John Paluch, 63, of Chicago, passed peacefully October 9, 2023. He was born to the late Chester and Margaret ‘Mickey’ Paluch, March 19, 1960, in Chicago. John graduated from Notre Dame High School in 1978, and studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.  John was a performer, teacher and arranger who worked in a variety of venues and in a wide range of styles. In a career spanning 40 years, John had worked with many musicians, singers and performers in Boston, New York and Chicago. His favorite place to play was anywhere there was a keyboard next to his mother, Mickey, on a barstool with a microphone.  John was a working musician and music educator in Chicago, most notably as former Music Director of the Reunion Jazz Orchestra, and pianist with the Jazz Community Big Band. He was inducted into the Notre Dame College Prep Hall of Honor in 2019.

 

John is preceded in death by his oldest brother Tom (late Julianne), and greatly missed by his siblings Jim (Laura), Peg, Michelle (Michael) Precin, Mary Lou Rafferty, PJ (Joe) Schmidt, Rose Ann (late Rick) Biernat, and Michael (Erin), 17 nieces and nephews, numerous grand nieces and nephews, countless cousins, friends and colleagues, especially his longtime companion, Mary Ellen Krems, who tirelessly devoted herself to his care this past year.

 

A Celebration of Life will be held Friday October 20, from 3pm to 8pm, at Olson Burke-Sullivan Funeral and Cremation Center, 6467 N. Northwest Hwy, Chicago, IL 60631.  Service to start at 7:30pm.

 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in John’s honor to Alexian Brothers Hospice Residence at 901 Martha St., Elk Grove Village, IL 60007.