Aloysius Klak

Aloysius Klak, age 103, husband of the late Pauline (nee Janicki) Klak for 66 years; father of Lawrence, Norman, Kenneth, Carole, Paulette, Mary and Thomas; grandfather to Jackie, Suzie, Paul, Matt, Michelle, Colleen, Denise, Laura, Julie, Mark, David, Jackson and Owen; great-grandfather to Ellie, Abigail, Emily, Stacey, Cree, Gavin, Talus, Laurel Rose, Mary, Jimmy, Saskia, Ada and RubyVal; long-time parishioner at St. Daniel the Prophet Catholic Church and a cab driver on ChicagoÆs city streets for 67 years. Aloysius was born on the family dairy farm in Thorp, WI, on May 24, 1909, the thirteenth of fourteen children born to Franciszka (nee Tomkowiak) and Ignatz Klak. He was known as ôOleö in school. He moved to Milwaukee to live and work with his brother, Stanley, at age17, and on to Chicago a year later. Once in Chicago, he began driving street cars and buses for the CTA and ultimately became master of his own destiny as the owner-operator of the Independent Cab Company, driving regularly and safely until the age of 88. He had many long-term customers, some of whom became friends. Aloysius was fiercely proud of his Polish heritage, instilling in his children and grandchildren a love for Polka music and Polish food and a strong cultural connection to the Church. He celebrated his 100th birthday in classic Aloysius style: eating Polish food, drinking beer and dancing to live polka music with his family all day long! His other favorite pastimes were making (and drinking!) his own wine, gardening, watching the Cubbies, playing the stock market, going to Mass, fishing, and reading the newspaper. He had a naturally curious mind and many a family dinner was interrupted by the need to consult ôThe Book of Knowledgeö to learn about some interesting event or person in history. Aloysius was a person of strong religious devotion, and the rare person fully committed to living the values of his faith, especially those of love and fidelity to his family and the Church. Funeral Thursday, August 9, 2012 at 9:30 am from Foran Funeral Home, 7300 West Archer Avenue (55th Street just west of Harlem), Summit, Illinois to St. Daniel the Prophet Church, 5300 South Natoma Avenue, Chicago, Illinois for a 10 am Mass of Christian Burial. Interment Resurrection Cemetery, 7201 South Archer Road, Justice, Illinois. Visitation Wednesday, August 8, 2012 from 3 pm to 9 pm.

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Aloysius Klak

May 24, 1909 - August 6, 2012