MEMORIAL RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Walter L. Sojka, a U.S Army Veteran of the Korean War was called home to God on August 17, 2014, at the age of 84, and
WHEREAS, This October body has been informed of his passing by the Honorable Walter Burnett Jr, Alderman of the 27th Ward; and
WHEREAS, Walter L. Sojka, was born on June 28, 1930 to Peter J. Sojka sr. and Elizabeth J. (Wrzesinaki) Sojka; and
WHEREAS, Walter attended Holy Innocents grammar school and then Holy Trinity High School in Chicago, after graduation he attend the University of Illinois at Navy Pier, and continued his education at Worsham College of Mortuary Science where he graduated as a Funeral Director; and
WHEREAS, He then was drafted serving his country, as a United States Army Master Sergeant, in the Korean War. In 1953, Walter was honorably discharged and received a Bronze star metal, he returned home to establish his Funeral Home business; and
WHEREAS, As a first generation funeral director, in 1954 and at the age of only 23, he opened the Walter L. Sojka Funeral Home at 1427 West Chicago Avenue and lived above it for over 60 years. He had a deep love for his neighborhood and local residents and businesses dubbed him "The Mayor of Chicago Avenue"; and
WHEREAS, He was the founder of the "Polish Museum of America's Summer Ball", "Friends of Nazareth in Des Plaines" and his sister's mission, "Friends of Sister Ancilla for the Philippine Mission"; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Sojka was an officer and/or member of numerous organizations including: The National and Illinois Funeral Directors Associations, the Polish Roman Catholic Union of America, the Polish Museum of America, the Polish Veterans of America Post #72, Bishop Murphy's Catholic Campaign for Human Development, the Catholic League, St. Vincent DePaul, the Chicago Junior Chamber of Commerce, the Chicago Inter-Collegiate Council, the Northwest Community Organization, where he established the first senior citizen club in the community in 1962 at Pulaski Park,...
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