Chester Stranczek facts for kids

Chester K. Stranczek (born November 19, 1929 – died September 5, 2015) was an American businessman and politician. He was also a former Minor League Baseball player. Chester Stranczek served as the mayor of Crestwood, Illinois, for 39 years. He held this important job from 1969 to 2007.

During his time as mayor, he became well-known for finding ways to save money. He did this by having private companies help with town services. He also gave money back to the town's residents. For over ten years, he refunded their property taxes. People also knew him as a unique person with strong opinions. He sometimes used a billboard near the town's entrance to share his thoughts.

Chester Stranczek was born in Cook County, Illinois. This was on November 19, 1929. He was the first of eight children. His parents were immigrants from Poland. At home, only Polish was spoken. Chester learned English when he started first grade. He passed away in 2015.

Playing Baseball as a Career

Chester Stranczek worked on his family's farm. He did this until he finished high school in 1949. After high school, he joined a baseball team. He played as a pitcher for the Salina Blue Jays. This team was part of the Kansas Oklahoma Missouri League.

In 1951, he joined the Army. During the Korean War, Stranczek spent 17 months playing baseball. He played for the Army's baseball team. This team was based in Tokyo and traveled around the Far East.

He returned to playing minor league baseball in 1954. He played with the Burlington Bees. Then he joined the Baton Rouge Red Sticks. In 1955, Chester Stranczek hurt his right knee. This injury ended his baseball career.

Becoming a Businessman and Politician

After his baseball injury, Stranczek went back to Illinois. He worked for a trucking company. In May 1959, he started his own business. It was called Crest Fuel & Materials. In 1961, he married Diane Buksa. They had two sons, Michael (born 1961) and Robert (born 1964).

In 1969, Stranczek decided to run for mayor. He ran as a Republican in the village of Crestwood. He kept this job for almost 40 years. He retired in 2007.

Running the Town Like a Business

Chester Stranczek said he wanted to run the town like a business. He made changes that helped the town earn more money. This included having private companies handle some town services. Because of this, the town had enough money to give back to residents.

Starting in 1993, he began refunding property taxes. The first refund was $1 million. The amount given back increased each year. These refunds continued until 2009. At that time, issues with the town's water supply led to changes.

Stranczek retired from being mayor in 2007. He was 78 years old. His son, Robert Stranczek, took over as mayor after him.

Later Life and Passing

After leaving his role as mayor, Chester Stranczek moved to Boca Raton, Florida. He later developed Parkinson's disease. He passed away on September 5, 2015. He was 85 years old. He is buried at the St. Benedict Catholic Cemetery in Crestwood.