Two lifelong Forest Park residents and a beloved parish priest were honored by the village at the council meeting Monday night.
Andy Collis and Dorothy Calderone Tricoci were told that the streets they live on would be named after them. Father Frank Grady, who just retired after 22 years at St. Bernardine Catholic Church, was presented a certificate of appreciation by the mayor.
Andy Collis
Village clerk Vanessa Moritz read the accomplishments of the still-energetic Collis, a printer by trade who lives on the 800 block of Beloit.
Collis has been on the zoning board of appeals, president of Kiwanis, a park district commissioner and village treasurer. He continues to work, now as a bus driver for Forest Park Elementary School District 91.
Mayor Anthony Calderone praised Collis’s more than 50 years of “dedicated and passionate” service to the village.
Collis himself took the microphone to say, “It’s always been a pleasure to work for this village and its people. Hope I’m around to work another 10 years!”
Dorothy Calderone Tricoci
Next to be introduced was “Honorable Dorothy Calderone Tricoci Way,” with the show of a street sign destined for the 7400 block of Warren.
Tricoci, the mayor’s paternal aunt, has lived there since she was 2. Before that, she lived above her family’s IGA grocery store on Madison, where she was born in 1924.
She, too, spent decades as a volunteer: Brownie and Girl Scout leader, PTA treasurer, on the VFW women’s auxiliary and in St. Bernardine’s women’s club.
Married for 48 years, she cared for her husband during his final illness while holding down full-time work as Proviso Township clerk.
The mayor warned the crowd never to challenge his aunt at poker. She’s an acknowledged expert of the game, he said.
The fragile-looking but still-vibrant redhead appeared moved to tears. “I’m so happy to be in Forest Park all my life. Thank you,” she said when offered the microphone.
Father Frank Grady
When Calderone told the third honoree, Father Frank Grady, that he was going to give him the mic, Grady looked at the people in the audience and said, “I might take it home with me.”
In his signature Boston accent, Grady recalled highlights from his career at St. Bernardine’s.
