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Schaumburg Park District's longest leader mourned

Jerry Handlon, the long-serving Schaumburg Park District executive director whose legacy lives on through many of the facilities and programs now in use, died Sunday following a brief illness. He was 76.

Far from being a behind-the-scenes leader known only to those who attended park board meetings, Handlon's big personality and humor were well-known publicly through his cable-access TV shows "I Love Jerry" and "ETC."

When he retired after 26 years of leading the park district in 2004, the administration building was renamed in his honor.

George Longmeyer, the current president of the park board, was Schaumburg's village manager when he first met Handlon. The two men quickly bonded over their service as U.S. Marines, and strengthened their relationship through many collaborative projects the village and park district worked on over the years.

While Handlon's Marine background gave him the tenacity and attention to detail that served him well through the park district's many building projects from the late '70s through the early 21st century, his personality made a career in parks and recreation such a good fit for him, Longmeyer said.

"He loved to be creative," Longmeyer said. "He had a good head on his shoulders. And he was a fun guy. He had a great sense of humor. He loved his staff, and his staff loved him. A lot of the staff there now were hired by Jerry."

Not only did Handlon work with the village of Schaumburg on the construction of the ballpark today known as Boomers Stadium, his vision also led to the development of Olympic Park on Old Schaumburg Road and The Sport Center next to Schaumburg Regional Airport.

Long considered one of Handlon's riskiest endeavors was the condemnation of the deteriorating Golden Acres Golf Course on Roselle Road. He led the transformation of the site into today's successful Schaumburg Golf Course before the land could be redeveloped for housing.

The same sharp mind which could demonstrate such business sense could also amuse audiences through the wacky characters Handlon portrayed on his TV shows, like "Ebeneezer Geezer, the oldest man in Schaumburg," and "Sven, the Big Game Hunter."

Schaumburg Village Trustee Marge Connelly, a former president of the park board, said Handlon's creativity was the common denominator.

"He really took that park district into the 21st century," she said.

Handlon is survived by his wife, Barbara, their three children, seven grandchildren and a sister.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 29, at Lauterburg & Oehler Funeral Home, 2000 E. Northwest Highway in Arlington Heights. The funeral service will immediately follow at 1 p.m.

Interment will be at Memory Gardens Cemetery, 2501 E. Euclid Ave., in Arlington Heights.

In lieu of flowers, contributions to the American Cancer Society are encouraged.

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