Arthur Peter Skwerski, a 40-year resident of Oak Park, died peacefully on June 21, 2020 of complications resulting from Parkinson’s disease. Born on April 11, 1938, he was educated in the Fullerton and Central Avenue neighborhood. After graduation from Weber High School, he entered Loyola University, and studied at Northwestern University and the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, graduating from the latter with a degree in marketing and advertising, and held a variety of industrial advertising and management jobs for the remainder of his working life. He served in the Army National Guard during the late 1960s.
Art Skwerski was a fun-loving and talented guy who for 21 years played the role of Herod in First Baptist’s outdoor live nativity diorama, “Journey to Bethlehem.” Among Art’s other talents, he was an award-winning bagpiper, a bagpipe instructor, a saxophonist, and a published short story writer. He served for 15 years as a docent with the Brookfield Zoo, and volunteered with the Animal Care League in Oak Park.
For 50 years, he was married to Jacquelyn Pledger Skwerski with whom he traveled the world. The couple had one son, Peter Kenneth, who died in 2008 at the age of 34. Art was the only child of the late Lottie and Arthur Edward Skwerski. He was preceded in death by numerous aunts and uncles.
A private family service has taken place. A celebration of life will take place at a later date at First Baptist Church of Oak Park.
Arrangements were handled by Drechsler, Brown & Williams Funeral Home.
