Tinley Park Sets Out To Remember 108 Residents Lost To COVID-19

TINLEY PARK, IL — When Tinley Park Mayor Michael Glotz suggested creating a memorial for the 108 village residents who have lost their lives to COVID-19 since the pandemic began two years ago, local officials were immediately on board.

But how the families of loved ones who have died due to complications from the virus respond to submitting names and photos of their family members will determine how close the village gets to including all 108 local residents included on the memorial webpage.

Only about 10 local families have responded to a request for a photo of COVID-19 victims, according to Donna Framke, the village’s marketing director. But with no timeline in place to create the memorial site, village officials will make the project a work in progress as more submissions are provided.

The idea behind the memorial, Framke said, is to remember the lives lost, but to also help chronicle what has been a historic chapter in this community of nearly 57,000 people. Tinley Park is six South suburban communities that have lost at least 100 residents to COVID-19 ranging from 100 in South Holland to 282 in Oak Lawn, according to the Cook County medical examiner.

“It’s something we thought could serve some healing purpose and it’s become something that allows us to take pause and note what actually happened,” Framke told Patch on Monday.

Village officials are asking local residents to submit a headshot and the name of the person they want to be remembered. Submissions can be sent by email to marketing@tinleypark.org with the name of the person to be remembered and the photo. Privacy issues have the potential to make the building of the memorial site difficult, Framke said, but village officials are hoping that the site can be therapeutic moving forward.

The site will be part of the Village of Tinley Park’s main website, which will give anyone who wants to view the memorial access.

“One life is too much to lose, but 100 people is very significant to lose for a community of 57,000 people,” Framke said. “It’s a lot and it’s all attributed back to the same reason.”

She added: “I think we all needed a therapeutic (outlet) coming off these last couple of years and it’s not just for right now, but into the future as we look back. Hopefully, this is in our rearview mirror someday and we can look back at it and be grateful that it’s behind us but not lose sight of those people who we lost.”