In life, Peter Troy was the consummate connector, serving as the charismatic glue who would bring together a diverse mix of people whose lives he touched.
So, nearly 15 months after a heart attack ended his life at the age of 62, it’s only fitting that some of those same friends are honoring his memory through the creation of the Peter Troy Memorial Tennis Tournament.
The event is from Noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 7th at Five Seasons Family Sports Club, 6901 S. Madison in Burr Ridge.
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The gathering is sure to attract an eclectic combination of friends, family members and others whose paths intersected with the longtime LaGrange resident. And that is just as Troy would have wanted it—in fact, it’s just as he used to arrange it through themed parties, such as a Bacon-fest, that he would host at his home.
The tournament will be held at Five Seasons’ outdoor tennis courts from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The event is not solely for tennis players, however: for all comers, there is a barbecue and cash bar, with access to the club’s outdoor pool, from 2 to 5 p.m.
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It is a proper tribute to a man whose varied passions included tennis and having a fun-loving time around food and drink with friends who defied categorization. Some were fellow attorneys in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, where Troy was a longtime prosecutor; others were fellow tennis players at Five Seasons, others were close neighborhood friends, and still others included Harley-Davidson motorcycle riders.
The Memorial Tennis Tournament organizer is Rusty Snyder, a Five Seasons member who played tennis and became close friends with Troy over the final six years of his life. Snyder described his late friend as a gifted story-teller whose kindness and compassion were reflected in how much he took time to hear what was happening in others’ lives.
“He was just a great guy, a gentleman, a lot of fun,” Snyder recalled. “Whenever you spent time with him, you felt like he was really there to listen. He was really supportive.”
“No matter who you were or how you met him,” added Snyder, “you felt like you had a genuine friend.”
Troy’s first wife, Nadine, died of breast cancer in 2000, when their two daughters, Bridget and Katrina, were both teenagers. In December 2011, the same month that he retired from his law career, Troy re-married Jennifer Bae, a former work colleague.
In retirement, Troy continued a tradition of playing tennis at Five Seasons with friends with whom he became increasingly tight-knit.
“He always had something going on,” said Bae. “He’d never sit still. Tennis was one of the things that he loved doing; he played since he was a little boy.”
Bridget said that her father recognized the many blessings in his life, which included seeing her get married only a few months before he passed away. “He lived quite a life and appreciated every part of it,” she said.
“It’s just so amazing to see this come together,” Bridget said of the fundraiser. “It’s really awesome to see so many people outside of his family be really dedicated to carrying on his memory and bringing us all together again. That demonstrates the kind of person my dad was.”
Having served in the Navy for four years, Troy was a supporter of Honor Flight Network, an organization that pays for all the expenses involved in bringing World War II veterans to Washington, D.C. There, they see historical sites, including those honoring the military, even as they are honored by appreciative crowds of people who greet them at airports.
A portion of all of the fundraiser’s proceeds will go to the Honor Flight Network, adding to the eight veterans who already received Honor Flight trips thanks to contributions made in Troy’s memory in the immediate aftermath of his death.
The dining portion of the event is $25, while the entrance fee is $50 for those interested in playing tennis as well. A raffle is at 5 p.m., followed by the memorial banner unveiling at 5:15 p.m.
The registration deadline for the Peter Troy Memorial Tennis Tournament is June 3rd. For more information or to register, please contact Kristin Barber at kbarber@5ssc.com or 630-570-5200. Five Seasons Burr Ridge is online at www.FiveSeasonsSportsClub.com/BurrRidge.
To learn more about the Honor Flight Network, visit www.honorflight.org.
