Lucas J. "Luke/Cookie" Plese
March 4, 1929 — June 11, 2015
Age 86, passed away peacefully at Presence St. Joseph Medical Center on Thursday, June 11, 2015 with his family by his side.
Luke was born on March 4, 1929 to the late Ivan and Katherine (Plese) Plese and a lifelong resident of the Joliet area.
He is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Geraldine E. "Gerry (June 13, 1953); his loving children; Richard J. (MaryAnn) Plese, Patricia A. (Lester) DeCarlo, Paul L. (Lori) Plese, Thomas J. (Georgette) Plese, Kenneth A. Plese and Kathleen A. (John) Blackburn; grandchildren; Robert (Becky) Churchill, Sara A. DeCarlo, Thomas L. Plese, Anthony T. DeCarlo, Eric I. Plese, Cara C. Plese, Brien P. Plese, Carrie A. Plese, Lucas W. Plese, Adam J. Plese, Mark A. Plese, Elizabeth A. DeCarlo and Ethan S. Plese; one great-grandchild, Bob Churchill, Jr.; sisters, Lucy (late Edward) Kocjan and Zita (late Edward) Verklan; his sisters-in-law, Corinne (Raymond) Shields, Marilyn (late Gene) Rakar, Angeline Plese, Eileen Plese and Elizabeth (Bill) Brewer. Numerous nieces, nephews and cousins also survive.
Luke was preceded in death by his parents; siblings, Martin Plese, Mary Plese, Frances (Raymond) Butscher, Helen (Clarence) Kinzler, Sylvia (George) Vulgaris, John Plese and Walter Plese; his father and mother-in-law, Amos and Loretta Joutras; and brother-in-law, Louis Joutras.
Luke was a very loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend. He was a United States Army Veteran during the Korean War. He worked for the Superior Butter Company, Olin / Blockson Chemical Plant; and retired from the Ironworkers Local #444. He was a member of the Croatian Cultural Club, the Croatian Fraternal Union, the American Legion Post #1080 and the Senior Citizen Association. Luke and Gerry loved to fish and enjoyed traveling to Las Vegas. Luke was a devout Catholic and a member of St. Mary Nativity Catholic Church in Joliet.
The Plese family would like to thank Presence St. Joseph Medical Center surgical intensive care team, especially Nurse Elias, Dr. Gary Trager and Dr. Michael Waszak, for their loving care and assistance.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Luke's memory may be made to the American Parkinson Disease Association Midwest Chapter, Central DuPage Hospital Care Center, 1800 N. Main Street, Suite 215, Wheaton, IL 60187-3112.
A celebration of Lucas J. Plese's life will begin on Thursday, June 18, 2015 with prayers in the funeral home chapel at 9:20 a.m., then processing to St. Mary Nativity Catholic Church for a Mass of Christian Burial to be held at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow at St. Mary Nativity Catholic Cemetery, where full military honors and a committal service will be held. Visitation will be held at Tezak's Home to Celebrate Life, 1211 Plainfield Road, Joliet, IL on Wednesday, June 17, 2015 from 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.