Services Set for Joseph Patlovich

Joseph Patlovich, 78, passed away on Oct. 16 due to complications from Parkinson’s disease, surrounded by his children and wife of 54 years, Anne. Joe was born on April 6, 1935 to Nick and Mary Patlovich in Berwick, Penn., where he was the eighth of nine children. 

Joe received degrees from Lafayette College and Temple University School of Medicine. After doing his pathology residency at the Naval Hospital in Annapolis, Maryland, Joe and Anne moved their family to the Midwest where he was a Navy doctor at the Naval Station Great Lakes. Shortly thereafter, Joe joined the staff of Lake Forest Hospital where he later became Chief of Pathology and was a member of the staff for nearly 30 years. For 15 years, Joe served as the Executive Director of Consolidated Medical Laboratories, one of the first joint venture community hospital laboratories in the United States. Under his leadership, a highly profitable outreach program for physician offices, outpatient clinics and other regional hospitals was developed, and an offsite, high volume testing laboratory constructed. He also served as President of the American Pathology Foundation.

Joe and Anne enjoyed living in Lake Bluff for more than 25 years where they raised their three children. They had many close friends and enjoyed playing tennis and spending time at the Lake Bluff Beach. An avid runner with a passion for health and fitness, Joe could be seen nearly every evening running on the Lake Forest High School track. Joe also was an original member of the esteemed “Lake Bluff Precision Law Mower Drill Team” and enjoyed marching in Lake Bluff’s annual 4th of July parade for many years. 

In 1996, Joe and Anne retired to their home in Sanibel, Florida. However, realizing they missed their children and grandchildren, they quickly returned to their beloved Lake Bluff where Joe enjoyed taking walks and roasting hot dogs in the backyard with his grandchildren.

Joe is survived by his wife, Anne, and their three children: Linda (Steven) Hayes (Southlake, Texas), Michael (Karla) Patlovich (Lake Bluff), and Susan (Greg) Gibson (Lake Forest); his 10 grandchildren, Mike, Matt and Molly Hayes, Joe, Jack, Allie and Emma Patlovich and Luke, Ben and Sam Gibson.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Nick and Mary Patlovich; and his sisters, Mary Sircovics, Evelyn Bower and Anna Vaxmonsky.

A celebration of his life will be held at the Union Church of Lake Bluff on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 11 a.m. Contact Wenban Funeral Home, Lake Forest, (847) 234-0022 or www.wenbanfh.com for more information.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation at www.pdf.org.