A Life Worth Remembering: Stanley Wilczynski Jr., Lawyer for 58 Years

Stanley Wilczynski Jr. touched the lives of many people as a lawyer in Chicago Heights for 58 years.

But it didn’t hit home, said his son Dr. Michael Wilczynski, until his funeral.

“We could see how many lives he touched by the number of people who were his clients over the years who came out to pay their last respects,” Wilczynski said. "It was overwhelming."

Mr. Wilczynski, 80, died on Aug. 12. He was a lifelong Chicago Heights resident and practiced law for more than five decades with the law firm of Wilczynski, Wilczynski & Ciambrone. The firm was started by Mr. Wilczynski’s father in Chicago Heights in the 1920s.

“He practiced his entire career from our office on Halsted Street,” said Sam Ciambrone, his partner for all of those years and his brother-in-law for the past 56 years.

“We were partners together longer than most marriages,” Ciambrone said.

“I knew him from our days together in high school,” Ciambrone said.

 “But I didn’t fix him up with my sister,” he said with a laugh.

Mr. Wilczynski was a longtime lawyer but he mostly kept that part of his life confidential, said his son Michael.

“He kept his work life very separate from us,” Wilczynski said. "He had to."

But Mr. Wilczynski was quite active in other areas in Chicago Heights over the years, his son said.

He served on the boards of St. James Hospital, Thorncreek Sanitary Basin, Marian Catholic High School, and St. Agnes School.

He also was a longtime member and past president of the Chicago Heights Kiwanis Club.

“He was a very busy guy,” said his son.

Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Eva (nee Ciambrone), sons Michael, Stanley and the late Paul, a daughter Susan Graj, a sister Mary Ann Holzhall, six grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

Services have been held.