Memorial for former Harvey mayor relies on laughs

Hundreds have paid tribute to former Harvey Mayor Nickolas Graves at a public memorial service where participants relied on comedy relief.

Graves' childhood friend, comedian Tom Dreesen, hosted the tribute Sunday at South Suburban College's Kindig Performing Arts Center in South Holland. He joked that if Graves were there, he would have left.

Graves died Feb. 6 at age 72 of complications from a heart attack. He served two terms as mayor of the southern Chicago suburb of Harvey, from 1995 to 2003.

Earlier, Graves served as police chief in Harvey and, later, in nearby Dixmoor.

During the hour-long service, Dreesen and other friends and family of Graves remembered him with stories that drew laughter from the audience.