Lawrence "Larry" Matkaitis

Larry Matkaitis, Retired Illinois State Fire Marshal and Chicago Fire Department, age 68. Beloved husband of 38 years to Valerie; devoted father of Amber (Louis) Rivera and Daniel Matkaitis; "Big Lar" to Aliyah, Liliana and Anais; cherished brother of Jerry (Ruth) Matkaitis, Jimmy Matkaitis, Nancy (Jim) Sorensen and Kathy (Kurt) Uhlir; respected uncle to many; also survived by many dear family and friends. Visitation Wednesday, July 13, 2016, 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM and Funeral Service Thursday, July 14, 2016, 10:00 AM at Blake-Lamb Funeral Home, 4727 W 103rd St, Oak Lawn, IL. Interment, Private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Larry's name may be made to Camp "I am Me" c/o Illinois Fire Safety Alliance, 426 W. Northwest Hwy, Mount Prospect, IL 60056. Info: www.blakelamboaklawn.com or 708-636-1193.

Larry was a neighborhood guy, he was born, raised, married, raised his family and lived in Mt Greenwood neighborhood until he died.He often joked that the longest he ever was away from the “Hood “ was when he was in the service. Larry attended grammar school at St. Christina’s Catholic Church,after graduation attended Brother Rice High School, and one of his proudest accomplishments in his teen years was the acquisition of a pilot’s license. He attended Northern Illinois University until he entered the US Army where he served as a Medic (E5), during the Vietnam war and was honorably discharged. Larry was very proud of his service to our country. He earned his paramedic license and worked as an emergency room technician before joining the Chicago Fire Department in their recently developed paramedic program. Larry was stationed at Ambulance 42, at Engine 13’s house on Lake and Dearborn. He was one of the first responders to the emergency call for the late Richard J. Daley, Mayor of Chicago. A photo of Ambulance 42 giving the Mayor his “last ride” appeared in the newspapers. He proudly served as the first Director of Emergency Medical Services for Chicago Fire Fighters Union Local#2. In the CFD, Larry rose to the rank of Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner, Emergency Medical Operations and Executive Assistant to the Fire Commissioner, before retiring after 30 years of service. Larry then began his second career, taking a position in Chicago for the IL State Fire Marshal’s Office. In October of 2010, after 5 years at ISFM, Larry was appointed by Governor Pat Quinn as the IL State Fire Marshal. He served as an advocate for fire fighters, paramedics, and the citizens of Illinois until his retirement in 2015. He was a proud member of several professional organizations including the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois, International Association of Fire Fighters, International Association of Fire Chiefs, Fire Chiefs of Illinois, Illinois Terrorism Task Force, Advisory Committee - ISFM, and Executive Committee - IL Emergency Medical Response Team. During his career he worked with, and was recognized by many professional organizations including Homeland Security, National Guard, Secret Service, Illinois Fire Collage, Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS), and the Office of Emergency Management Chicago (OEMC). In addition to his professional responsibilities he was a loving, active father and grandfather. He always had time to work as a referee for his son Daniel’s soccer team, or take his daughter Amber to a Father-Daughter dance. He was their speed-dial for any questions or crisis. Larry was also a wonderful husband to Valerie, and partnered in running a family household and childrearing, and his favorite quality was his ability to make her laugh. Larry had been diagnosed with a particularly aggressive form of prostate cancer in January of 2010, and given a prognosis of 2-3 years. He swore his family to secrecy so he could complete his goals with as little distraction from the disease as possible in both his work and social relationships. In his usual, determined way, he was able to focus on what was important to him until he retired. Larry was a quiet man with honesty, integrity and service, who was able to see the big picture and try to make a better life for all he knew. He loved a cigar, had a dry sense of humor, and was always ready to talk about the fire service with anyone who would listen. He will be greatly missed by colleagues, friends and family alike. For Larry, “the bottom line is”, his life was “just another day in paradise.”