Two Smith Crossing Residents Turn 100 On Same Day

ORLAND PARK, IL — There is much to celebrate at Orland Park's Smith Crossing Thursday. Two residents, Gloria Chyrchel and Lorraine Kane, are turning 100 years old. The two were also married during the same month and year, April 1942.

So what are their secrets to healthy longevity? Kane suggests, “Being positive, keeping mentally busy, having goals and not hesitating to try new ventures” are the keys to a long and happy life. She remains very active and grew up on Chicago’s South Side, where she worked her whole life, according to Smith Crossing.

Her first job in 1940 was as a proofreader’s assistant for the Southtown Economist (now the Daily Southtown). She worked in accounting and administration for many years and in 1971 founded Suburban Towing, Inc. with her son Jack, and served as CEO, according to Smith Crossing.

Most recently, Kane switched to a part-time schedule as the secretary/treasurer, a role she continued until the COVID-19 pandemic made her daily involvement impossible. Today the company owns 19 tow trucks to fulfill numerous public and private contracts and is run by her grandson Robert. Two of her great-grandsons are also full-time employees.

Kane still sits on Suburban Towing’s board of directors, but her retirement frees up time for another passion—playing cards. She plays pinochle seven times a week and bridge three times a week. Living at Smith Crossing makes it easier for Kane to find a game any day of the week.

Chyrchel not only shares a birthday with Kane; she also shares a love of connection and adventure, according to Smith Crossing.

A graduate of Chicago Business College and Sherwood Music College, Chyrchel worked as secretary to the president of the Chicago Motor Club. After her marriage in 1942, she and her husband Bob, along with their children Anita Rush and Elison Chyrchel, often moved for Bob’s work with Bell & Howell Corporation. His job also required considerable international travel, so she saw the world accompanying him on his business trips, according to Smith Crossing.

The two loved to explore, including nearly 20 years of taking cruises the Caribbean, and through the Great Lakes and the Danube River. Chyrchel and her children uncovered treasures while researching her family tree. She learned that she has three ancestors—Peter Browne, Richard Warren and Francis Cooke—who arrived in America on the Mayflower.

Chyrchel enjoys life at Smith Crossing, “I have never regretted moving here, where there are lots of activities and great people.”

The residents of Smith Crossing will help Kane and Chyrchel celebrate with a receiving line, coordinated to maintain all protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and individually wrapped birthday cake to be enjoyed in their apartments, according to Smith Crossing.

“Both Lorraine and Gloria are a vital part of our community,” says Amie Kamba, Associate Executive Director at Smith Crossing. “A milestone birthday is a wonderful time to share their stories, and we’re thrilled to celebrate with them.”

For more information Smith Crossing, please visit smithcrossing.org.