John Francis Dolan, 85, of Glenview, Illinois, passed peacefully in his sleep during the early morning hours of Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017.

John and his wife Anne had only just returned from a three-year stay with family in Austin and hoped to make this their final move closer to Chicago, where both were born. In recent years John had been experiencing the effects of Alzheimer’s disease.

Born on May 1, 1931, on the south side of Chicago during the Great Depression, John was the second child of Irish immigrants James and Margaret Dolan. He had two brothers, Thomas (deceased) and James, as well as sister Rosemary. Like many who grew up during these challenging times he contributed to his family performing a bewildering number of jobs including: hauling ice, milk crate deliveries, pharmacy delivery boy, school janitorial assistant, construction worker and grave digger — including one occupied by Alphonso “Al” Capone!

At the same time he attended Saint Sabina and Leo High School, where he excelled at track and field, boxing and theater, most notably in “The Pirates of Penzance.” The years following were characterized by perpetually conflicting schedules of work and night school. Important among them was the Fox Secretarial College where he first met his wife to be, Anne Korich. Inevitably, the Korean War demanded that thousands “heed the call,” among them John, who served the U.S. Army honorably for more than two years in Korea. He attained the rank of first sergeant and was awarded the Bronze Star. Flash-forwarding: on the golf course, shopping at Home Depot and barbecuing in the backyard John would be identified by his Korean War veterans cap.

After the war there was a 12-year succession of various colleges and universities including IIT, Villanova and St. Joseph, while raising his family of four and rising through the corporate ranks. At a mid-point in his business life John was selected to participate in the Executive Program at the University of Chicago, earning his MBA, again at night. Professionally, John pursued a career in Industrial Relations, specializing in union contract negotiations and pension plans for major companies and corporations such as Ryerson Steel, Trans Union and the Marmon Group — this last, the 100-company holding corporation created by Robert Pritzker to whom John reported directly.

Throughout his life the Catholic Church and its teachings forged the core belief system, which steered him and by his example, his family. One small personal footnote: most people who knew John well did not know that he was a remarkably skilled home remodeler; complex masonry, carpentry, plumbing, electrical and HVAC construction work was performed with the stressful and unqualified assistance of his family.

When retirement ultimately altered the rhythm of his daily life, it would be no exaggeration to say that John’s life was allowed to become even more dedicated to his wife Anne, to whom he was married for 64 years; and their children, Daniel Dolan, Susanne (Robert) Johnson, Thomas (Christine) Dolan and Mary Margaret (Carter) Wagner. Occupying an even more special place were his children’s children: AnnMarie (Andrew) Fereday, Margaret (Aaron) Wozniak, Ryan Dolan, Dolan (Kate) Wagner, Thomas Johnson, Patrick Johnson, Patrick Wagner and Daire Dolan. Long life pays its greatest dividend in the form of great-grandchildren and John had four: Henry, Peter, Annie and Jack with two additional grandchildren (yet to be named) on their way.

Lastly, the message that John F. Dolan would leave to all his family and to all of you: “Facta Non Verba” — Deeds, not words.

Mass of Resurrection was held at Our Lady Of Perpetual Help in Glenview on Jan. 28.