Donald Randa Obituary

Randa, Donald James The man many will remember for his wonderful smile and gentlemanly manners passed away quietly in his sleep Thursday, Oct. 13, at the age of 89 at King Bruwaert House in Burr Ridge following a long illness. Mr. Randa, who cherished his wife of 63 years, his two children and his four grandchildren above all else, was the former co-owner of LIFE Newspapers, a west suburban multi-weekly newspaper chain that was widely considered to be among the top suburban newspaper groups in the country. A longtime resident of Western Springs and former resident of Hinsdale, La Grange Park and Cicero, Mr. Randa was a graduate of Morton High School. He met his future wife, Mary Ann (Mossar) Randa, in 1946 at Fort Custer in Battle Creek, MI near the end of an almost four-year deployment in the United States Army Medical Corp. He began his career with LIFE Newspapers in 1947 as a salesman by day while delivering newspaper bundles to the homes of youth carriers at night. By 1952 he was one of the company's top selling sales people and a decade later he became a Vice President heading up both sales and general business operations. In 1988 he became Executive Vice President, a position he held until the company was sold in 1999 to Liberty Group Publishing. Mr. Randa was one of the founding fathers of Suburban Newspapers of America and was a board of directors member of the Suburban Press Foundation, Accredited Home Newspapers of America and the Pelican Man's Bird Sanctuary in Longboat Key, FL. He was also active in Cook County Suburban Publishers. An avid golfer, he was a member of Ruth Lake Country Club. He is survived by his wife, Mary, of Burr Ridge; two children, Lynne Dougherty of Fairlawn, OH and Larry Randa (Deborah) of Burr Ridge; four grandchildren, Matthew Dougherty (Crystal) of Columbus, OH, Katie Zuercher (Jared) of Akron, OH, Jennifer Reyes (Steven) of Naperville, IL and Jill Tester (Dr. Gregory) of Rochester, MN; four great-grandchildren, Eirelyn and Noella Zuercher, Alyssa Dougherty and Jacob Reyes; and many wonderful nieces and nephews and grand nieces and grand nephews. Visitation will be from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21 at Adolf Funeral Home, 7000 S. Madison St., Willowbrook. Following private interment in Bronswood Cemetery, a memorial service will be held at 2:05 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22 at the Presbyterian Church of Western Springs, 5250 Wolf Rd., Western Springs. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a donation be made to the Alzheimers Disease Research Center at Mayo Clinic, 200 First St. Southwest, Rochester, MN 55905. Checks should be made payable to Mayo Clinic but please indicate it is for the Alzheimers Research Center. Service information: 630-325-2300 or www.adolfservices.com