For Loyola professor, law was his business

Most likely, business students at Loyola University, as well as MBA students, took a course by John R. Jozwiak at some point during their studies.

The 40-year professor taught business law to non-lawyers at the Chicago university, a required course for undergraduate business students and MBA students, exposing them to everything from contracts, torts and property law, to an overview of how the litigation system works.

His former students and teaching colleagues now are mourning his passing. Professor Jozwiak died Monday. The former 10-year Arlington Heights resident was 80.

One of Professor Jozwiak's favorite topics to explore with his students, colleagues say, was to examine how the government regulates business.

As a trained lawyer, who studied at Loyola University School of Law, and a longtime academic, he loved to debate the government's role in business, friends say.

By extension, Professor Jozwiak was drawn to the Institute for Consumer Antitrust Studies, based at Loyola's Law School, which was led by Associate Dean Spencer Waller. Its role was to study such issues as price fixing, and mergers and acquisitions, and help shape policy.

"John was very supportive of the fact that Loyola was one of the few schools in the country to have an antitrust institute focused on the needs of the consumer," Waller said.

Around Arlington Heights, residents got to know Professor Jozwiak during his retirement; consequently, they knew him more as a friendly, engaging neighbor, who had traveled extensively and had a variety of interests.

In fact, merchants near Evergreen and Miner streets fondly referred to him as the "Mayor of Miner Street," for his penchant of dropping in often.

"He was quite a remarkable person," says Joe Bielat of Arlington Heights, former owner of PJ's Antiques, where Professor Jozwiak often visited. "If you met him, you couldn't help but like him. He was very unpretentious."

Professor Jozwiak was born in Chicago, and other than a stint in the Army during World War II, he spent his entire working career at Loyola. He has no direct descendants but is survived by cousins and friends.

Visitation will take place from 3 to 9 p.m. Thursday, and from 10:30 a.m. to the start of an 11:30 a.m. funeral Friday at St. Edna Catholic Church, 2525 N. Arlington Heights Road in Arlington Heights.