Duane P. Olek

Duane P. Olek, age 65, a resident of Naperville since 1964, passed away on Monday, March 10, 2025, at Endeavor Health Edward Hospital in Naperville. He was born on August 5, 1959, in Chicago, IL.
Beloved son of the late Ruth A. (nee O'Malley) Olek and the late Henry H. Olek, loving brother of Danny (Lavonne) Olek, Donald, Dennis (Denise Cooney-Olek) Olek, and Debra (late Pat) Bakke, adored uncle of Sarah, Shannon, Patrick (Laura), David (Alex), Meghan, William, Mary, Brian (Anna), Emily, Valerie, Tevin, Monica, Amya, Mariah, Javon, and Devonte and great-uncle of Angelica, Callie, Weston, and Brayden, fond cousin and friend of many.
Any time Duane had an announcement to make or a story to share, he would begin with "my name is Duane Olek". Whether he was letting his family know he was treating them all to his favorite ice cream or using a microphone he swiped right from someone's hand to announce to a crowd of strangers that it was his birthday and he wanted everyone to sing to him. He was proud of being Duane and wanted everyone to know it. And while Duane may not have known he had Down Syndrome, everyone else did. Not just because of any visual cues, but because of who he was. Duane's extra twenty-first chromosome gave him a bit extra of so many traits that the rest of humanity is short on; love, affection, happiness, joy, etc. He was quick to share a hug, even quicker to forgive and lived with a frequent smile on his face and a constant light in his eyes. Duane often said that he was the smartest in the family, and perhaps he was - for he lived without any pretense or falsehoods. His love was genuine and without question, his cheerfulness was impossible not to share, and his outlook on life was admirable. No time was wasted on holding grudges or worrying about trivial things. As Duane got older he suffered from OCD, and in his last two or three years of life he had end stage Alzheimers. Both are common among those with Down Syndrome. Despite what a dreadful thing they can both be, he never uttered a single complaint and always looked on the positive side of life. In the last week of his life, Duane underwent some painful health complications and still he remained how we always knew him- happy through the very end.
Duane was the fourth of five children to the late Henry and Ruth, who devoted her life to his care. Living in Naperville for all but his first few years, he attended the now defunct Eola School and completed the rest of his education at Century Hill School. An enthusiastic participant in The Special Olympics, he won numerous awards in track and field and swimming. Even years after his participation ended he could still out-swim everyone he knew and loved to remind all of his Special Olympics achievements. After his graduation from Century Hill he began work immediately. From then until his retirement in his fifties, Duane worked at Little Friends Spectrum Vocational Workshop. Especially towards the end of his career when there was less work available, it was more of a social club for Duane. He'd come home and talk about his many girlfriends, share about drama with his friends, and looked forward to opening his paychecks. To Duane it didn't matter if he was making $70 or $0.70, he was always satisfied with with his earnings. Which is another testament to his disposition of being a generally happy guy who was content with his life. He looked forward to every holiday gathering, both at work and at home, and was forever the life of the party. Duane was a self-dubbed ladies' man and party animal. Music, singing, and dancing never failed to bring a smile to his face, and those of anyone in his proximity because his joy was infectious. Classic country remained his favorite genre after listening to it with Danny when he was a child.
Thanks to his family, if there was somewhere Duane wanted to visit, then Duane traveled there. Donald and their cousin Cathy took him on all the trips he desired across the entire country via planes, trains, and automobiles. Some favorites were Washington, Hawaii, and Nashville. If there was anything Elvis-related on these trips, you can bet they were on the itinerary. Graceland, touring Elvis spots in Hawaii, singing with impersonators at restaurants, or just wearing his golden Elvis-style sunglasses, Duane idolized the king. His most frequent journeys were family vacations to the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Here he spent lots of time showcasing his swimming and relaxation skills. Over his 65 years he spent many an hour there fishing with his sister Debby and having fun with his nieces and nephews, time that is very cherished to all.
If Duane wasn't at work or on a trip you could find him obsessing over sports. As he put it himself, "Sports are my life." Many hours a week were spent watching sports talk shows, listening to sports talk radio, studying football magazines, memorizing player statistics, awaiting the draft, and of course, watching games. He loved all of the Chicago teams, particularly the Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks and Cubs. His brothers Donald and Dennis took him on an annual trip to the Bears training camp in Bourbonnais, and for the week beforehand Duane made sure to tell everyone how excited he was to go. Whenever Michael Jordan came up, Duane would bring out his MJ autograph. The same could be said of Bobby Hull as Duane would remind everyone of the times he met the Golden Jet. His ability to rattle off facts and statistics on so many sports and players was astounding. As was his collection of attire related to his favorite teams, he probably owned more shirts with team logos than without. But none of these could compare to Duane's favorite The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. If he liked ND before, he became obsessed after his brother attended college there. He attended many Notre Dame games and proudly sang their fight song. Duane also greatly enjoyed bowling and owned his own custom ball, shoes, wrist wraps, chalk, towel, and bag just like the professionals.
When it came to generosity, anything you can do Duane could do better. If it was from his salary at Spectrum or a few dollars he not so secretly swiped from his mother's purse, Duane would empty his wallet for you without a second thought. If it was your birthday he'd put a couple of bills in a card for you and always signed it "Duane Love". If he heard his niece lost a tooth he'd find a dollar and hand it over with a promise that the tooth fairy left it for them. And it wasn't just money that he was unselfish with. You asked for a cookie from his stash? He would insist he had to get it for you but he'd come back with double what you asked for. You were going on vacation? Duane would slip you a twenty for spending cash and maybe for a souvenir shirt or candy for him. He also gave hugs abundantly. They were the best and consistently included gentle pats on your back or shoulder.
His name was Duane Olek and he will be perpetually missed by anyone who knew him. He was special in every way- as a son, brother, uncle, friend, and human. Duane had a big personality and a pure soul that will never be forgotten. His presence was indelible. As deeply as Duane loved he was equally loved back and his residence and impact in all our lives is irreplaceable. We were lucky/blessed beyond reason to have him.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday, March 21, 2025, 11:00 AM at SS. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, 36 N. Ellsworth St, Naperville, IL 60540.
Interment will follow at SS. Peter & Paul Cemetery in Naperville.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Duane's memory may be made to:
Little Friends, 27555 Diehl Road, Warrenville, IL 60555, (630) 355-6533, https://www.littlefriendsinc.org/
or
Special Olympics Illinois (SOILL), 605 East Willow Street, Normal, IL 61761, (800) 380-3071, https://www.soill.org/
For more information, please visit www.friedrich-jones.com or call (630) 355-0213.