Notable Deaths In Illinois: Rembering Those We Lost In 2020

Eric DeGrechie
Updated ·11 min read

ILLINOIS — At the end of each December, looking back at the year that was is often a great way to prepare for the next 12 months. 2020 has been called a year like no other, and one we'll not soon forget.

Sadly, we lost many important people that helped shape Illinois and beyond during their lifetimes. As we prepare to begin a new chapter with the start of 2021, Patch remembers a few of the people we lost.

FEBRUARY

  • Longtime Oak Lawn resident Nick Sanello, who forged community connections by waving at every car, child, adult and dog that passed his house, died Feb. 10. He was 96. Born Sept. 20, 1923, on Chicago's Near West Side, where he grew up "100 percent Italian," Sanello remembered his Taylor Street neighbors sitting on their front stoops while kids played games in the street on summer evenings. Read more: Oak Lawn's 'Waving Man' Nick Sanello Dies At 96

MARCH

  • Mansour Tadros, a well-known Arab-American newspaper publisher, died on March 28 soon after contracting the coronavirus. Mansour, 70, who lived in Tinley Park, was the founder of "The Future News" Arab-American newspaper that was published in print form from 2001 until 2019. Read more: Mansour Tadros, Arab-American 'Icon,' Dies Of Coronavirus

APRIL

  • Bart Johnson, a former Chicago White Sox pitcher who had connections in Oak Lawn, died at age 70. Johnson died on April 22 in California as a result of complications related to Parkinson's disease, his obituary from the Kerry Funeral Home in Palos Heights said. Johnson's Major League Baseball career lasted nine seasons, all of which were spent with the White Sox, from 1969 to 1977. Read more: Bart Johnson, Ex-White Sox Pitcher, Dies At 70

MAY

  • Aurora hometown hero Greg Zanis died May 4 after a short battle with terminal bladder cancer. He was 69. Zanis' death comes just three days after hundreds from around the area paid a touching tribute to him during a drive-by visitation at his home. For nearly a quarter-century, starting after the Columbine shooting, Zanis traveled around the country to honor the victims of violent crimes and mass shootings by setting up crosses and delivering them to victims' families. Before retiring from his Crosses for Losses ministry in December 2019, Zanis made about 27,000 crosses to memorialize victims. Read more: Aurora's Greg Zanis Dies At 69 After Battle With Cancer

  • Hecky Powell, a longtime Evanston community leader and founder of Hecky's Barbecue, died May 22 at 71 from complications of the coronavirus. Powell opened up the restaurant in 1983 at the corner of Green Bay Road and Emerson Street — it has since been given the honorary title "Hecky Powell Way" — while working as executive director of the local social service organization Neighbors at Work. Read more: Hecky Powell, Restaurateur And Civic Leader, Dies Of Coronavirus

  • Sheila H. Schultz, 90, of Wheeling died May 29. Schultz was elected as a Wheeling Village Trustee in 1979 and became the first female Village President in 1981. She served as Village President for the next 16 years. Read more here.

JUNE

  • Will County Executive Larry Walsh Sr., a four-term Democrat from Elwood who championed the construction of a new Will County Sheriff's Office law enforcement center on Laraway Road plus the construction of the new Will County Courthouse that opened in October, died June 3 after a long battle with prostate cancer. Walsh was 72. Read more: Larry Walsh Sr. Dies: 4-Term Will County Executive

  • Dick Johnson, synonymous with Chicago area journalism for nearly 40 years, died June 9 at the age of 66. Johnson became co-anchor of NBC 5 News Today in 2002. Prior to his stint at Chicago's NBC affiliate, he was an anchor and reporter for 20 years at rival WLS-TV, according to his biography. He was awarded national and regional Emmys for his work, a duPont-Columbia award and a Peabody as part of a team of NBC 5 reporters led by Carol Marin. Read more: Legendary Chicago Newscaster Dick Johnson Dies At 66

