Death Notices, Oct. 9

Obituaries, memorial services and upcoming visitations at area funeral homes.

Drechsler Brown & Williams, Oak Park Zimmerman-Ehringer-Harnett Funeral Home Are you looking for more information about area funeral homes and services? Would you care to review the services provided by a local funeral home? Click on the funeral home names to see the Patch Places listing for each business to write a review or learn more about the funeral home. Chicago Forest Park Oak Park �? Follow Patch on Facebook for breaking news, friendly discussions and more. Click here to follow Forest Park Patch. Or, click here to follow Oak Park and River Forest Patch.

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Death Notices, Oct. 2

Obituaries and memorial services and upcoming visitations at area funeral homes.

Drechsler Brown & Williams, Oak Park Elsewhere Are you looking for more information about area funeral homes and services? Would you care to review the services provided by a local funeral home? Click on the funeral home names to see the Patch Places listing for each business to write a review or learn more about the funeral home. Chicago Forest Park Oak Park

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Death Notices, Aug. 28

Obituaries and memorial services and upcoming visitations at area funeral homes.

Drechsler Brown & Williams, Oak Park Peterson-Bassi Chapels, Chicago Woodlawn Funeral Home, Forest Park Elsewhere Are you looking for more information about area funeral homes and services? Would you care to review the services provided by a local funeral home? Click on the funeral home names to see the Patch Places listing for each business to write a review or learn more about the funeral home. Chicago Forest Park Oak Park

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Oak Park and River Forest Death Notices, July 10

Obituaries and memorial services and upcoming visitations at area funeral homes.

Drechsler Brown & Williams, Oak Park Are you looking for more information about area funeral homes and services? Would you care to review the services provided by a local funeral home? Click on the funeral home names to see the Patch Places listing for each business to write a review or learn more about the funeral home. Chicago Oak Park

Oak Park and River Forest Death Notices, June 26

Obituaries and memorial services and upcoming visitations at area funeral homes.

Drechsler Brown & Williams, Oak Park Peterson-Bassi Chapels, Chicago Are you looking for more information about area funeral homes and services? Would you care to review the services provided by a local funeral home? Click on the funeral home names to see the Patch Places listing for each business to write a review or learn more about the funeral home. Chicago Oak Park

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Oak Park and River Forest Death Notices, June 12

Obituaries and memorial services and upcoming visitations at area funeral homes.

Drechsler Brown & Williams, Oak Park Petersen-Bassi Chapels, Chicago Are you looking for more information about area funeral homes and services? Would you care to review the services provided by a local funeral home? Click on the funeral home names to see the Patch Places listing for each business to write a review or learn more about the funeral home. Chicago Oak Park

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Obituary: Rev. Kevin David O’Rourke

Fenwick grad, ethics scholar said he was "going home" March 28.

The Reverend Kevin David O’Rourke, O.P., of the Dominican Central Province of St. Albert the�?Great, passed away peacefully at RUSH Hospital in Chicago on March 28, 2012 at the age of 85.�?Earlier in the day at the hospital, he was telling everyone present in his room that he was “going�?home” that day. Fr. O’Rourke was born on March 3, 1927 in Park Ridge, IL. His parents were William Joseph�?O’Rourke and Winifred Ann Stanton O’Rourke. Fr. O’Rourke, the youngest in the family, had�?seven siblings who all preceded him in death: Winifred who was married to James Perkins;�?Mary who was married to Raymond Ward; Sr. Mary Winfrida O’Rourke, R.S.M.; William�?O’Rourke who was married to Betty; Agnes who was married to William Dejon; Kathleen who�?was …

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Ryan Wheaton, 30, Nov. 17, 1981 - Jan. 16, 2012

Services for Ryan Wheaton will be Saturday, Jan. 21 at Hultgren Funeral Home and Sunday, Jan. 22 at Gary United Methodist Church in Wheaton.

Ryan Wheaton of Oak Park, formerly of Wheaton, died Monday, Jan. 16 at home. He was 30. He was born November 17, 1981 in St. Louis Park, MN. He graduated from Wheaton Warrenville South High School. After graduating he enrolled in a semester of Outward Bound Adventures encompassing several western states and mountain ranges. He lived in Colorado and attended Colorado Mountain College and Western State College. He became the lead bike mechanic at Performance Bicycles in Lombard, IL. He is survived by his parents, Melissa and Walter; his brother, Bradford; his significant other, Jennifer C. Williams; his maternal grandmother, Marilynn; his paternal grandfather, Walter; his aunt, Mary Beth; his uncle, Anthony; and five cousins, Tony, Andrew, …

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Twentieth Tale of the Tombstones Brings the Dead to Life

Tale of the Tombstones, the OPRF Historical Society's annual walking tour of the Forest Home Cemetery, paid tribute Sunday to some of the area's most notable and notorious deceased.

F. Murray lives across the street from history, but it's a rare day she takes the quick walk across to embrace it. Sunday she did, and it was worth the effort. The Forest Park resident was one of an estimated 400 to take the walk as part of The Oak Park River Forest Historical Society's 20th Annual "Tale of the Tombstones" walking tour at Forest Home Cemetery, 863 S. Des Plaines Ave. The tour highlighted six grave sites, each with a place in history. “[The walking tour] just reminds me about the historical value of the cemetery," Murray said. "You know, a lot of people say, 'You live right across the street from the cemetery,' and I say, Oh yes, it's gorgeous over there. Some things you just don't get a chance to see." Murray said this was…

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Former Trustee Gus Kostopulos Dies

Architect who served in public office was 81.

Gus Kostopulos, who played a role in significant and controversial community issues during two terms as Oak Park Trustee, died early Wednesday morning. He was 81. “He was a special person,” said Sandra Sokol, a longtime friend of Kostopulos and former village clerk. “He was warm and engaging and creative. I don’t think he got the credit he was due.” He was there to always help friends in need, friends said. Annabel Abraham, whose late husband Bernard served alongside Kostopulos, pointed to his attentiveness after she had knee replacement surgery this winter. “He would call to see if I was okay and ask if there was anything he could do. He was there for me; he was a great guy,” she said. A native of Chicago, Kostopulos grew up in the city's…

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