Every life held far more than a uniform. Remember the service, work, family, character, and community love of the Post members who came before us.
Their military service mattered. So did the families they loved, the work they did, and the neighbors they helped.
Leon Bruce Lasota
March 20, 1951 - April 2, 2026
Leon served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve and completed his training at Camp Pendleton. He then spent more than four decades working for Chicago & Northwestern and Union Pacific railroads, earning a reputation for reliability and hard work. Service remained part of his daily life through the VFW, American Legion, and his role as Senior Vice Commander of AMVETS Post 503. His loyalty to fellow veterans made him a steady presence in the St. Charles–Batavia veteran community.
Stanley J. Wojciechowski Jr.
November 2, 1943 - December 28, 2025
Stanley served in the United States Air Force and carried its discipline, integrity, and quiet leadership into civilian life. He built a close partnership with his wife, Lorraine, and remained deeply devoted to their children, grandchildren, and extended family. Friends also knew him through the easy fellowship of Euchre and Cribbage. His story is one of steady service and of caring faithfully for the people closest to home.
Darryl R. Rogers
February 5, 1947 - November 28, 2025
Known as “Big Red” or “Pops,” Darryl served three years in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. Returning home did not end his public service: he spent more than 25 years protecting St. Charles as a police officer and retired as a lieutenant. Away from duty, he treasured his grandchildren, hunting with his dogs, and time at the family cabin in Canada. The courage and responsibility of his military years became a lifelong commitment to his adopted hometown.
Carl P. Schneider
June 29, 1947 - September 8, 2025
Carl was a proud Vietnam veteran whose love of country remained central throughout his life. The loyalty and commitment he learned in service were also visible in the way he cared for his family and community. He is remembered as a devoted father, grandfather, brother, and uncle who made his affection clear. Memorial gifts in his honor were directed to the VFW, connecting his remembrance to the veteran community he valued.
Robert Phinney Froelich
September 25, 1929 - May 15, 2025
Robert answered the call during the Korean War and rose to the rank of Sergeant in the United States Army. His generation met a difficult conflict with resilience and a clear sense of duty, values Robert continued to embody after coming home. He made his life in Elgin and was remembered for integrity, quiet strength, and respect for community. He was laid to rest with full military honors at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery.
Angelo DiLiberti
April 12, 1927 - May 8, 2025
Angelo enlisted in the Army after high school while his unit prepared for the invasion of Japan. He later served in the Army Reserve, completed infantry and command training, assisted during President Eisenhower's funeral, and retired as a lieutenant colonel. At 46 he completed 82nd Airborne jump school and continued jumping into his eighties—including one memorable jump with daughters and grandchildren. A private investigator, founder of AMVETS Post 503, veterans' advocate, traveler, historian, and irresistible storyteller, Angelo made a full life out of curiosity and service.
James S. Morgan
August 15, 1945 - March 14, 2025
Jim was born on V-J Day and later served his country in the United States Air Force during Vietnam. He brought the same loyalty to Post 5036, where he served as commander, and to a 40-year working life as a truck driver and crane operator. For 20 years he and his family also opened their home as foster parents through Easterseals. Faith, country, family, and friends were not abstractions to Jim—they were the people and responsibilities he showed up for every day.
John Kenneth Clauson (Ken)
May 18, 1925 - March 12, 2025
Ken served in the Army Air Corps during World War II before earning an economics degree from Augustana College. He built a distinguished career in municipal finance, eventually leading the bond department at Goldman Sachs and advising the State of Illinois Bureau of the Budget. In St. Charles he shared that expertise through Delnor Hospital, Augustana, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, and Lutheran Social Services. Yet friends most often remembered his gift for sustaining relationships across generations and every walk of life.
Harvey B. Sweigert
November 13, 1930 - January 1, 2025
Harvey served in the United States Army, then returned to the Fox Valley and worked for River View Dairy and Dean Foods until retiring in 1989. He brought remarkable energy to everything he did, especially softball: he played in Batavia leagues until age 50 and took up the game again after moving to Texas, continuing until 59. Hard work, athletic curiosity, and a refusal to let age define him characterized Harvey's long life. His family remembers that youthful spirit as much as his service.
Michael D. McHugh
October 21, 1947 - December 8, 2024
Michael served in the United States Army from 1970 to 1971 and was stationed at Camp Page in Korea. He came home to a life of steady responsibility, working 37 years as a mail carrier in Hillside while also operating a tree business. Those who knew him describe a loving, compassionate man who was ready to help when someone needed it. His 56-year marriage to Celeste and his devotion as a father and grandfather were at the center of that dependable life.
Ernest Kashnowski
January 12, 1930 - November 12, 2024
Ernie was an Army veteran and a longtime St. Charles resident who built his life around work, family, and celebration. After his career with Lucent Technologies, he and his wife Mary traveled and shared 64 years of marriage. To three children, eight grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren, he was “Papa”—a source of lighthearted humor at vacations, holidays, and family gatherings. His ability to make a room warmer was an important part of how he served the people around him.
