Thomas T. Kokocinski

Thomas T. Kokocinski of Arlington Heights Prayers for Thomas T. Kokocinski will be said at 8:45 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21, at the Glueckert Funeral Home, Ltd., 1520 N. Arlington Heights Road (four blocks south of Palatine Road), Arlington Heights, proceeding to Our Lady of the Wayside Church, 440 S. Mitchell, Arlington Heights, for a Mass at 9:30 a.m. Burial will be in St. Michael the Archangel Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. Monday, Oct. 20, at the funeral home. Born March 3, 1938, in Chicago, to Alexander and Adeline (nee Domek) Kokocinski, he died Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2008, at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights. Tom spent all his working life in the general aviation industry. He was one of the lucky ones; his work was his passion. His career began with Butler Aviation at O'Hare Airport which spanned over 30 years. He began as a bench technician repairing Avionics equipment and very quickly became a department head and then a manager of the Avionics and maintenance departments for five bases. After Butler he worked with Priester Aviation at Palwaukee Airport in Wheeling. He immensely enjoyed working with Charlie Priester, an icon in the general aviation business. When the business climate changed he went to work with AAR, (Allen Aircraft Radio) as the general manager of their large Avionics repair facility in Wood Dale, from which he eventually retired from the Aviation business. Tom was a vice president of long standing with the AEA, an Avionics Electronics Association; plus, he was a member of the elite organization INA, (International Navigation Association). He also spent many years as a member of the esteemed Knights of Columbus. His love of aviation was only surpassed by his love of family. His grandparents, Elizabeth (Nonny) and Thomas; his parents, Adeline and Alexander; his children, Julie and Pamela; his wonderful grandchildren, Michelle, Thomas and Kimberly; and his loving wife, Jennifer. Thomas is survived by his wife, Jennifer Kokocinski (nee Royer), whom he married May 10, 1980; his children, Julie (James) Healy and Pamela (John) Jaresko; his grandchildren, Michelle, Thomas and Kimberly; and by his brother, Michael Hatch. He was preceded in death by a brother, Dennis Kokocinski; and by his parents. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to the American Cancer Society, 1114 N. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, IL 60004. For information and condolences, www.GlueckertFH.com or 847-253-0168.