Former Inverness Mayor Angelo Polvere dies at 91

Angelo Polvere, whose dedication to his hometown of Inverness included a stint as its mayor during the 1980s, died June 4, one day after his 91st birthday.

"He was just a charming individual, very courteous and proper," current Mayor John Tatooles said. "He was just a good man, a good person."

Tatooles said he called upon Polvere when he first became mayor in 1996, "for various issues we were dealing with, and he was happy to donate his time."

"He would visit with me at village hall and we would chat about various things happening in the village," Tatooles added.

Tatooles said Polvere was helpful during the refurbishment of village hall, a more than century-old farmhouse structure referred to as "the Four Silos" as well as "Al Capone's Silo Hideout."

Polvere's help during the reconstruction spoke to his building knowledge and expertise. A 1952 graduate of Northeastern University in Boston, Polvere was a fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

For 27 years, he was executive vice president for the Mayfair Construction Co., the firm that did concrete work on the Sears Tower. He then formed his own construction project management consulting firm, Soma Corp., in 1990.

Polvere also was a senior contract administrator with the Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority in Chicago from 1993-2009. From 1990-94, he was the chair of the board of the Builders Association, a charter chapter of The Associated General Contractors of America.

A self-taught musician, Polvere had many other interests. He was a private pilot, a woodworker, a fisherman and a ham radio operator.

"Up until only about seven, eight years ago, he would drive up (to village hall) in his motor scooter," Tatooles said. "I just want to let everybody know that the village of Inverness and myself personally thank him for his dedication and his service to the village for all those years."

Polvere's daughter Barbara Dunne said her father was involved with the community through organizations such as the Knights of Columbus and community theater in Palatine. He also enjoyed sailing and gardening, she said.

"He was an avid private pilot. At some point in time, we all, including my kids, went up with him in his private plane, and my mom and my dad used to fly up to Wisconsin," Dunne said.

As a village leader, Polvere worked to preserve Inverness' character and "not make it into a city," she added.

His interest in the community led to his joining the village board first as a trustee.

"He liked that roomy quaintness, the serenity that Inverness provided for him," Dunne said. "His pride and joy was his home and his yard."

Polvere was preceded in death by his wife of 67 years, Margaret, and a brother, Joseph. He is survived by his children, William, Diane Yost, Barbara Dunne and Linda Fennneman, and a sister, Marie.

Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 19, at Smith-Corcoran Funeral Home, 185 E. Northwest Highway, Palatine, followed by a prayer service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, stjude.org.