Will County Gazette

The Tinley Park Board of Trustees celebrated the monumental birthday of one of its residents.

At the January 17th council meeting, Mayor Michael Glotz issued a special proclamation regarding the birthday of one of their longtime residents, John Surufka, who turned 100 on January 10th. Surufka is also a World War II veteran, where he served overseas and was awarded the Purple Heart Medal for the wounds he received in battle during the invasion of Germany. 

"My dad always thought of everybody else first," said his daughter, Vicki Wiley. "He never wanted anything, just a thank you or a cup of coffee. So this is a wonderful honor for him. Not only did John serve his country, but also his local community."

For many years he served at the St. George’s Children's garden where he brought his decades of experience growing food. Having grown up with 12 other siblings, he took the lessons from his father on growing your own food very seriously. He was known to have a green thumb like none other, always getting his plants to thrive. He could always be seen instructing students and families on best gardening practices, combating the weeds with his Army shovel, and harvesting the produce that would go on to be donated to the Tinley Park Food Pantry. He is also a renowned cook and baker, having taken second in a couple of local competitions.

In his honor, Glotz declared January 10th to be "John Surufka" day for all that the centenarian has done for the community. Although Surufka was unable to attend the village board meeting and is now wheelchair-bound, his daughter Vicki accepted the recognition and plaque on behalf of her father, as well as taking pictures and chatting with council members. She spoke very fondly of her father, someone who has always been there for everyone in her family, even after his wife passed. She knows him as an incredibly selfless man who loved to make people smile and feel special.