Tinley Mourns Death of Longtime Board Member Pat Rea

Submitted by the Village of Tinley Park

TINLEY PARK, IL — Retired Brigadier General Patrick E. Rea, who served as commissioner, trustee and later village clerk for the village of Tinley Park, died early Saturday morning at the age of 84 from natural causes.

“Pat was a leader, a mentor, a great storyteller and, above all, a wonderful friend with a great sense of humor,” said former Tinley Park Mayor Ed Zabrocki, who served with Gen. Rea throughout his career. “He will be remembered as a selfless public servant who always put his community first and did everything with integrity and an old-fashioned sense of honor.”

Gen. Rea, a native of Tinley Park, was educated in Community Consolidated School District 146 schools and graduated from Central and Bremen High Schools. He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and business administration, and a Master of Arts degree in economics, history and political science. He then attended the Army War College of Pennsylvania and earned a Master of Science degree in military police and international relations.

Gen. Rea was commissioned into the University of Illinois ROTC in 1963 and was deployed to Vietnam shortly thereafter. He served as assistant division commander and acting commander of the 85th Division in the U.S. Army, commanding at every level from platoon to brigade during his 30 years of military service. After serving in the United States, Asia, and Europe, Gen. Rea received the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service Award in 2004.

Gen. Rea began his career in business and government in the late 1960s and became Tinley Park commissioner in 1968 while serving in the U.S. Army active and reserve forces. He was appointed Village Trustee in 1971, becoming one of the youngest members of the Village Board in its 79-year history. He was subsequently re-elected to 10 consecutive terms as Trustee and then appointed Village Clerk in 2009, where he served until retiring in 2017. During his lifetime, he also served as Grand Master of the Knights Templar.

“Pat loved Tinley Park to the core,” said Tinley Park Mayor Michael Glotz. “The well-being of our town and its people was never far from his mind, and it was evident in the passion he showed for serving the people of Tinley Park throughout his nearly 50-year career. His guidance and leadership will be greatly missed.”

During his time on the Village Board, Gen. Rea’s leadership and foresight enabled the Village to maintain economic diversity and a healthy financial position during the greatest period of growth in the Village’s history.

“Gen. Rea leaves behind a distinguished career of professional achievement and dedicated public service, including his many years of service to our country in the Armed Forces,” said Village Manager Pat Carr, himself an Air Force veteran. “Pat was always a strong advocate for veterans, and it was his hard work that helped establish the Village’s Veterans Commission in 1974.”

In his final years, Gen. Rea served as chairman of the Tinley Park Sister Cities Commission, part of a nationwide effort to exchange ideas, develop business ties and build friendships with communities around the world. During the 1980s and 1990s, he was instrumental in establishing ties with Tinley Park’s sister cities in Mallow, Ireland; Nowy Sacz, Poland; and especially Budingen, Germany, where he continued to cultivate lifelong friendships with leaders and royalty.

“His travels took him all over the world, earning Tinley Park international recognition,” said former Mayor Dave Seaman, who also served with Gen. Rea for decades as a Village Trustee. “He was truly a worldly man who loved making new friends and forging lasting relationships. We will all miss him dearly.”

General Rea’s legacy lives on at Patrick E. Rea Veterans Plaza, adjacent to the south entrance of the 80th Avenue Metra train station. The plaza is named in his honor and honors all branches of the military.