Tino Lettieri Remembered in Mokena

MOKENA, IL - A fixture in the Mokena community has died. Santino “Tino” Lettieri was 72.

Lettieri died on Sunday. He is remembered as a proud veteran, owner of Mokena Liquors, truck driver for US Steel Supply and a retiree of Mario’s Butcher Shop, according to a news obituary in the Daily Southtown. He was a Vietnam veteran and longtime member and past president of the Mokena Lions Club.

"He very much liked to be involved in his community," his daughter, Michelle Maxeiner told the Southtown. "He was very involved in Mokena and with the veterans."

Lettieri was praised by others for his involvement in the local Merchants’ Association and for the unique ideas he brought to the Mokena business community.

He was politically active, twice running for village trustee and at one point came close to convincing the village to implement a ward system rather than having voters electing six trustees at-large.

"He was a fighter,” Mayor Frank Fleischer said. “If he disagreed with you, he would fight to prove his point. And even if he disagreed with you, if you needed help, he would be the first one to help you.”

He was also Santa Claus in the Mokena Christmas parade for years.

A mass of Christian burial for Lettieri will be held Saturday at St. Mary Catholic Church, 19515 S. 115th Ave. in Mokena.

More via the Daily Southtown

Photo via Kurtz Goodale Memorial Chapels