Obituaries

Heights Driver, Author, Veteran Dies at 98

The longtime Chicago Heights resident leaves behind a rich legacy of service and compassion.

Usually, an obituary doesn't begin with survivors, but it's hard not to immediately mention Stanley Sygmund Polak's impressive legacy of 24 grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren. The longtime Chicago Heights resident and WWII veteran died on June 22 at the age of 98, according to his obituary.

Polak was born Oct. 28, 1914 in Chicago, but soon moved to Poland where he grew up. At 19, he returned to the United States and worked with the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) during the Depression. When the U.S. got involved with WWII, Polak served his country as a quartermaster in the Pacific Theater, Australia, Philippines and Tokyo, among other locations.

In 1957, Polak moved his family to Charing Cross Road in Chicago Heights, where he found employment as a vehicle delivery driver for Ford motors. He kept the same job for 30 years, and even received an award for driving 5 million miles without ever getting into an accident. 

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Polak and his late wife of 60 years, Eve, were familiar faces in the congregation of the First Presbyterian Church in Chicago Heights. The two of them also volunteered to deliver Meals on Wheels for many years.

In his 80s, Polak wrote a self-published book on politics., and he pursued his love of skiing into his 90s. More recently, Polak would visit the local senior center and play cards "with the old people."

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Polak was interred, next to his late wife, with full military honors at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery on June 26.

You can read Polak's full obituary online.


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