Jacob "Jack" Sarowatz

Jacob Sarowatz -- KankakeeJacob "Jack" R. Sarowatz, 76, a lifelong Kankakee resident, passed away at his home in Bourbonnais on Sunday (Dec. 9, 2007). He was born Aug. 16, 1931, in Buckingham, the son of Albert R. and Anita M. Sarowatz. He fell in love and married the former Joan LaGesse of Kankakee on Aug. 14, 1954. They remain in love today.He is survived by his loving wife, Joan; their six children and eight grandchildren: Tony Sarowatz and his fiancee, Carol Cerami of Bourbonnais; Stephany Bina and her husband, Tim Bina, their daughter Sydney of Washington, Ill.; Debbie Eilts and her daughter Nikki Eilts of Kankakee; Jack Sarowatz and his wife, Diana "Dee" Sarowatz, their children Reid Savoie, Jacquelyn and Cecily Sarowatz, all of Bourbonnais; Lesa O'Connor and her husband, Scotty O'Connor, their children Curtis, Cory and Colton O'Connor of Kankakee; Vince Sarowatz and his partner, John Klein of Sagamore Hills, Ohio; one brother, Leroy Sarowatz and his wife, Anita K. Sarowatz of Martinton; and one sister, Jeanette Dubois of Bourbonnais; along with a former daughter-in-law, Kathleen Cassidy of Georgia; former son-in-law, Dean Eilts of Kankakee; and numerous nieces and nephews.He is preceded in death by his parents; one brother-in-law, Maurice Dubois; and his wife's sister and brother-in-law, Leona and Jerry Gibson.He attended Kankakee area schools, graduating from Kankakee High in 1949. He also attended Olivet Nazarene University for 3 1/2 years. He served the country that he loved in the Korean War from 1950 to 1953 in the Army Anti-Aircraft Intelligence Section known as AAAIS. He received an honorable disabled discharge in 1955 and also served in the Illinois National Guard.He held several jobs in the Kankakee area before becoming permanently disabled. After becoming disabled he devoted his life to the Disabled American Veterans of Kankakee County Chapter 34. As a lifelong member he served in many different capacities: junior vice commander, senior vice commander, adjutant, treasurer, service officer for over 20 years, and state executive committeeman for over 20 years. He served with the Disabled American Veterans of Illinois as a chairman of the Time and Place Committee for the state convention for five years. He sat on the board of directors for the DAV Thrift Stores in Chicago, as its chairman. He was chief of staff for the Illinois DAV from 1983-84, where he successfully organized Illinois' 14 veterans organizations in a unified move to convince the Illinois Legislature and Gov. James Thompson that the Illinois veterans wanted and needed the 300-bed Manteno Veterans Home completed. He served on the Manteno Veterans Home task force. He was DAV National Deputy Chief of Staff from 1981-82 and 1984-85. He sat on the Americanism Resolutions Committee in 1983 and on the General Resolutions Committee in 1984. He was a delegate to the Kankakee Veterans Council for 15 years.He was active as a Cub Scout leader in Kankakee Trails District, Rainbow Council for 16 years. He served as Cub Scoutmaster, committee member, district committee member, Round Table staff, leader training staff and other positions. He earned scouting's Key and Leader's Training awards. In 1977, he was awarded the Silver Beaver Award, the highest council award given to a volunteer for service. He served as city clerk for the city of Kankakee and was a member of the Kankakee City Police pension board for 19 years. He did this while volunteering his work as an advocate of veterans' rights assuring that all veterans and their families understood what was available to them and helped them obtain their benefits. He was instrumental in the forming of the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery for veterans in Will County.He was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Kankakee. He was also a member of Kankakee County Chapter 34 of the Disabled American Veterans, Kankakee American Legion Post 85, AMVETS Post 85 of Beecher, Moose Lodge 802, the Citizens Utility Board, 4th Ward Republican Organization, and the 4th Ward Republican Booster Club.You will always be loved and missed. Rest in peace. We love you. Your family.Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Clancy-Gernon Funeral Home in Bourbonnais. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Bradley.Burial will be in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Kankakee. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association or to Hospice of Kankakee Valley.

Jacob "Jack" Sarowatz

August 16, 1931 - December 9, 2007