  • Fredric "Rick" Rosati, CEO of the national pizza restaurant group Rosati's Pizza, passed away unexpectedly June 15 at the age of 70 at his home in Cave Creek, Arizona. He died of natural causes. Rosati was the driving force to franchise Rosati's Pizza in 1979, according to the release. He opened his first restaurant at the age of 20 in Arlington Heights and went on to establish locations across the U.S., including the company's first Arizona restaurant in 1986. Read more: Rosati's Pizza CEO Rick Rosati Dies At Age 70

JULY

  • Former Elk Grove Village Trustee James (Jim) Paul Petri, passed away unexpectedly at his home on July 23. He will always be remembered as a devoted family man, U.S. Army veteran, a 45-year employee of United Airlines, a strong regional advocate, and the longest serving elected official in Elk Grove history. Read more here.

  • Jerry Taft, a meteorologist at ABC Chicago for 33 years, died July 23. Taft was a TV weatherman in Chicago for more than 40 years, heading to Florida after his retirement to golf, relax and stay busy by driving for Uber.Taft joined ABC 7 in 1984 after working at NBC 5 for seven years and serving in the U.S. Air Force for 15 years. Read more: Jerry Taft, Longtime ABC Meteorologist, Dies At 77

SEPTEMBER

  • A surprise birthday party thrown by his wife, Robyn, at a WhirlyBall location in Miami nearly 30 years ago changed the life of Samuel Joseph Elias forever. Two years later, in 1993, Elias was building the first WhirlyBall location in Chicagoland. The endeavor would prove quite lucrative as it turned into a multi-million dollar operation and a Chicago institution. Elias, 59, passed away peacefully in his Northbrook home on Sept. 4 surrounded by love from his family, with his beloved Grateful Dead playing in the background. Read more: WhirlyBall Chicago Founder Dies At His Northbrook Home

  • John Stefanos, the master candy-maker and owner of Cupid Candies, died Sept. 26, the day before his Oak Lawn store closed its doors in August. Stefanos, of Orland Park, was 74. For more than 60 years, Stefanos put smiles on faces and sweets in the mouths of children and adults alike. Read more: John Stefanos, The 'Willie Wonka' of Cupid Candies, Dies At 74

  • Gale Sayers, former Chicago Bears running back and the inspiration, along with his friend and teammate Brian Piccolo, for "Brian's Song," died Sept. 23. Known as the "Kansas Comet," Sayers was an elusive runner who rushed for 4,956 yards and scored 56 touchdowns during his injury-shortened career that included four Pro Bowl appearances. He went on to serve as the athletic director for Southern Illinois University from 1976-1981 and founded Crest Computer Supply Co., later renamed Sayers 40, Inc. Read more: Bears Hall Of Fame Running Back Gale Sayers Dead At 77

  • Dylan Cunningham, 29, of the South Holland Fire Department, died Sept. 30 during a dive training exercise. Cunningham has been a member of the South Holland Fire Department since 2011, when he started as a part-time firefighter. He was sworn in as a full-time firefighter-paramedic in 2018 and also served in the National Guard. Read more: Firefighter, 29, Dies After Drive Training Exercise

OCTOBER

  • Oak Lawn-Hometown District 123 lost a member of its family. Former principal of Sward Elementary School Lori Gloodt died Oct 3. She was 60. Gloodt served as principal of Sward Elementary School in Dist. 123 from 1991 until she retired in 2017. Her leadership influence helped create a culture of high expectations at Sward School and contributed greatly to numerous Dist. 123 initiatives. Upon her retirement, she was honored by having a section of Brandt Avenue right outside the school named "Lori Gloodt Way." Read more: Beloved Former Dist. 123 Sward Principal Lori Gloodt Dies At 60

