Obituaries

Obituary: John Nerlinger, 50 Year Arlington Heights Resident

John William Nerlinger was a WW II Army Veteran, active member of Faith Lutheran Church and was a leader in the automotive industry. Visitation will be held Friday and a funeral service on Saturday.

John William Nerlinger, Jr., was born June 22, 1920 in Detroit, MI to John W. and Bessie P. (nee Beith) Nerlinger.  He passed away quietly January 26 at the Lutheran Home in Arlington Heights.

John grew up in Detroit, where he met and married his wife of 65 years Pearl.

In 1963, they moved to Arlington Heights when John became the Vice President (later (CAE) President) of the Automotive Service Industry Association.  He retired in 1990. John was elected to the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, MI, in 1990 and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Northwood University that same year.  

He was an active member of Faith Lutheran Church in Arlington Heights from 1963 to the present, serving on the Board of Elders and as a Director of the Men’s club. He also was a Life Member of the Automotive Hall of Fame and the American Society of Association Executives as well as other industry honors and service organizations.  John was a U.S. Army veteran of WW II, serving in the Southwest and Central Pacific.  

John is survived by his children John C. (Susan) Nerlinger of Louisville, KY and Ruth M. (Richard) Blazevich of Arlington Heights; his grandchildren Brooke Bertilacci, Elizabeth and Charles Blazevich; and his great grandson Keegan John Lane Owens.

John is preceded in death by his wife Pearl (nee Procup) Nerlinger and by his great granddaughter Delanie Rose Woodward.

Visitation Friday from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Glueckert Funeral Home, Ltd., 1520 N. Arlington Heights Road, (4 blocks south of Palatine Road).  A funeral service, will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday at Faith Lutheran Church, 431 S. Arlington Heights Rd., lie in state at church from 10 a.m. until time of service. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to Faith Lutheran Church, Preschool Fund.

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Funeral information and condolences can be found at www.GlueckertFH.com or by calling (847) 253-0168.

Information provided by Glueckert Funeral Home

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