William G. Yena, 85, of LaGrange Park, died Sept. 14, 2015.
Mr. Yena earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education and education administration from Western Michigan University and then embarked on a long career as a teacher and park district director in LaGrange Park.
He was the first director of LaGrange Park’s Community Park District, running the operation out of his home, with his wife, Jean, serving as his secretary. It was Mr. Yena who created programming for the park district and was instrumental in making the park district’s headquarters building a reality.
He later left the job as park district director and was elected to the park district’s board of trustees, serving as its president.
Yena Park, at 29th Street and Harrison Avenue, just across the street from Brook Park School, was named in his honor.
From 1953 to 1990, while serving as the park district’s director, Mr. Yena was a full-time physical education and industrial arts teacher at Forest Road School in LaGrange Park, where he also coached baseball, basketball, track and softball.
Mr. Yena was the husband of Jean M. Yena (nee Vorphal); the father of John (Mary) Yena, Nancy Yena, Larry (Peggy) Yena and Barbara Yena; the grandfather of Michael (Kiley) Yena, Matthew (Megan) Yena, Mark Yena, Steven (Stephanie) Yena and Casey (Michael) Stahl; the great-grandfather of Griffin, Hunter and William Yena; and the brother of Richard (Phyllis) Yena.
Funeral services and interment are private.
Hitzeman Funeral Home, Brookfield, handled arrangements.
