Frank “Fafa” Pardus, 81, of North Riverside, died on Feb. 23, 2025. After the passing of his parents, Frank lived with his sister Margaret and her family for 48 years in a home filled with love, laughter, and warmth. A fixture of his block in North Riverside, he had a daily ritual: he’d slide his shoes on, zip up his windbreaker, and put on a ball cap before taking his long walk (avoiding every crack in the sidewalk) to his favorite spot on the corner of 7th Avenue and 24th Street. There, he excitedly waved at cars, happily chatted with neighbors, or simply sat for hours, soaking in the sights, sounds, and rhythms of life.
Frank had a rare gift: he found joy in the simplest things. He loved toy cars, trains, puzzles, and light-up toys, especially the ones that sparkled. He collected snow globes, mesmerized by the tiny worlds swirling inside. When it came to foods, he was a man of simple pleasures: cake, chocolate, hot dogs, and his pivo (beer). And he never met a Shamrock Shake he didn’t love. Though he wasn’t a fan of pizza, he never once complained –– because pizza meant family. It meant a full house, lively discussions, and a table of familiar faces worth far more than the meal itself. It was here he loved reenacting his favorite Three Stooges bit, “Niagara Falls”; quizzed everyone about their car’s make and model (and whether they had gotten an oil change lately); and when words weren’t needed, flashed a well-timed smirk that could light up the entire room.
Frank also found magic in the holidays –– each one a chance to celebrate with family, near and far. Christmas meant presents, which he excitedly tore open even when it wasn’t his turn. Halloween meant carving pumpkins with his nephews, whom he adored watching grow up. But the 4th of July? That meant a big party, great food, fireworks, sparklers, and a parade, a perfect mix of everything he loved most. But above all, perhaps Frank’s greatest love was Fred Rogers, who spoke to him for years on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.
As his favorite neighbor once said:
“You are a very special person. There is only one like you in the whole world. There has never been anyone exactly like you before, and there will never be again. Only you. And people can like you exactly as you are.” (Fred Rogers)
Doctors once said Frank wouldn’t live past five. But he spent over 75 years proving them wrong. And just as Mister Rogers predicted, Frank was, without a doubt, loved exactly as he was.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Mary Pardus of Cicero. He is survived by his sisters, Mary Ann Mudra (late Donald) and Margaret Hook (James); his nieces and nephew, Julie Denson (David), Katherine Fischer (Thomas), Robert Mudra (Kris), Ann Glowienke (Ken); his great-nieces and nephews, Neal Fischer (Colleen), Alex Wiley (Chris), David Fischer (Bethany Speer), Kyle Mudra (Allison Puleo), Stephanie Wilcox (Brian), Molly Harris (John), Karli Mudra, and Olivia Denson; and many great-great-nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his beloved canine companion, Maxwell, who will miss jumping into his chair for kisses.
A memorial service for Frank will be held on Saturday, April 5, from noon to 3 p.m., with Words of Remembrance at 2:30 p.m., at Woodlawn Funeral Home, 7750 W. Cermak Road, Forest Park, IL 60130. Interment at Woodlawn Memorial Park will take privately.