SSMMA is saddened to learn that one of our members, Summit Mayor Joseph Strzelczyk, passed away yesterday. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends and the entire Village of Summit. His wake will be at Foran Funeral Home, 7300 W. Archer Avenue, Summit, IL, on Wednesday, May 20, 2015, from 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., with funeral services at St. Blase on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. Please click here to read his obituary, sign the guest book or leave condolences for his family and friends. Another obit is here in the Illinois News Network. Dennis Sullivan wrote a piece for the Tribune/Daily Southtown here.
Mayor Strzelczyk’s bio is posted on the Village of Summit’s web site:
Military veteran Joseph W. Strzelczyk is best known as a “team player” who has spent much of his life working with young people as a baseball coach. That passion to help others moved him to seek public office in 1990 when he was elected to a position of Trustee in the Village of Summit, serving two terms. In 1997, Strzelczyk has elected as Summit’s Mayor and was currently seeking re-election to his 4th term in office. Strzelczyk’s public service began in 1978 working as a Special Recreation Instructor for the Chicago Park District.
“I enjoy public service and I enjoy working with people, especially young people and senior citizens,” Strzelczyk explains. “My background gives me a wide range of experience that helps me as the Mayor of Summit to maintain the village as one of the best in the Chicagoland suburbs.”
But before that, Strzelczyk launched his own business as a young man working as a self-employed “trader” at the Chicago Board of Options Exchange in 1976 where he also owned a prestigious Trading Seat. Strzelczyk is an experienced writer, working for the Daily Southtown beginning in 1985 writing columns on softball and sports, and later writing articles for the popular Chicago Softball Magazine beginning in 1987. He hosted the popular “Let’s Talk Softball” on Cable TV for Jones and Multimedia and Metrovision cable systems, and was a sports commentator for 1570 AM sports radio’s “Miller Sports Report” in the 1980s. He also coached for the North American Pro Softball league in 1980. Strzelczyk continued his writing avocation, completing background reports that were used in court judicial proceedings for Cook County. He also worked as a county probation officer. Strzelczyk served honorably in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, 1962-1963, and served five years in the US Army Reserves until 1968…Please click here for the full biography.
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