Don Dadas

Don S. Dadas 86 of Barrington IL formerly of Chicago and Lake Forest passed away March 13, 2017. Born August 18, 1930 to the late William and Bessie Dadas, Don attended Koraes Greek School, Lindbloom Technical High School, and graduated from Depaul University. His love of music and the arts began at a very young age and he trained as a concert pianist with Arthur Rubenstein and conductor Dimitri Metropoulos among others before electing to pursue a business career in deference to a concert career. His storied career included Directors and Vice-Presidents posts in Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations with Rand McNally, Scott Foresman, Follet Publishing and Harcourt, Brace & Jovannavich where he received many industry accolades and awards for the application of his innovative and insightful approach. In addition to positions with GM Laboratories, Link Belt and Inland Steel, Mr. Dadas also served as the CEO of North Shore School of Business. Dons life-long devotional association with many of Chicago’s art organizations as opera and symphony manager and board member, led to many friendships with world famous artists. For many years he and his wife Demmi were the hosts of Salon concerts for young and internationally recognized artists in their Lake Forest and Chicago homes. He was always willing to give freely of his time and talents to help others, often taking on seemingly lost causes with his boundless energy and infectious enthusiasm leading to his being labeled an “arts dynamo”. Through the years, Don lent his expertise to many charitable endeavours, and held numerous chairmanships of various Fine Arts Societies in the Chicago area including Friends of the Chicago Public Library, Touchstone Theater, The Illinois Council of Orchestras, Chicago Opera Theater, The Chicago Fine Arts Society, The Eclecteon Fine Arts Society of Chicago, Lake Forest Symphony Orchestra, and The Lake Forest Fine Arts Alliance, among others. In addition to his loving and devoted wife of 56 years Demmi, Don is survived by his children Dennis Dadas and Denise Clarke; his grandchildren, Kristin, Morgan and Ryan Clarke his nephews Vance and James Economy, and nieces Kim Stuart and Dyan Garris. He was preceded in death by his parents, and sister Helen Economy. Funeral Services will be held at St. Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church Glenview, IL at 12:00pm March 17, 2017. Burial will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery, Skokie. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to WTTW Chicago.