Edward Milan Slivovsky

Ed was born on October 26, 1928, in Chicago, Illinois to Susanna and Paul Slivovsky. His brother Robert was born eight years later. Like many immigrant families from Czechoslovakia, his family first resided in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. His mother fixed up the homes they lived in, then sold them for a profit, moving the family eight times throughout Cicero and Berwyn during his childhood. Etko (his Slovak nickname) entered first grade without knowing a word of English. Ed attended Morton High School where he played soccer. He later took classes at Morton College then entered the air force in 1948.

Edward met his beloved Barbara while they both worked at Oak Park Federal. As the story goes, he wooed her away from her beau at the time with persistence and a beautiful bouquet of flowers. His professional life always focused on real estate in one way or another from rehabbing homes like his mother did, to becoming a real estate appraiser then district appraiser and finally, a federal bank examiner.

Ed was father to three sons, leading them in Saturday morning chores, annual family vacations to northern Wisconsin, and crewcuts he administered himself in the family garage—sometimes with mixed results.

Ed had an affinity for farm life, bringing his young family to various livestock shows throughout the 1970s, going up and down each aisle until the pigs and cows began to look alike to his young sons. Later Ed took his four grandchildren to county fairs where they enjoyed petting the animals and climbing on tractors. As his four grandchildren grew, he and Barbara attended many soccer matches, volleyball games and music concerts.

Ed enjoyed a long retirement with Barbara, living part-time in Door County, Wisconsin and Naples, Florida, forging fast, deep friendships wherever they were. Trips to visit Poppa and Nanna in Florida were a highlight of spring break for the grandkids.

After Barb passed away in 2018, Ed entered a new phase of his life at Luther Village in Arlington Heights where he once again made many new and deep friendships, bonding with neighbors and the many loving caregivers from For Poppa’s Sake, including Stephanie. He kept a close eye on his four adult grandchildren and new great grandchild.

Throughout his life, Ed cared deeply about the comfort and well-being of his loved ones. He was always gifting warm hats and gloves, sticking a $20 bill in a visiting grandchild’s pocket, and passing out gift bags filled with Fannie May chocolates to anyone who crossed his path and shared a kind word. One never had to guess what Ed was thinking. He freely shared opinions and advice. Friends described him as an honest, fair, straightforward guy.

Ed enjoyed playing card games, golf, muskie fishing and gardening. In keeping with his generous nature, Ed volunteered on various community landscaping committees over the years and oversaw the planting of countless perennials and at least 30 mature trees currently growing in the northwest suburbs.

In his final years, Ed embraced new granddaughters-in-law and other people’s relatives as his own. He became very expressive, always saying “I love you” and “do you need anything?” Even caregivers meeting Ed within the last two weeks of his life described him as charming, charitable, generous, honest, opinionated and spunky, asking them to “drive carefully” and “call me when you get home,” just like he did with his sons and grandchildren for decades.

Ed is preceded in death by his parents Susanna and Paul, his brother Robert, his wife Barbara, and sister-in-law, Beverly Dieters. Ed is survived by his three sons and daughters-in-law William and Carol, Thomas and Robin, and James and Kathryn; his four grandchildren Matthew (Enya), Christopher (Ryan) (Tom and Robin’s children), Eric (Claire) and Leah (Jim and Katie’s children); and his two great grandchildren Evelyn (8 years) and Adeline (9 months) (Eric and Claire’s children.)

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Ed’s name to The Arc Tampa Bay Foundation, a non-profit group home in Florida where his beloved sister-in-law Beverly, who suffered a traumatic brain injury as a child, thrived for decades due to the loving care provided by their staff. https://thearctbfoundation.org/ Ed and Barbara were long-time, faithful supporters of The Arc.

A memorial visitation will take place on Saturday, September 14, at 1:30 PM with memorial service to follow at 2:30 PM, at Glueckert Funeral Home, 1520 N. Arlington Heights Rd. Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004.

Goodbye Etko, Ed, Eddy, Edward, Dad, Poppa, and Pops. Let us know you got home safe.