Obituaries
Obituary: Ronald E. Blendowski
His love of cars, trains, family, and good humor will be remembered and cherished by all who knew him.
Obituary was published and funeral arrangements were entrusted to the care and direction of the Fred C. Dames Funeral Home and Crematory.
Ronald E. Blendowski, age 74, of Lockport, IL, formerly of Cicero, passed away September 16, 2026.He was born October 5, 1951 in Chicago, IL to the late Edward and Emily Blendowski.
Survived by his wife of 34 years, Christine Blendowski; her children, Renee (Bill Perkins) Fletcher and John (Tracy) Ceylor; grandchildren, Mark Fletcher, Ashley (Jacob) Young, Richie (Rheanna) Fletcher, Chloe (T.J.) Carmondy, Brianna (Daniel Steinlicht) Fletcher, Shyanne Fletcher, Tara (Tod) Nelson, and Brandon Ceylor; 13 great-grandchildren.
Find out what's happening in Shorewoodfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
He was preceded in death by his beloved dogs, Rusty, Dakota, and Monte. Ron loved to share his potato chips with them and would give them the bowl to clean after his nightly serving of ice cream.
Ron was a proud U.S. Army veteran, serving during the Vietnam War. He spent much of his working life doing what he loved, working with cars. He worked as a car mechanic, in auto parts sales, and was a longtime member of the Great Lakes Street Machine and Rod Association. His passion for automobiles extended well beyond his work, as he enjoyed tinkering with classic cars, attending swap meets and car shows, and sharing those experiences with his grandchildren. He also had a love for model building, especially model cars and HO-scale model trains. He took great pride in building and creating his train display, turning his winter months into a season dedicated to trains, while summer was reserved for cars.
Find out what's happening in Shorewoodfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Known for his quick wit, he was rarely without a funny joke or a perfectly timed smart-a$$ comments, bringing laughter to those around him. His love of cars, trains, family, and good humor will be remembered and cherished by all who knew him.
Visitation for Ronald E. Blendowski will be Thursday, September 24, 2026, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., at the Fred C. Dames Funeral Home, 3200 Black Rd., Joliet. Funeral Service will be Friday, September 25, 2026, 10:30 a.m., at the funeral home. Friends and family will meet at 12:30 p.m. for a Committal Service at Resurrection Cemetery, Justice, IL with military honors held under the auspices of the United States Army.
For more information, please call 815-741-5500 or visit his Memorial Tribute at www.fredcdames.com, where you can share a favorite memory or leave an online condolence.
