SR0176 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0176 LRB103 31816 MST 60429 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of John Hubert Sciarretta Sr. of Deerfield, who passed away on March 2, 2023; and

WHEREAS, John Sciarretta was born in Evanston to Alfonso and Hazel Sciarretta on April 4, 1940; at the age of three, he went to St. Mary's Training School for Boys (Maryville Academy) in Des Plaines, and at the age of 18, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, where he served his country honorably and with distinction for four years as a lance corporal; he married Maria DeFrenza, and they traveled through Italy before returning to Glenview; he relocated his family to Deerfield in 1976; and

WHEREAS, John Sciarretta had a passion for food and hospitality and opened the Italian Kitchen restaurant, which he and his wife owned for over half a century; through this, they played a significant role in supplying food for family gatherings and also for numerous clubs and organizations in the community, which John held near and dear to his heart; he was pivotal in bringing people together and creating a sense of community, and the restaurant was an extension of that, a place where he shared his wonderful stories and gave a job to anyone in need; he was a man who never turned down a request for a donation of food or for volunteering to many meaningful causes in which he believed; he always wanted to see Deerfield's businesses grow and succeed; and

WHEREAS, John Sciarretta was involved with various organizations that brought him great pride, including the Deerfield Lions Club, the American Legion, and the Wounded Warriors Foundation; he was one of the founding fathers of the Deerfield Family Day's Bicycle Parade; and

WHEREAS, John Sciarretta's volunteerism led to numerous accolades that he cherished dearly, including the Lions Club International Foundation Melvin Jones Fellowship, Deerfield's Human Relations Award, the DBR (Deerfield, Bannockburn, Riverwoods) Chamber of Commerce Sherry Kalan Community Service Award, the Optimist Club's President's Citation, the Rotary Club Paul Harris Fellow, and Illinois Dollars for Scholars Lincolnland Legend; and

WHEREAS, John Sciarretta was affectionately known as "Papa John" to his grandchildren and "Great Papa John" to his great-grandchild; and

WHEREAS, John Sciarretta enjoyed telling a witty joke or an anecdote about his many silly shenanigans; he was quite the showman with his homegrown tomatoes, gigantic sunflowers, record-worthy zucchini, and homemade limoncello and had a special affinity for the Rose of Sharon plant; and

WHEREAS, John Sciarretta was preceded in death by his siblings, Elizabeth Askin and Alfonso Sciarretta; and

WHEREAS, John Sciarretta is survived by his wife of 57 years, Maria; his children, Samuel (Beth), John (Emerald) Sciarretta, Lisa (Johnston) Hoehne, and Angela (Michael) Butera; his grandchildren, Brandon (Lindy) Engle, Alexandra (Brady) Burkholder, John-Joseph and Jessica Sciarretta, Henry, Jackson, and Josephine Hoehne, and Maria and Charlie Butera; his great-grandchild, Scarlett Burkholder; his siblings, Gildo Sciarretta, Karen Robinson, and Sharon Walerius; and numerous other family members; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of John Hubert Sciarretta Sr. and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of John Sciarretta as an expression of our deepest sympathy.