Former Daily Herald reporter dies

Carmen Greco Jr., a popular Daily Herald reporter who covered a variety of West suburban communities from the paper's DuPage County bureau, has died.

Greco died Sunday of complications following cancer surgery. The veteran reporter, who lived in Evergreen Park, was 52.

His former editor Carla Kemp described Greco as a versatile writer. But even more, she said, he wasn't afraid to share his craft with reporters working on deadline around him.

“Carmen was a quiet and capable reporter who could handle any story I threw his way,” Kemp said. “He was always willing to whip out a story on short notice to help me or one of his fellow reporters, regardless of whether it was his beat.”

Former Daily Herald reporter Stacy St. Clair remembers her first years in the newsroom, when, fresh out of college, she was shown the ropes by Greco.

“Every rookie reporter should sit next to a Carmen Greco,” St. Clair said. “He was a kindhearted veteran who always had the right word to improve a story, the right background tidbit to give it context and the right perspective on life. I was a lucky rookie, indeed.”

Greco went to work for the Daily Herald in 1994, after having cut his teeth at The Star newspapers in Chicago Heights.

Greco joined the Daily Herald as he was completing work on his master's degree in public affairs reporting from the University of Illinois at Springfield. The program's stated mission is to prepare its graduates to become working reporters covering public affairs by broadening their reporting and writing skills, firming up their public affairs knowledge and reinforcing their professional responsibility.

When he started at the Daily Herald, he worked for the city news staff covering the municipalities of West Chicago, Warrenville and Carol Stream.

“He was well-respected by his sources,” said DuPage County Editor Jim Davis. “In fact, I think he was one of the better writers who passed through the DuPage city staff.”

Catherine Edman, who worked with Greco in the DuPage County bureau, describes her colleague as somewhat of a throwback, who loved to play guitar and talk about music, but who also had the gift of laughter, and his humor added a spark to the newsroom.

“He was a real character, but he also was the definition of a straight shooter,” Edman said.

“You always had confidence that what he said was the truth as far as he knew it. He was fair in his stories, and true and faithful as a friend.”

Greco grew up in Evergreen Park and, after leaving the Daily Herald, returned to his South suburban roots to contribute stories to the Chicago Tribune and more recently to the SouthtownStar.

Greco is survived by his mother, Edwina, a sister, Barbara, and brothers Michael and Scott. A memorial service is tentatively planned for next month.