Obituaries

We will update the list of names of our deceased warriors on a monthly basis. We will not place a person on this list with hearsay, second hand, information. Send us a link to the obituary, noting the date and name of the newspaper from which it was taken. If you don't have the obit, then you must be related to, or a close friend who attended the wake, funeral or memorial service.

July 2026
Aileen Augustine '65
Joyce Gibson '81
James Solka '60
George Lanegraff '61
Aileen Augustine Henderlight - Class '65
Aileen J. Henderlight passed on June 28, 2026, at the age of 78. Born on October 9, 1947, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Aileen lived in Crystal Lake, Illinois and is formerly of Des Plaines, IL. Aileen grew up in Des Plaines, IL and attended Maine West High School. She loved family gatherings, spending time with her daughters, going for drives with her husband, and especially being with her grandchildren. Aileen is survived by her husband, Donald Henderlight; daughters, Joni (Randy Velasquez and Gina (Steve) Peters; step-son, Tim (Jennifer) Henderlight; grandchildren, Christopher (Ashley) Floyd, Katie Corbeil, Davey Corbeil, Hanna Corbeil and Lauren Henderlight; great-granddaughter, Ellie Floyd; sisters, Nancy (Rich) Plahutnik and Linda (Charlie) Califf; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Don and Elinor Augustine and sisters, Jean (Augustine) Flynn and Joan (Augustine) Butenschoen. A celebration of life will be announced in the near future.
Joyce Gibson Chartier - Class '81
Joyce A. Chartier, née Gibson, 63, of Cleveland, TN passed away on April 17, 2026. She was a beloved wife, sister, aunt, and friend, and she will be missed by many. Born on January 1, 1963, Joyce was the third youngest out of seven siblings. She graduated from St. Emily's Elementary School in 1977, and from Maine West High School in 1981. She pursued a college degree at University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign and graduated in 1985 An accomplished CPA, Joyce was deeply respected by clients, both old and new. Her integrity and capability led her on a fruitful path through life, allowing her to build meaningful professional and personal relationships that lasted years. She was hard-working and driven, though never too busy to indulge in her hobbies of cooking, travelling, and playing golf. She is survived by her husband Peter; their Great Dane, Bo; her siblings, George (Cynthia) Gibson, Sue (Scott) Hutcheson, Don (Donna) Gibson, Marianne (Carl) Weaver, Joanne (Dan) Long, and John (Charlotte) Gibson; her in-laws, Michelle (Paul) Laughlin, and Ed Chartier; her nieces and nephews, Patrick, Casey, Megan (Mark), Sara (Alex), Carianne (Bryan), Nick (Susan), Em, Ben, Alessandro, Alexa, Paul Jr (Nicole), Erin, Anne, Dean, Emma, Dorothy, Beckett, and Connor; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins on both her and her husband’s sides. She is preceded in death by her parents, George and Dorothy Gibson; her father- and mother-in-law, Edmund and Dorothy Chartier; and beloved dogs, Xena, Harley, Ruby, and Boots. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you donate to Southern Style Great Dane Rescue in her memory. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday July 25, 2026, from 1:00pm till 4:30pm at Dock’s (313 E Liberty Street Wauconda, IL).
