An 81-year-old customer of Schauer Hardware, 7449 Madison St., died of cardiac arrest yesterday in the store around 10 a.m., according to police. Raymond F. LeFevour, of Oak Park, entered the store and said good morning, said cashier Gladys Gulla, 21. He then collapsed to the floor, according to police.
“I was attending to another customer and we heard a big thump. I thought maybe someone dropped something big and then I saw legs on the floor and called 911,” she said.
Another customer knelt beside LeFevour and tried to keep him conscious, said Gulla. “He stayed with him the whole time,” she said.
Forest Park Emergency Medical Services arrived on the scene within minutes, said Gulla, and tried to revive LeFevour. He was taken to the Rush Oak Park Hospital Emergency Room where he was pronounced dead.
LeFevour was a resident of Oak Park for 50 years, said his daughter Cara Smith. He was the former president of Wright Jr. College in Chicago. His wife, Deirdre, taught science at St. Bernardine School for eight years, said Smith. He was the father of seven children and 16 grandchildren, she said.
“He was very independent,” said Smith. “He was an incredible man and he had a huge family that he led through good times and bad.”
