Frank Kratochvil
Frank Kratochvil, Jr.; age 90, of LaGrange; beloved husband of Gloria D. Kratochvil (née Patterson) for 63 wonderful years; loving father of Carol (Thierry) Bernard & Karen (Daniel) Claffy; proud grandfather of Alex & Chloe Bernard and Cole Claffy; pre-deceased by loving parents Frank & Mae Kratochvil, and sister Marilyn Kratochvil.
Frank graduated from Morton High School and Morton Junior College in Berwyn, IL. Later, he went on to graduate from IIT Mechanical Engineering. He had a long and successful career at US Steel Packaging Systems as a Manager of Engineering for many years. Frank was a proud Veteran of the U.S. Army.
A memorial visitation will be held from 1 p.m., until the time of his memorial service at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, February 25 at Hallowell & James Funeral Home, 1025 W. 55th Street, Countryside. Interment private. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Frank’s name may be made to the American Heart Association (https://www.heart.org/). Funeral info: (708) 352-6500
Frank and I were students at MJC and IIT and were very close friends . As is known he studied Mechanical ( with some Industrial )
Engineering while I studied Electrical Engineering, but we did have some courses in common -together.. He was a very bright
student & had a quick mind enabling him to do mental- mathematical calculations in his head. This contributed to his successful
career at U.S. Steel. After graduation from IIT we went different ways . He went East & I went west. About 15-17 years ago I learned he
lived in Downers Grove so I called him and until about a year ago we often had either breakfast/lunch together at either : Denny’s ,
Matty’s , Tony’s & an Italian restaurant he liked ( name ? ) . He also came to summer picnics at my home . We really enjoyed all
this socializing .Frank was a good talker & I learned a lot about his business travels and his East coast work (where he encountered
the Mafia ).
A little over a year ago at one of the fore -mentioned picnics Frank fainted and fell to the ground & we got some help from workers
next door & placed him in an am chair & after 10-15 minutes he recovered & enjoyed the food ,etc. However , this was , apparently ,
the onset of his poorer health. Since then we kept in touch by phone , I spoke to him a few weeks ago.
I shall miss him .
Charles M. Knop