Obituary of John Chlopek

John S. Chlopek, 79, of Palm City, Florida, died Tuesday October 21, 2014 at his home. He was born in Chicago, IL, and had been a winter resident of Palm City for 25 years, sharing the year in Chicago. During the Korean War he served in the US Army Reserves and spent time in Japan where he met his wife. John was a lifelong boater, loved to race sailboats and tried to fish.

Prior to retiring, he had been an executive at Prudential Life Insurance Company in Chicago for 32 years. He was a lifelong Catholic, had been a member of the Chicago Lions Club, served on the board of Lawrence Hall Youth Services, he was an enthusiastic conservationist, and he would attempt to fix anything.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Vernona Chlopek, Palm City; his sons, John David Chlopek and his wife Mary of Portland, OR, James Stephen Chlopek and his wife My of Skokie, IL, Michael Anthony Chlopek and his wife Ingrid Baker of Atlanta, GA and William Gregory Chlopek of St. Thomas, USVI; his daughter Katherine Theresa Bergholz and her husband, John of Oak Park, IL; his sisters, Susie Felz and Peggy Butell; his brother, Leonard Chlopek and seven grandchildren, John Bergholz, Karl Bergholz, Isobel Bergholz, Emma Bergholz, Griffin Chlopek, Christopher Chlopek and Edward Chlopek. He was preceded in death by his sister Gloria Capuzzo and his parents John and Stephanie Chlopek.

There will be a memorial service at 1:00 PM on Saturday, October 25, 2014 at Forest Hills Funeral Homes, Palm City, FL, with military honors provided by the U.S. Army. Please join the family for a reception immediately following the service.

For those who wish, contributions may be made to the Treasure Coast Hospice, 1201 SE Indian Street, Stuart, FL 34997, or at 772/403-4530 or on line at

www.TCHospice.org in John's memory.