Don Feldott, longtime Lantern Tavern owner in Naperville, dies at 88
Donald "Don" Feldott, the founding owner of The Lantern Tavern & Grill in Naperville, is being remembered by his family as a hardworking neighborhood bar owner and an avid Chicago Bears fan.
The longtime Naperville resident died in his sleep on Saturday. Feldott was 88.
Feldott's obituary specifically asks for guests attending his funeral services to wear Chicago Bears and The Lantern gear. Anyone shows up in Green Bay Packers gear will be asked at the door to change into a Bears shirt.
"My dad had a fun rivalry with a few patrons who would come down to watch Packers games on our satellite." said son John Feldott, who added that there were often weekly wagers on the side. "He wasn't a suit-and-tie person. He was always a blue-collar, hardworking guy."
Feldott opened The Lantern at 8 W. Chicago Ave. in 1966 with his wife, Patricia. Their daughter, Donna Feldott Koziol, said she and her siblings have fond memories at The Lantern from washing glasses as kids to joining in on the fun when they were of drinking age.
"My dad just wanted a friendly, open place where people could come and gather," Koziol said. "Have a beer, a burger at a place that has a neighborhood feel."
The Lantern's website bills itself as "Downtown Naperville's Oldest Tavern." It has been managed since 2012 by Feldott's son Bill and his wife, Teri.
Don Feldott served in the Army from 1953 to 1955, when he helped train troops at Fort Lewis near Tacoma, Washington. He was a member of Ss. Peter & Paul Church, the American Legion Post 43 and Jefferson Club.
Feldott also was a Chicago Cubs fan and enjoyed golfing as a former member of the Naperville Country Club.
"He was a very quiet individual with a heart of gold," said John Feldott. "He just wanted to make sure that everybody had a good time."
Feldott was preceded in death by his wife and their son David.
A visitation will run form 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at Friedrich-Jones Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 44 S. Mill St., Naperville.
On Tuesday, a service will begin at 10:30 a.m. at the funeral home and then proceed to an 11 a.m. Mass at Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, 36 N. Ellsworth St., Naperville.