Chester T. Turczyn

Chester Thomas Turczyn, 95, of LaSalle passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 29th, 2021 at 5:45 am in the Illinois Veterans Home of LaSalle where he resided for the last four years. Visitation will be at the Ptak Funeral Home on Wednesday, May 5th from 4-7 p.m. with a 6:45 Prayer service. There will also be a Visitation on Thursday, May 6th from 10-10:30 a.m. at St Valentine Church Annex and followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 in St. Valentines Church, Peru with the Rev Gary Blake officiating. Burial will follow at St. Hyacinth Cemetery in LaSalle, where he will be laid to rest alongside his beloved wife. The LaSalle-Oglesby Veterans Memorial Group will conduct graveside honors. Chester was born Wednesday, July 29th, 1925 in LaSalle to Felix and Tillie (Jasinski) Turczyn. Chester married Bernice Marie Pelka on August 10th, 1946 in St Hyacinth’s Church LaSalle and was married for 73 years before her passing on September 25th, 2019 at the age of 93. Chester was educated at St Hyacinth’s Grade School and LaSalle Peru High School. Chester joined the Navy and went to and graduated from their naval aviation hydraulics school in Chicago. From there he was stationed on the USS Bennington Aircraft Carrier with operations in the Pacific and just outside of Japan. Upon his honorable discharge from the Navy, he was a carpenter at Davitos Lumber Spring Valley, Koolmaster of LaSalle, and taught carpentry at IVCC, before retiring at the age of 62. Chester was a member of St Valentines Church, a Eucharistic Minister, a member of the Family Circle Club, and a member and past commander for the Catholic War Veterans of LaSalle, and a member of the Carpenters union and past President, and a lifelong Chicago White Sox fan. Chester loved to help the Catholic War Veterans in all their local and State conventions and events along with dancing to the bands afterwards and being a local commander for several years. He helped design and build the local CWV post on North 351 in LaSalle. He also loved taking care of his yard on their five-acre country property for the last 45 years. This was the third and final home they built together. He was preceded in death by his wife Bernice, daughter Linda (Lou) Turczyn, along with four sisters Lorraine Hasenyager, Helen Roliardi, Irene Krasko, Angeline Samolinski, and two brothers Frank and Edward. He is survived by his four children, Allen (Cheri VanValey) Turczyn of Peru, Dale (Janice Nogay) Turczyn of LaSalle, Tim (DeeAnn Jost) of LaSalle, Michael (Wendy/girlfriend) Turczyn of Granville. Chester had 5 Children listed above, 10 Grand Children, Tom (Lori) Turczyn of LaSalle, Jim (Shannon) Turczyn of Peru, Bill (Renee) Turczyn of Peru, Dan Turczyn of Utica, Cari Ann Ptak (Ted) Banning of Nice France, Luke Ptak of Fort Lauderdale Florida, Alisha Turczyn of Lombard IL., Casandra Turczyn of Eagan Minn., Justin (Donna) Turczyn of Peru, Ryan (Brittany/fiance) Turczyn of Cedar Point, and 12 Great Grand Children, Kelsey (Casey) Swingel of Utica, Abigail Turczyn of Houston Texas, (Shayla, Gianna, Aria Rose, Turczyn of LaSalle), (Kylee, Kara, Turczyn of Peru) Cooper Turczyn of Utica, Paris Caldwell of Dallas Texas, (Blake, Kensley, Turczyn of Peru) Rya Turczyn of Cedar Point and 3 Great Great Grand Children, Shae Swingel of Utica, Kayden, Juliana Caldwell of Mark IL./Texas. Pallbearers will be some of the Turczyn Grand Children Tom, Jim, Bill, Dan, Justin, Ryan Turczyn, and Luke Ptak. Memorials can be directed to the family for Mass Offerings at St Valentine's Church Peru, IL. Chester’s family wishes to thank the staff at St Margaret’s Hospice, and the staff at Illinois Veterans Home of LaSalle, for their excellent care and compassion they have given Chester over the years and in his final days.