James Solka - Class '60
James W. (Jim) Solka, 83, of Des Plaines, IL, passed away on Thursday, June 25, 2026. Jim was the loving and devoted husband of Judy (née Jablonski); beloved son of the late Theodore and Hendy (née Thomason) Solka; loving brother of Barbara (the late Robert) Pustay; fond brother-in-law to Diane (the late Ronald) Jablonski, and cherished uncle of Karen (Christophe) Maskell, Lucas Maskell, and Sophie Maskell; James (Kate) Pustay, Gracie Pustay, Will Pustay, and Elizabeth Pustay; Gina (Chris) Cox, Johnathan (Brooke) Tyler , and Jacob Coleman; Jeffrey Jablonski; Mark (Georgianna) Jablonski, Christina (Nick) Weidman, Mark (Alexandra) Jablonski and Vince (Elizabeth) Jablonski. Jim began his career in finance and accounting at Danly Machine (later part of Northrop Grumman) in Cicero, where he met the love of his life, Judy Jablonski. They were married at Our Lady of Charity Church in Cicero and shared 59 wonderful years of marriage. Together they made their home in Forest View for many years before moving to Jim's family home in Des Plaines. Jim and Judy loved traveling throughout Europe, especially to Norway, Jim's ancestral homeland- uff da! He also treasured the many rounds of golf he played with his beloved brother-in-law, Bob Pustay. After a long and successful career with Danly, Jim joined Merkle-Korff Industries in Hoffman Estates, where he worked until his retirement. Jim lived his life with a smile and had a remarkable gift for making everyone he met feel heard, valued, and important. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him. Jim's cremated remains will be interred during a private ceremony at Mount Auburn Cemetery alongside his cherished in-laws, Edward and Eleanor Jablonski. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Buddy Foundation or the American Cancer Society. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Cappetta's West Suburban Funeral Home, 4920 Main St. Downers Grove, IL 60515, for additional information please call 630-852-8000.
George Lanegraff - Class '61
Arnold George Lanegraff, 82, of Bellevue, WA, after a courageous twelve-year journey following a glioblastoma diagnosis in 2013, we are heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved Poppa George on June 1st, 2026, with his cherished Molly by his side. Born in Vancouver, Canada in 1943, George came of age in the Chicago suburb of Des Plaines. He attended Maine West High School, where he met the only girl who ever truly caught his eye, Millicent “Molly” Kelly. Falling for Molly meant falling for an entire family: her brother John, sisters Tassie and Susie, and their mother Eleanor. George embraced them all with open arms and never looked back. George attended Northeastern Junior College in Colorado on a wrestling scholarship and then went on to earn his bachelor's degree from Western Illinois University and his master's degree from Northeastern Illinois University. He married Molly the day after turning 21 and began building their life together as the M&G Roadshow. What followed was a colorful and wide-ranging career — from serving with the Evanston Police Department to teaching and coaching wrestling at his alma mater and at Maine East in Park Ridge, Illinois. He was ahead of his time, challenging the ire of more conservative administrators in the late 1960s with his long hair, mustache and relaxed style. He then started his career in volunteer and community development with the United Way. In 1980, with daughters Jennifer and Beth and son Marc in tow, the Lanegraff family set their sights on Seattle. As Director of the Ballard YMCA, George threw himself into strengthening his new community, developing courses and seminars that ranged from break dancing to Italian cooking. He later brought his boundless energy to Thousand Trails, and then to event planning for Prevost and Marathon Coach, where he made every occasion a celebration worth remembering. On his many travels he never failed to work his magic, charming flight attendants and gate agents, often resulting in first class upgrades and free bottles of champagne. But work never defined George, his family did. His deepest joy lived in the faces of his children: Jen (Dan Davidson), Beth and Marc; grandchildren: Meghan, Kate, Emily, Olivia, Keira, Ian, and Kelly, and great-granddaughter Evie. From Grandma Camps on Whidbey Island to Fourth of July celebrations in Park City and St. Patrick's Day dashes in Seattle, George came alive when surrounded by the people he loved most. While Molly provided the family's fierce matriarchal heart, George was its spark, leading living room dances to the Traveling Wilburys and Village People, anchoring epic ski days at Alta, creatively using experimental cooking to liven up recipes (raisins and pine nuts especially) and forever finding the next reason to laugh. A celebration of George's life will be held late summer - for more information contact mgroadshow@outlook.com. The family warmly encourages donations to the Ivy Center at Swedish or Evergreen Hospice. We grieve his absence, and we carry him forward — knowing full well he's rollerblading through heaven on perfectly smooth trails.