Joseph William Boisso

Joseph William Boisso, age 67, Retired CPD, was born in Ottawa, IL on April 28, 1949, and passed into eternity on April 27, 2017. Beloved Husband of Colleen for 33 years, Loving Father of Niki and Mike; Beloved Brother of Jim Boisso of Ottawa, the late Charlie Boisso, the late Jerry Boisseau, Mary Beth (Bob) Gleason of Texas, Dale (Nancy) Boisso of Dallas, Jan (Dave) Bartels of Peru, Tim (Susan) Boisseau of Eureka, Rita (Tim) Morey of Marseilles, and Paul Boisso of Dallas; Dear Son of the late Glenn & Dorothy; Caring Cousin; Loving Uncle; and Fond Friend of many. Alumnus of Marquette High School and Northern Illinois University.

Visitation Monday, May 1, 2017, from 3PM to 9 PM; Final Viewing Prayers at 9 AM Tuesday, May 2, 2017, from Montclair-Lucania Funeral Home, 6901 W. Belmont, Chicago; to St. Ferdinand Church, 5900 W. Barry, Chicago; info 773-622-9300 or go to www.MontclairLucaniaFuneral.com.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the following organizations:

The LaSalle County Genealogy Guild

The Conservation Foundation-Dayton Bluffs Preserve

The Chicago Police Memorial Foundation

Joseph was born on April 28 to Glenn and Dorothy (Kubis) Boisso of Ottawa, IL. The oldest of ten children, Joe learned to lend a helping hand at a young age as the family grew and each child took on responsibilities, from those designated by the chore wheel to looking after and keeping track of the younger kids. He took his responsibilities very seriously, going so far as to stab a younger brother with a fork as he reached across the supper table, an act that was not acceptable Boisso behavior. He had paper routes with his brothers and spent summer days with his siblings detasseling corn. It wasn’t all work and no play though; from sled rides in a homemade sled made by his dad to summer days on the river in the boat made by the family. The family who loved him and the experiences that shaped him instilled within Joe the strong work ethic and exemplary character that would allow him to move to Chicago to pursue his dream of becoming a Chicago Police Officer.

Joe realized his dream and joined the Chicago Police Department in 1982. When asked during his entrance exam why he wanted to be a police officer, he responded that he wanted to help people. The crusty veteran officer presiding over the exam scoffed at his answer, assuring Joe that with such a cliché answer he would never be a police officer. Even as a prospective cadet Joe knew the veteran was just testing him, because what better reason to join the Police Department than to serve and protect its citizens? And he proved that veteran wrong when he was sworn into the Chicago Police Department and rose through the ranks from patrolman to Sergeant to Lieutenant to Captain. He spent nearly 30 years serving and protecting the people of Chicago in various districts around the city, on one occasion even helping to recover a stolen wedding dress.

Joe and Colleen were married in 1983 and together created a loving and supportive environment for their children to grow and learn. Joe was a loving and devoted father to his two children, Niki and Mike. He was always there for them; from trips to the park and beach (complete with DQ Blizzard treats) to annual college dorm move in/out. He always encouraged them to try new things and have new experiences, from eating tomato soup for the first time to woodshop classes. Joe also encouraged his kids to join sports teams, going so far as to build a basketball hoop in the alley with the neighbors. He placed an emphasis on hard and honest work, doing the best job you can every day in everything you do- something instilled in him by his parents. There is no doubt that his constant patience and diligence is a large determining factor in the accomplished adults they are today.

Joe definitely was a live-by-your-words type of man. When his kids moved on to college and away from organized sports teams, he decided to embrace the new experiences idiom and find a new sport to follow. His choice- girl’s lacrosse. He happily made a trip to the library to research all the rules so he would have an idea of what was going on. Lucky for him the nationally ranked Northwestern Wildcats girl’s lacrosse team is only thirty minutes away. He quickly became an avid fan and it never mattered how bad the weather got, he donned his purple gear and cheered the Wildcats on.

Despite an endless struggle to achieve the correct soil pH to change pink hydrangeas to the blue color they were supposed to be, Joe was an avid gardener. He grew the largest and best tomatoes, peppers, and zucchinis in the neighborhood. Joe especially enjoyed history, in particular anything to do with the Civil War and the Wild West. He was working to put together a detailed genealogy of the Boisso family, having traced the family back to France in the 1800’s. As is always the case with genealogy, one question is answered with two more questions, and something that initially started with a random inquiry from his daughter about why the family name appeared in a book blossomed into a decade long passion. Joe was also actively involved with the LaSalle County Genealogy Guild and the Dayton Bluffs Preserve restoration in Ottawa, IL.

Humble with a capital H, with a selfless commitment to the well-being of others, and always ready with stories to make the time fly by, Joe will be missed by many but never forgotten.