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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of John Hubert Sciarretta Sr. of
4Deerfield, who passed away on March 2, 2023; and
 
5    WHEREAS, John Sciarretta was born in Evanston to Alfonso
6and Hazel Sciarretta on April 4, 1940; at the age of three, he
7went to St. Mary's Training School for Boys (Maryville
8Academy) in Des Plaines, and at the age of 18, he enlisted in
9the United States Marine Corps, where he served his country
10honorably and with distinction for four years as a lance
11corporal; he married Maria DeFrenza, and they traveled through
12Italy before returning to Glenview; he relocated his family to
13Deerfield in 1976; and
 
14    WHEREAS, John Sciarretta had a passion for food and
15hospitality and opened the Italian Kitchen restaurant, which
16he and his wife owned for over half a century; through this,
17they played a significant role in supplying food for family
18gatherings and also for numerous clubs and organizations in
19the community, which John held near and dear to his heart; he
20was pivotal in bringing people together and creating a sense
21of community, and the restaurant was an extension of that, a
22place where he shared his wonderful stories and gave a job to
23anyone in need; he was a man who never turned down a request

 

 

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1for a donation of food or for volunteering to many meaningful
2causes in which he believed; he always wanted to see
3Deerfield's businesses grow and succeed; and
 
4    WHEREAS, John Sciarretta was involved with various
5organizations that brought him great pride, including the
6Deerfield Lions Club, the American Legion, and the Wounded
7Warriors Foundation; he was one of the founding fathers of the
8Deerfield Family Day's Bicycle Parade; and
 
9    WHEREAS, John Sciarretta's volunteerism led to numerous
10accolades that he cherished dearly, including the Lions Club
11International Foundation Melvin Jones Fellowship, Deerfield's
12Human Relations Award, the DBR (Deerfield, Bannockburn,
13Riverwoods) Chamber of Commerce Sherry Kalan Community Service
14Award, the Optimist Club's President's Citation, the Rotary
15Club Paul Harris Fellow, and Illinois Dollars for Scholars
16Lincolnland Legend; and
 
17    WHEREAS, John Sciarretta was affectionately known as "Papa
18John" to his grandchildren and "Great Papa John" to his
19great-grandchild; and
 
20    WHEREAS, John Sciarretta enjoyed telling a witty joke or
21an anecdote about his many silly shenanigans; he was quite the
22showman with his homegrown tomatoes, gigantic sunflowers,

 

 

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1record-worthy zucchini, and homemade limoncello and had a
2special affinity for the Rose of Sharon plant; and
 
3    WHEREAS, John Sciarretta was preceded in death by his
4siblings, Elizabeth Askin and Alfonso Sciarretta; and
 
5    WHEREAS, John Sciarretta is survived by his wife of 57
6years, Maria; his children, Samuel (Beth), John (Emerald)
7Sciarretta, Lisa (Johnston) Hoehne, and Angela (Michael)
8Butera; his grandchildren, Brandon (Lindy) Engle, Alexandra
9(Brady) Burkholder, John-Joseph and Jessica Sciarretta, Henry,
10Jackson, and Josephine Hoehne, and Maria and Charlie Butera;
11his great-grandchild, Scarlett Burkholder; his siblings, Gildo
12Sciarretta, Karen Robinson, and Sharon Walerius; and numerous
13other family members; therefore, be it
 
14    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL
15ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
16John Hubert Sciarretta Sr. and extend our sincere condolences
17to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be
18it further
 
19    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
20presented to the family of John Sciarretta as an expression of
21our deepest sympathy.