Di Benedetto, Aldo
Benedetto passed away on Saturday, June 11, 2022 at his home of 47 years in Glenview, Illinois, peacefully surrounded by his wife, children and grandchildren. He was 90 years old.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 63 years, Marian (84), and three sons, daughter, multiple grandchildren and one great-grandson. Son Vincent (63) (Gina); son Michael and his wife Maria, their children Anthony (40), his wife Ferry (38) and their son Aspen (2), Vanessa (37) and Kristopher Aldo (31); son Steven (59), his wife Viga (47), children Dominic (26), Christian (22) and Paula (20); daughter Tina Rose (51), and husband David (55) and children Danny Benedetto (23), Grace (24), Mia Rose (20) Nicholas (18) and Nicolas Aldo-Vincent (18). Aldo is also survived by his sister, Marie Langer, husband Paul, and sister-in-law Nancy Calendrino and husband Dan.
Aldo was born on January 29, 1932 at 1421 Taylor St., Chicago, IL to Vincent and Nancy Di Benedetto. Aldo’s parents emigrated from Pizzone, Italy and they took residence in the heart of Little Italy in Chicago, Illinois, where his sister, Marie, was later born. Aldo’s first language was Italian until he attended OUR Lady of Pompei where he learned English at 5 years old. Aldo had an ethnic upbringing, enjoying various homemade Italian foods daily and playing games in the street at a time when it was safe. He grew up playing dice, Buck-Buck, tag and multiple sports on Taylor Street and the surrounding Italian neighborhood.
Aldo was an entrepreneur from the beginning. He began running a paper route when he was 10 years old
on the streets of Chicago. He would ride his bike and deliver newspapers to the various hotels downtown. Aldo also had a zest for life. He enjoyed having a good time, good hearted shenanigans and a good caper,
as he used to say. His parents believed strongly in his education and Aldo later became nicknamed around the neighborhood, “Educated”. Aldo’s father decided to move the family when it was time for Aldo’s high school to the northwest side of Chicago to curtail some of Aldo’s “energies”. Aldo attended St. Mel’s High School where he met lifelong friends of 75 years, Donald Izban, John Lavazzorio, and the late Bob DiSilvestro. These boys sure knew how to share a lot of laughs, and, sometimes (good) trouble. Aldo played football and baseball while attending St. Mel’s High School.
Aldo went on to attend Loyola University of Chicago pursuing two degrees. Again, Aldo’s drive to be his own boss led him to purchase and run a gas station as a freshman in college.
Midway through college, Aldo was drafted by the United States Army into the 101st Airborne Division where he was in charge of Intelligence. He was stationed in Korea for the war from 1952- 1954. While in the army Aldo earned the following awards: Purple Heart; Presidential Unit Citation; National Defense Service Medal; Korean Service Medal with one bronze service star, Combat Infantryman Badge 1st Award and United Nations Service Medal.
After finishing his stint in the US Army he returned to Loyola University and completed his degrees in Political Science and Civil Engineering. Throughout college Aldo was also active in softball and basketball leagues and working for his father’s Construction Company.
Eventually, on a cold, wintery night in January 1958, Aldo’s life would forever change. On this night, Aldo met the love of his Life, Marian. Little did he know the life he and Marian would build over the next 63 years. He and Marian were married on August 16, 1958. Aldo’s continued drive for entrepreneurship led him to quit his father’s Construction Company and start his own business. Aldo owned an employment agency with multiple offices throughout the near north side of Chicago and Northern suburbs. Marian and Aldo
started their life in Chicago, where Vincent was born. They moved to Skokie, where Michael was born. Two years later they moved to Niles, where Steven was born. While in Niles, the family was part of the St. John Brebeuf Catholic parish. Here, Aldo started a Wednesday night men’s basketball league in the 1960s that still exists today. He made lifelong friends here, as well. Eventually, the family moved to Glenview, where their long-awaited daughter, Tina Rose, was born. One more move occurred four years later to another home in Glenview where Aldo resided for 47 years.
While owning and running his employment agency, Aldo later decided to become a Member of the Chicago Board of Trade where he actively traded for 12 years. Aldo and Marian owned and managed numerous properties and buildings throughout the Chicagoland area. Wherever Aldo went he was respected for who he was. People loved to listen to his stories and perfectly delivered jokes. They owned almost a block of
property in downtown Des Plaines and even on the day of Aldo’s passing, one of the police officers who arrived for the death certificate, had rented storefront property from him in a past life and told us wonderful memories and stories of Aldo.
Aldo believed very strongly in family. They bought a home on the lake in Lake Geneva in 1970 and gave his family a place to meet, laugh, share jokes, have fun and love each other for 48 years. Aldo loved his “toys” and provided boats, snowmobiles, go carts and sporty cars to his family. He also bought a home in Florida where his family could gather in the cold months for 40 years and share time together.
Aldo was a member of many clubs and organizations. He belonged to Ridgemoor Country Club since 1988 where he was also the Budget and Finance director for 8 years. He became a member of Delray Dunes Country Club. He also belonged to the Italian American war veterans of the United States Post #10, the Colombian Club and the prestigious Chaine des Rotisseur. He was a long-time season ticket holder at the
Chicago Opera Theater and the Chicago Cubs.
In Glenview, Aldo participated in the OLPH men’s basketball league for over 40 years. He was the oldest
player to be playing at 75. And he and his son Vince were the only father-son in the over 40 league. Aldo enjoyed playing and watching sports. He was an active golfer the last 50 years of his life. After undergoing a quadruple bypass at 52 years old Aldo did whatever he needed to do to prolong his life for his family. He was an active volleyball player, runner, weightlifter and basketball player.
Aldo not only loved to play sports but he was an amazing spectator for his children and grandchildren. He attended numerous football, basketball, baseball, softball, hockey, volleyball and soccer games of his children and grandchildren. Aldo never missed a game when in town. He attended all he could until he was 88 years old and his body would not allow him to be physically present anymore. But, that did not stop him. He did all he could to watch the games online.
Aldo was a smart, funny, loving, generous, outgoing Husband, Father, Grandfather and Great-Grandfather who will be forever loved and missed. Our family wishes to give many thanks and recognition to all of the caregivers and therapists who helped care for and prolong Aldo’s life. We give special thanks to Helen, Joel, Emmanuel, Sunday, Joy, Kamor and Kay. We also give special thanks to the Glenview police and Fire department for the continued support before and after his death. We thank Our Lady Of Perpetual Help and the ministers who gave continued support and prayers, especially Steve Fiorentino and Sr. Paulanne. And, of
course, special thanks to the United States Veterans Administration for your endless support.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation @ dogood.t2t.org and St Judes @ stjude.org
Visitation will be held at Donnellan Family Funeral Home at 10045 Skokie Blvd., Skokie, Illinois 60077 from 3:00-9:00 pm on Tuesday June 21, 2022.
Funeral Mass Wednesday, June 22, 2022 11:30 am at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, 1775 Grove Street, Glenview, IL 60025.
Following the burial services at Queen of All Saints the family would like to invite everyone to attend a luncheon at Ridgemoor Country Club, 6601 W. Gunnison St., Chicago, IL.
Info: donnellanfuneral.com or (847)675-1990.
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