Elmhurst Doc Delivered Thousands Of Babies

ELMHURST, IL — Dr. John "Jack" Picchietti, who delivered thousands of Elmhurst-area babies in his more than 60-year career, died last week. He was 93.

In 1955, Picchietti, an obstetrician and gynecologist, co-founded RPW Obstetrics and Gynecology in Elmhurst, alongside Drs. Ralph Ryan and James Watts. He retired at age 82, delivering nearly 10,000 babies, his family said.

“For many folks in Elmhurst, if you weren’t personally delivered by my father, you knew someone who was. We are often stopped on the street by neighbors and friends who always have a story about Dr. Picchietti — and we love hearing them,” Jack Picchietti, the oldest of Picchietti’s eight children and a lifelong Elmhurst resident, said in a statement.

Picchietti lived in Elmhurst for 45 years before moving to Hinsdale two decades ago. His wife of 67 years, Geraldine "Gucci" Picchietti, died last May. He was the father to eight, grandfather to 20 and great-grandfather to six.

Picchietti served as a captain in the Army during the Korean War, providing medical services for military personnel and their families at the Presidio in San Francisco. He attended St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago and graduated from Loyola University's Stritch School of Medicine in 1954.

His family said he loved food, particularly his mother's homemade tortellini soup and risotto — and "anything his wife made, but his favorite was Italian for sure!"

His big tradition was his mother's homemade ravioli on his birthday every Christmas Eve. The recipe was passed down after she died at 100 in 2002.

Picchietti was said to love music, especially that of Luciano Pavarotti, and sports, holding season tickets to the Chicago Blackhawks for years. The Cubs' World Series win in 2016 was considered one of the highlights of his life. He also enjoyed playing golf.

"Our family was proud of him for his many contributions to the local community and for his decades-long career bringing new life into the world," his son, Jack Picchietti, said. "And we were especially grateful that he was such a forgiving man to his eight rambunctious kids! He will be missed dearly."