Michael Frank Hahn
July 5, 1948 - August 4, 2024
Mike was a Vietnam combat veteran whose post-service life kept moving with energy and ambition. As an entrepreneur he built more than 40 custom homes, creating lasting places for other families. He loved fast cars, motorcycles, Route 66, Sturgis, concerts, dancing, and travel across the United States and around the world—usually with family or friends along for the ride. He was proudest of his family and the “Team Hahndo” legacy they built together.
Robert Gorecki Sr.
August 21, 1928 - August 14, 2024
Bob's life was inseparable from St. Charles. A Korean War Army company commander and later an Army Reserve major and Staff Judge Advocate, he returned home to practice law and serve as city attorney, police and fire commissioner, Chamber president, bank leader, Scoutmaster, and pro bono counsel to churches and veteran organizations. With his wife Janet, he supported causes serving children, mental health, veterans, and neighbors experiencing homelessness. The city recognized his decades of civic leadership with the 2019 Charlemagne Award, but Bob continued practicing law and helping people to his final days.
Joseph R. “Joe” Compton
January 9, 1944 - July 2, 2024
Joe was born in Chicago and made his home in Geneva, surrounded by a large and closely connected family. The Post archive especially remembers his lifelong love of trains. He did not keep that knowledge to himself; he shared it at every opportunity with relatives and friends, turning an interest into a way of connecting generations. The details of his military service are not yet recorded in the archive, and Post 5036 welcomes memories that can help complete his story.
James Lawler Machin
March 25, 1948 - May 8, 2024
James was a St. Charles veteran remembered by fellow service members and the Post community. The surviving archive includes a photograph from a 2013 reunion, a reminder that friendships formed through shared experience can last for decades. Only a small part of his story is currently preserved here. Family, friends, and fellow veterans are invited to help Post 5036 record more of the life behind his name.
James Patinka
March 20, 1967 - October 2, 2022
Jim served in the United States Navy aboard the submarine USS Spadefish from 1986 to 1992, forming friendships he carried for life. After earning a geography degree from the University of Illinois Chicago, he and his wife Shari made St. Charles home and raised their two daughters here. He led Post 5036 as commander from 2015 through 2022 while advocating for veterans and for workers through union representation. Family and friends remember a loyal, gentle, hardworking man who would do anything for the people he loved.
Stanley Drab
July 20, 1942 - November 22, 2022
Stanley arrived in the United States from Slovenia after a childhood shaped by war and loss, and becoming an American citizen in 1967 was among his proudest achievements. A Loyola track athlete and dentist, he joined the Navy in 1968, volunteered for Vietnam, and completed three deployments while also learning to fly helicopters. He later built a dental practice, taught at the University of Illinois Dental School, and filled his family life with running, skiing, racing, soccer, volleyball, and travel. Through serious illness he held to a simple conviction: never give up.
Eugene Earl “Gene” Gaik
May 22, 1930 - November 8, 2021
Gene's story in the Post archive is full of friendship and personality. He was known for practical jokes, Friday-night gatherings, cooking, woodworking, working out, dancing with his wife, traveling, and cheering for the Bears. Family time might mean fishing, swimming, or a loud game of cards, but the point was always being together. His 68-year marriage to Dawn and the family they raised remained the center of his life.
Dale Joseph Honeyman
July 17, 1935 - May 29, 2021
Dale married Nancy Sagert in 1955 and spent more than 66 years building a family and a life with her. He founded The Bike Rack in St. Charles and became the behind-the-scenes financial mind and steady support that held the family business together through decades of accomplishments. Dale rarely sought recognition, but relatives and colleagues knew him as a generous problem-solver who was always ready to help. His quiet leadership became a standard his family still works to honor.
David L. Starr
April 22, 1946 - September 13, 2021
David served four years in the United States Air Force, including 26½ months in Vietnam. He stayed connected through Post 5036, American Legion Post 342, the Bien Hoa Air Force Base reunion group, and the Saturday coffee table he loved. At home he was a voracious reader who could finish four or five books in a week and still remember the details. Travel, fishing, hunting, working with his hands, faith, and a 50-year marriage to Wanda gave his life its texture.
George J. Vincolese
March 30, 1927 - August 21, 2021
George served as a United States Army military policeman in the Philippines during World War II. An engineer by training, he spent 35 years with General Telephone and earned a patent for telephone switching equipment. He and Mary Rose shared nearly 70 years of marriage, raised their family in Elmhurst, and later made St. Charles home. Family remembers a warm man who greeted people with a hug, loved a good birthday party, and made devotion visible in everyday life.