  • Eric A. Ortiz, a popular Tinley Park musician, died unexpectedly at the age of 38 on Oct. 5. Ortiz was a Tinley Park resident who played in a band at many venues across the Southland area, and even used his talents to help raise money for local charities. According to the Curley Funeral Home obituary, Ortiz was the loving husband of Jacqueline, nee Pietryla, and the father of children Aubrey and Logan. Read more: Southland Mourns The Loss Of Local Musician Eric Ortiz

NOVEMBER

  • Joe Orozco, 30, of Tinley Park, died on Nov. 16. He was the director of Football Performance at Eastern Illinois University. He played college football at North Central College, earning Academic All-Conference honors. Read more: Eastern Illinois University Coach, Tinley Native Dead At 30

  • Bill Smith, 92, the founder of the annual Orland Park Spelling Bee contest, died Nov. 22. Smith had hosted the community spelling bee for more than 40 years, according to the Village of Orland Park. The village said the 92-year-old educator and historian was a retired superintendent of schools for District 126 in Alsip. Read more: Bill Smith, Orland Spelling Bee Founder, Dies At 92

  • Aldo Murer, 80, an Oak Forest resident for 25 years, died from COVID-19 on Nov. 24. He left behind a loving family and his death ended a love story of more than a half-century. Murer is survived by his kids, grandkids and wife of 56 years. Read more: Love Story Over 56 Years In The Making Ends In Coronavirus Death

  • An aide to Congressman Dan Lipinski died in a car crash early Thanksgiving morning in Naples, Fla. Zac Plantz, 27, managed Lipinski's 2020 primary campaign and was the congressman's senior policy director at the time of his death. The Naples Daily News reported that Plantz was the driver of a Mercedes-Benz when his car collided with the rear of a semi-truck that was making a U-turn on the roadway. The crash happened around 2 a.m. Nov. 26. Plantz was pronounced dead at the scene. Read more: Lipinski Staff Member Zac Plantz Dies In Thanksgiving Car Crash

  • Three months after the death of his wife of 55 years, Don Randich, the former six-term mayor of Crest Hill, died Nov. 30 at the Willow Falls Senior Living Community. He was 85. Before making his name in Joliet area politics, Randich graduated from Lockport Township High School in 1953 and served in the U.S. Army. Read more: Don Randich, 6-Term Crest Hill Mayor, 42-Year Firefighter, Dies

DECEMBER

  • Martin Sandoval, the former Illinois state senator who pleaded guilty to being involved in a corruption scheme to collect more than $250,000 in bribes, died of complications related to coronavirus on Dec. 5, according to a report by the Chicago Sun-Times citing Sandoval's attorney, Dylan Smith. He was 56 years old. Read more: Former IL Sen. Martin Sandoval Dies Of COVID-19: Report

  • Dick Allen, a former first baseman with the Chicago White Sox and the 1972 American League Most Valuable Player, died on Dec. 7. He was 78. Allen was a seven-time All-Star during his 15-year playing career. South Side fans often credit Allen's popularity during his time with the White Sox as being the main reason the team didn't relocate to rumored St. Petersburg or Seattle. Read more here.

  • Jimmy Collins, a longtime Illinois men’s basketball assistant who went on to coach at Illinois-Chicago for 14 seasons, died Dec. 13. He was 74. According to his biography, Collins led the Flames to three appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Read more here.

  • Jeannie Morris, who began blazing trails as a sports broadcaster in the 1960s and in Chicago for WBBM-TV and WMAQ-TV for years in Chicago, died Dec. 14 at the age of 85. She had recently returned to Chicago to be treated for appendiceal cancer after living in Seattle and in Utah for more than 20 years. Read more: Pioneer Chicago Sportscaster Jeannie Morris: She Was The Original

  • Sarah Simental, 18, of Tinley Park, died on Dec. 26 from the coronavirus at the University of Chicago Medical Center. At the time of her untimely death, she had no known underlying conditions. She was a student at Lincoln-Way East High School and would have graduated in a few months. Read more: Tinley Park 18-Year-Old Dies From COVID-19: Medical Examiner

This article originally appeared on the Across Illinois Patch