Mokena Mourns Prominent Residents

took a few moments before Monday's board meeting to honor three men whose lives were tied to the Mokena community and whose lives all ended last week.

Mayor Joe Werner led a brief presentation before the regularly scheduled board meeting to talk about the three men—Frank Ventura, George Rinke and Hans Mueller—and led a moment of silence before the meeting started.

Watch video of the presentation and moment of silence.

Frank Ventura

Frank Ventura died on Jan. 16 at his home after a long battle with cancer. He was 48.

Ventura was diagnosed with cancer in 2009, shortly after taking office as a school board member. He stepped down in September 2011 to spend his remaining time with his two children.

In addition to D159, Ventura, a CPA, was also involved for many years with the and was a trainer for the Parents Advisory Committee of Lincoln-Way Special Education District 843.

George Rinke

Lifelong Mokena resident George Rinke died at his home surrounded by his family on Jan. 19, 2012. He was 85.

A veteran of WWII and the Korean War, Rinke was employed as a welder for Caterpillar and for Anzelc Welding. He was born in Mokena in 1926 and spent his whole life in the community, even convincing his Joliet-born wife to settle in the then-rural farming community.

"George tells everybody he weaned me from Joliet to come to Mokena," his wife Bernie Rinke said, laughing, in a 2008 interview with the Mokena Area Historical Society.

Watch the full Mokena Area Historical Society video interview with George and Bernie Rinke (approximately 1 hour, 12 minutes).

Read George Rinke's obituary.

Hans Mueller 

Hans Mueller was born in Essen, Germany, on Jan. 14, 1923 and died Jan. 19, 2012. He was 89.

The Mueller family moved to Joliet when Hans was 9 months old and Mokena when Hans was 7.

A U.S. Navy veteran and lifelong member of in Mokena, Mueller served his community in many capacities. He sat on the District 159 board for 10 years and the board for 18 years. He also served on the Mokena Village Board for five years.

Find Hans Mueller's visitation information at Vandenberg Funeral Home.

Read Hans Mueller's obituary.