Chuck Lencioni remembered as a stalwart in Geneva

He was the perfect choice to be the grand marshal of this year's Swedish Days parade and hundreds of area residents were able to see a smiling Chuck Lencioni and his family waving to them along the parade route.

What many may not have realized is that they were, in effect, waving goodbye to a man who was fully dedicated to his hometown, whether in his role as Geneva's building commissioner or in any of numerous other service capacities.

Lencioni was a logical and deserving choice to lead the city's most significant annual event, but what was left unsaid was that chamber of commerce, city officials and close friends knew he had been in a tough two-year battle with lung cancer and there was no telling if the 55-year-old, lifelong Geneva resident would be available for future parades.

Lencioni succumbed to that battle Monday morning at Delnor Hospital, dying from complications related to the lung cancer, leaving family and friends saddened and shocked because he was in great spirits during the June 27 parade and the annual parade party in front of his Anderson Boulevard home.

"Many people said that being the grand marshal kept him going for awhile," said Jean Gaines, the executive director of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce. "It was a great way for the community to come out and say, yes, we appreciate all you have done for us."

"Chuck's legacy, I think, is self-evident in that every corner of this community has his fingerprints all over it," Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns said. "And not just as building commissioner - as a firefighter, proud alumnus of Geneva High School and a father."

Lencioni had a rich family history to follow and he did so with great enthusiasm for his hometown. His great-grandfather was Tony Lencioni, whose legend in Geneva was made even more dramatic in that he first arrived here in 1902 by mistake, taking the wrong train, rather than the one he intended to take to Lake Geneva, Wis. But he liked Geneva and eventually established his family's roots, and went on to build stores and restaurants, the most prominent being the Little Owl. He also served as a police chief and worked to develop the Geneva Fire Department.

Even though Tony Lencioni died five years before Chuck was born, Chuck followed Tony's path in nearly identical fashion by serving as an on-call firefighter for 20 years before becoming the city's building inspector and eventually its building commissioner in 1987.

Lencioni also was honored last month during the Geneva Fire Department's Swedish Days breakfast, for his 30 years of service. He joined the Geneva Emergency Services & Disaster Agency (ESDA) in 1972 and Geneva Fire Department as a paid-on-call firefighter the following year.

For seven years before getting involved in city building department work, Chuck owned and operated a State Street restaurant/pub called Firehouse No. 5. In addition to his cooking skills, Lencioni's enthusiastic tabletop dances and renditions of Frank Sinatra songs were his trademark at the popular pub.

Out of the community spotlight, he was active in Boy Scouts, religious education at St. Peter parish, and was a rabid Geneva High School sports fan. He spent six years in the press box during football games working as the "spotter" in relaying players' numbers to public address announcer Kurt Wehrmeister during the action.

"There is a big hole in hundreds, if not thousands, of hearts today," said Wehrmeister, who became friends with Lencioni in 1967 when Lencioni worked at Payne Hardware and Wehrmeister was shining shoes as a youth at the City Barbershop across the street.

"Chuck was simply one of those guys who showed he loved you by showing up when you needed him the most," Wehrmeister added. "He came to help me when I needed a spotter at the games, and he ended up doing it for six years.

"God held him together long enough to do the Swedish Days parade, and then He said, 'OK it's time.' "

Lencioni, who enjoyed cooking at his restaurant, also was credited with helping create the Flavor Fare in Geneva, which eventually became the main attraction of the annual Festival of the Vine in the city.

Gaines said that much of the credit for what has become a popular annual attraction in the city belongs to Lencioni.

"The first year the Flavor Fare was put together, Chuck was instrumental in getting all of the restaurants together and convincing them that it was going to be a good show," Gaines said. "He was there each year we've had it, and helping us keep it all together, and being there to oversee it, to make sure everyone had what they needed."

Geneva Alderman Sam Hill felt that Lencioni saved his best for last.

"He was probably one of the best Swedish Days parade marshals we have ever had," said Hill, pointing out Lencioni's enthusiasm and sheer joy at having the honor. "He didn't rest on his laurels afterward either, and went to work for a couple of more days after that, before the pain just got too severe for him."

Lencioni is survived by his wife, Joan Watt Lencioni; his two sons, Michael and Charles John "C.J.," both of Geneva; their mother, Susan Lencioni of Geneva; two stepsons, Patrick Burns of Chicago and Robert Cannon of Geneva; and two stepdaughters, Kelly Burns of Aurora and Meghan Burns Lietz (Mark) of Roscoe; four grandchildren, Curtis, Timothy, Matthew and David. He is also survived by his mother, Ethel, of Port St. Lucie, Fla.; three brothers, Daniel (Signe) of St. Charles, Scott (Susan) of Swanzey, N.H., and Chris (Angela) of Port Richey, Fla.; one sister, Amy (James) Nunn of St. Charles; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral arrangements are pending at Malone Funeral Home. More information is available at malonefh.com or by calling (630) 232-8233.

• Staff writer Susan Sarkauskas contributed to this story.