Pete Edward Sluka, 79, of Riverside, died on March 15, 2025. Born on Aug. 16, 1945 near Riverside, he spent most of his life along the Chicago BNSF line (Riverside and Aurora and back to Riverside) but also took detours to Glen Ellyn, Big Rock and Durham, North Carolina.
He graduated from St. Procopius High School (Benet Academy), earned an electrical engineering degree from Marquette University, then went on to join Bell Labs in Naperville where he pursued a career as a computer analyst.
He balanced his interests in electronics with a lifelong passion for gardening and was never far from his seedlings and plants. His interests were broad and his strong faith expressed itself in his work to help launch Public Action to Deliver Shelter (PADS) in the Holy Angels church basement in Aurora, which grew into the Hesed House ministry, bringing shelter and support to the homeless. In the past two decades, he also devoted time to Project Cure, the Ascension community garden, and the Honoring Our Mother Earth (HOME) Committee.
Pete’s twinkling eyes and happy spirit, humor and kindness will be greatly missed by his wife of over 50 years, Mary (nee Rogers); his children Stephanie and Patrick; his daughter-in-law, Anna Lentz; his grandchildren, Abraham and Penelope; his siblings, Janice, Michael (Patricia), and Sharon (Stan); his sister-in-law, Marge Barrett (Tom); his brothers-in-law, Jim (Jacque), John (Lois) and Dan (Mary Ann); and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, godchildren, extended family and friends. He was preceded in death by his infant daughter, Megan.
On Saturday, March 22, at Ascension Church, 808 S. East Ave., Oak Park, visitation will be held at 12 p.m., followed by the funeral Mass at 1 p.m., and a luncheon at 2 p.m. In keeping with Pete’s dedication to the environment and living harmoniously with nature, his ashes will be laid to rest.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts be made to Project Cure, Housing Forward, the Neighborhood Bridge, the Migrant Ministry, or HOME (Honoring Our Mother Earth) in Oak Park, and encourages you to honor Pete with a random act of kindness and generosity to a stranger.
Arrangements were handled by Ivins/Moravecek Funeral Home, 80 E. Burlington St., Riverside.