Francis “Frank” T. Baert
January 12, 1934 - December 3, 2020
Frank grew up working on his family's St. Charles farm and served two years in the Army near the end of the Korean War as a heavy-equipment operator. He returned home to marry Barbara, work in the trades, and bring his competitive streak to basketball, softball, Rolle Bolle, pool, and cribbage. Fishing trips to Minnesota and Canada became treasured traditions. He was the family jokester and, in his own telling, the best basketball player and the fun-loving uncle everyone hoped would be at the gathering.
Vernon W. Oie Jr.
October 2, 1926 - July 25, 2020
Vern was a United States Army veteran and Oregon State University graduate whose conservation training reflected a lifelong love of nature. He gave more than 30 years to the Delnor Hospital board, worked with the Salvation Army, raised funds for charities, and joined countless hands-on community projects. St. Charles honored Vern and his wife Sharon with the Charlemagne Award for community service. He also acted and sang with local groups, scuba dived, windsurfed, skied competitively, and piloted airplanes—an unusually full life grounded in making things better.
Raymond R. Harness Jr.
April 13, 1927 - February 25, 2020
Raymond served in the United States Army and built a civilian life around skilled, physical work. He worked for Jim Popp Builders, operated a pulpwood business in Mississippi, and later supervised operations at Ace Coffee Bar in Elgin. His hands also produced custom cabinets and two homes, while his energy found outlets in cycling and, in younger years, semi-professional weightlifting and bodybuilding. He is remembered as a maker—someone who understood how effort could turn raw material into something lasting.
Roland Frohling
August 23, 1920 - February 20, 2015
Roland belonged to the generation called to serve during World War II and answered that call in the United States Army. After the war he returned to Illinois, raised a family, worked hard, and contributed without seeking attention. Friends remembered his quiet strength, loyal friendship, and respect for fellow veterans. His final years at the Illinois Veterans Home in Manteno placed him again among people who understood the experience of service.
Walter Grajek
April 28, 1921 - March 11, 2013
Walter was a World War II Army veteran and a member of both Post 5036 and the American Legion. His commitment extended onto the water through service as an officer in the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Professionally, he worked as an engineering specialist at Argonne National Laboratory. He also loved to sing, lending his voice to German male choruses—a reminder that a veteran's life can hold technical skill, public duty, family devotion, and music at once.
Gene VanWyhe
January 23, 1935 - February 20, 2013
Gene was born in Sioux Center, Iowa, and served in the United States Navy during the Korean War. He later made St. Charles home and remained connected to fellow veterans through Post 5036 and American Legion Post 342. He and his wife Doris brought together a wide family of children, stepchildren, 22 grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. His membership was part of a life built on kinship, continuity, and shared experience.
Elmer A. Zeleny
August 23, 1950 - December 27, 2012
Elmer served in the United States Navy aboard USS Constellation and remained a longtime member of Post 5036. In civilian life he worked as a union plumber for Mendel Plumbing and Dorr Plumbing, carrying a skilled trade into homes and businesses across the community. Many Kane County Flea Market visitors also knew his cooking. Camping, friends, and family rounded out a life in which service and practical work went hand in hand.
James Francis Daly
May 17, 1947 - May 11, 2009
Jim served in the United States Army from 1967 to 1973 during Vietnam and earned the Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and campaign honors. He later led Post 5036 as commander, built a respected career in equipment sales, and volunteered as a church usher, Cub Scout leader, baseball and soccer coach, and school booster. Outdoors, he ran with the family's Golden Retriever and taught each of his children to fish. His service continued through the young people he encouraged and the family experiences he worked hard to create.
Robert Joseph “Bob” Descourouez
November 9, 1927 - September 26, 2008
Bob grew up in St. Charles, graduated from Marmion Military Academy in 1945, and served with United States Army occupation forces in Japan from 1946 to 1947. After returning home he worked for Moline Malleable Iron and raised a family through years of both joy and loss. His lifelong fascination with birds included more than 30 years breeding and racing homing pigeons. In retirement he gardened, raised rabbits, cared for his property, and spent many Saturday nights dancing with his wife Diane at the St. Charles Moose.
Edwin N. Green
March 19, 1919 - November 23, 2006
Ed graduated from St. Charles High School in 1938 and left soon after his 1944 wedding to serve in the Army as an airplane electrician in the China-Burma-India theater. He became a charter member of Post 5036 and also belonged to American Legion Post 342. His civilian work included DuKane Corporation, the Chicago Tribune, and the City of St. Charles Electrical Department. At St. Patrick Church and Hesed House, he kept serving as an usher, sacristan, faithful volunteer, and the handyman people knew they could call.
Felix “Doc” Grigg
November 20, 1921 - January 25, 2002
Doc was a lifelong St. Charles resident, a 1939 Thompson High School graduate, and a World War II Army staff sergeant. For 36 years he worked in the composing room of the Elgin Courier News, helping turn reporting into the printed paper delivered across the region. He was a member of Post 5036, Typographical Union 16, and St. Patrick Church. Golf, fishing, family, and his longtime companion Rose Marie Walsh completed the life behind the familiar nickname.
