John "Jack" E. Milota, age 87, died December 5, 2023, at Terra Vista in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois.  He was born January 28, 1936, to Joseph and Bessie Milota.

Jack married Nancy Bezdek in July of 1957.  His priority was always providing for his family working two jobs for most of his career. At 16 he worked at Brisch Brick.  Later, he maintained a high-end residential painting business in the morning and weekends while working the evening shift at Western Electric. After retiring from Western, he had an encore career working at Western Springs Ace Hardware, Silver Light Corp, Suburban Hospital and Rayner Rinn Scott Lumber.

He was always available to lend a hand to friends and family. There was nothing he could not repair or re-make.

He took pride in his woodworking, his yard, his duck decoy collection, and his lifelong friends from across the alley. He made his famous sauerkraut in the fall, smoked a cigar while gutting a pheasant and enjoyed a high ball when the work of the day was done. Most of all he was proud of his children and grandchildren.

Jack grew up hunting in the prairie across from his Ridgeland Avenue home and fishing in nearby lakes and rivers. Later, he enjoyed hunting pheasant, ducks, and geese with his brothers-in-laws at the Beagle and Bass Hunting Club. Every summer included a family fishing vacation to Bull Shoals Lake in Isabella, MO.

In retirement, Jack and Nancy traveled extensively including Alaska, Canada, the Caribbean, and the Panama Canal. They enjoyed trips with their Old Timers friends and took two special international trips: visiting Belgium, the Czech Republic, and Italy.

He lived in Stickney, Cicero, Brookfield, Western Springs, Lemont, at Villa St. Benedict in Lisle and at Terra Vista in Oakbrook Terrance.

Even though Jack was afflicted with Alzheimer's Disease, he maintained his personality and sense of humor until the end.

Jack is survived by his daughter, Cynthia Milota (Jeff Kitcheos), his son, John Milota (Elaine Rendin), his sister Joan Harris (the late Bud) and his grandchildren, Alex Kitcheos, and Elliott Kitcheos.

He was preceded in death by his wife Nancy. They had been married for 64 years.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, December 10, from 3:00 until 6:00 p.m. at Hultgren Funeral Home, 565 Randy Road, Carol Stream, IL.  Services for the family will be held Monday, December 11, at the funeral home at 10:00 a.m.  Interment will follow at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be directed to the Alzheimer's Association of IL

https://www.alz.org/illinois  or Ducks Unlimited (the leader in wetlands conservation)  https://www.ducks.org/

Family and friends may sign a guest book at hultgrenfh.com. For more information, please call Hultgren Funeral Home at 630-668-0027.