Schaumburg mourns death of village's recently retired cultural services director
Schaumburg village board members shared their memories and a moment of silence Tuesday for Jack Netter, the village's former director of cultural services, who died Monday just months into his retirement.
Netter, 57, had worked for the village about 35 years and succeeded the original cultural services director, Betsy Armistead, upon her retirement in 2018.
He was credited with holding the cultural services department together through the near-total shutdown of the pandemic, as well as getting its programs and events on track again for 2022.
"After Betsy left as director, after her long term there, Jack took over and did a phenomenal job," Schaumburg Mayor Tom Dailly said Tuesday. "Great guy, always had a nice smile and always said, 'Yeah, sure, we can do that.'"
"And he did," Trustee George Dunham added.
Netter retired this year slightly earlier than initially planned due to health issues. Production Supervisor Rob Pileckis served as acting director until the recent appointment of Tiana Weiler from McCormick Place in Chicago.
Netter joined the cultural services department just after the June 1986 opening of what is now named the Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts on the village's municipal campus. He worked his way up from technician to technical supervisor to operations supervisor.
He became Armistead's assistant director in 2012 and assumed more of her day-to-day responsibilities as her retirement approached six years later.
Born in Elgin and having resided in Inverness, Netter is survived by his wife, Lisa; daughter, Jennifer; and siblings, nephews and nieces.
A memorial visitation is scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 28, at Friedrichs Funeral Home, 320 W. Central Road in Mount Prospect. Interment will be private.
For more information on the services, call (847) 255-7800 or visit friedrichsfh.com.