Fern Aird Brueckner, 89, Longtime Riverside resident
Fern Aird Brueckner, 89, a resident of Riverside for 48 years, died March 31, 2008.
Ms. Brueckner was a member of Ascension Lutheran Church in Riverside. Her husband, Hub Brueckner, preceded her in death. She was also preceded in death by her daughter, Joy Aird.
She is survived by her children, Renee Aird (Robert) Dengler and Kurt Aird; her granddaughter, Heather (Bill) Bestmann; and her great granddaughter, Hannah Joy.
Ivins Funeral Home, Riverside, handled arrangements.
William R. Nagel Jr., Riverside resident
Riverside resident William R. Nagel Jr. died March 25, 2008.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William R. Nagel Jr. and Mary Ann Nagel. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen Nagel (nee Buckley); his daughter, Lauren Kirby; his siblings, James (Terry) Nagel, Stephan (Barbara) Nagel, John (Loretta) Nagel and Robert Nagel; and many nieces and nephews.
A funeral Mass was celebrated March 29 at St. Mary Church in Riverside. Interment was private.
Woodlawn Funeral Home, Forest Park, handled arrangements.
Jan Szatkowski, M.D., 83, Cardiologist
Dr. Jan Szatkowski, 83, a resident of Riverside, died March 31, 2008 at his home.
Born in 1924 in Torun, Poland, his legacy began as a soldier in World War II as a member of the Polish 2nd Corps under British Command, which fought in Italy in 1944.
He earned his medical degree after the war at the University of Bologna in 1951 and then served as a captain in the U.S. Army in Korea during that war.
Afterward he moved to Chicago, where his career included stops at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Chicago and MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn. He was a member of the Union Health Service for 35 years.
Co-author of several publications, Dr. Szatkowski became regarded as a pioneer in the field of cardiology and was appointed an assistant professor of medicine at the Chicago Medical School, where he remained active for several years.
He is remembered by many for his passion, dedication and humanism in medicine.
In his spare time, Dr. Szatkowski was an avid farmer who had great respect for nature and the environment.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara; his children, George, Mary, Nader (Nicki), Ewa (Brian), Martha and Jan; and his grandson, Erik.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on April 3 at St. Mary Church, 126 Herrick Road in Riverside, followed by interment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside.
Ivins Funeral Home, Riverside, handled arrangements.
Walter Zack, 93, Mechanic
Brookfield resident Walter Zack, 93, died March 25, 2008 at Mac Neal Hospital in Berwyn.
Born in Chicago on April 28, 1914 to Stephen and Victoria Zikowski, he was married to Bernice Zack and raised three children. He worked as a mechanic for a manufacturing company.
Mrs. Zack preceded her husband in death. He is survived by his children, Bernice (Julius) Butkiewicz, Kenneth (Sharon) Zack and Carolyn (Donald) Bianchin; his brother, Frank Zikowski; five grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
A funeral service, officiated by the Rev. Joseph Wojcik, was held March 27 at Hitzeman Funeral Home in Brookfield, followed by interment at Resurrection Cemetery in Justice.
Memorial contributions were appreciated to the Alzheimer’s Association-Chicagoland, 4709 Golf Road, Suite 1015, Skokie, Ill. 60076.