John S. Konezney III
John Stephen Konezney III, 69, of Downers Grove, IL, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. John was the loving son to the late John Jr. & Donna (née Schimek), beloved husband of Karen (née McGill) and a devoted brother to Robert. John was a loving stepfather to Craig Skala Jr. (Katie) and Kelly McKissack (Drew), always offering encouragement and a good sense of humor. Known affectionately as “Papa John”, he was a deeply cherished grandfather to Easton, Rachel, Andie, Reese, Abigail, and Connor. He was also a proud uncle to Katelyn, Ryan, and Zachary, and held a special place in his heart for his Aunt Judy. Family was the center of John’s world, and he took immense joy in celebrating life’s moments, both big and small, with those he loved.
John built a successful career as a pipefitter welder at UOP, where he dedicated nearly 44 years of hard work before retiring. Retirement allowed him to enjoy the things he loved most, especially spending time at his lake house. He also enjoyed gardening and spent many hours working outdoors around his home.
A devoted bowler for many years, John was also a longtime member of the Downers Grove Moose. He had a deep appreciation for classic cars, and one of his greatest loves was his 1968 Dodge Dart GTS, which he purchased while in high school and proudly owned throughout his life. Whether he was at the lake house, in the garden, at the bowling alley, or spending time with family and friends, John found joy in life’s simple pleasures.
While family and friends would have loved many more years with John, they are grateful for the memories they shared with him. His stories, laughter, and ability to bring people together will be remembered fondly and missed dearly by all who knew and loved him.
A Visitation will be held on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, from 9:30am to 11:30am, at Cappetta’s West Suburban Funeral Home, 4920 Main St., Downers Grove, IL 60515. Chapel services will commence at 11:30am, followed by a procession from the funeral home to Clarendon Hills Cemetery, 6900 S Cass Ave, Darien, IL 60561 for an interment. For additional information please call 630-852-8000 or visit us at westsuburbanfh.com
Some people are called neighbors, but they become so much more than that. You were part of my life for as long as I can remember and part of so many memories growing up. Your friendship with my dad was something truly special, and I’ll never forget you standing up and speaking about him at his funeral. It’s hard to believe that now we are saying goodbye to you too. I hope Dad was there waiting for you, and that the two of you are together again. Thank you for being such a special part of our lives. You will be missed. ❤️
I work with John over his long career at UOP. He was a great guy who worked very hard and was always willing to help get things done.
Condolences John’s family I know he will be greatly missed.
Tracy and Robert,
This is John Wirth from Kansas City. I just heard the terrible news about John Jr. – Butch – and I can’t
tell you how sorry I am for your loss.
I’m not sure if Robert remembers me, but John and I were the best of friends, starting back at O’Neill
Junior High and continuing into the early ’80s, when we eventually lost touch with each other.
John visited me in Kansas City several times, once with his girlfriend – Karen, I think her name was –
and I came back to Downers Grove many times to see him, including a few trips on my motorcycle. We
had a lot of good times together.
John was also the one who taught me how to bowl. He had the smoothest delivery I’d ever seen. I
always thought that if he had really taken it seriously, he could have gone pro. He was that good.
I still laugh thinking about the day Robert showed up at school wearing an ascot. John and I, being the
good friends and mature young men that we were, promptly stuffed him into a gym locker! I think your
mom had dressed him that day. I remember she used to look through that hippie clothing catalog she
had. Funny the little things you remember after all these years.
You all have certainly had a rough stretch, especially with John Sr. passing just a few months ago. I
always thought he was a really cool dad. I remember him sometimes handing John and me a little cash
so we could ride our bikes into downtown Downers Grove and load up on soda and candy. Those were
pretty simple days, but looking back, they were some of the best.
I was in Wyoming last week when I found out about John Jr. and Sr. I had been using AI to track down
some old history about Wild Bill Hickok and a few other people, and for some reason something told
me to put John’s name in. When I saw that he had passed, it hit me hard.
To say the least, the drive home across I-80 was a very quiet ride. I found myself thinking about John,
Downers Grove, our childhood, and all those years and memories that somehow went by so quickly.
I’m sorry that John and I lost touch over the years. He was a very important part of my childhood and
young adult life, and I’ll always remember him that way.
Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help. My thoughts are with all of you.
Take care,
John Wirth