side and …

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Wake and Funeral Set for Former Oak Lawn Woman

Visitation and services for Christa Marie Carbray Johnson will take place in Libertyville on Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 1-2, respectively.

Christa Marie Johnson, of Libertyville since 2007, passed away Sept. 27, 2012. She was 36. She was born Christa Marie Carbray in Oak Lawn on Dec. 24, 1975. She was a proud 1994 graduate of H.L. Richards High School. She attended college at Eastern Illinois University, where she graduated in 1999. Ms. Johnson was a former teacher with the Antioch School District. She was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Libertyville, where she served on the preschool board and church council. An active young mother, Ms. Johnson was involved with Libertyville Cub Scout Pack 74 and several other volunteer organizations throughout the Libertyville community. Ms. Johnson is survived by her husband, Mark; sons Jack and Wyatt; her parents, George and Carol …

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Funeral Arrangements Set for 'Real World' Star

Visitation for Joey Kovar set for Wednesday at Kosary Funeral Home in Evergreen Park on Wednesday, with funeral service taking place at First Church of God in Oak Lawn Thursday morning.

  Funeral arrangements are set for “Real World” star and Evergreen Park native Joey Kovar. A 911 call came in at 9 a.m. Friday of an unresponsive male on the 9800 block of South Sayre Avenue, Chicago Ridge Police said. Kovar was reportedly bleeding from his mouth and ears. A source at the Chicago Ridge Fire Department said that Kovar’s eyes were also blackened. Police do not suspect foul play and a death investigation is underway. An autopsy by the Cook County Medical Examiner was found inconclusive, and the cause of death was pending toxicology results, the Chicago Tribune reported on Saturday. Kovar rocketed to fame on MTV’s “Real World” and later sought help for drug addiction from Dr. Drew on VH1’s “Celebrity Rehab.” His family has …

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Lorraine Swanson

4:13 am on Tuesday, August 21, 2012

We received a note from the funeral home and have corrected the time for visitation.   more ›