Ronald L. Gozdecki
Of Buffalo Grove

Ronald L. Gozdecki was born August 18, 1938 in Chicago to Walter and Mary Ann (nee Potempa) Gozdecki. He died Tuesday, December 25, 2007 at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois.

Ronald Gozdecki began his career with the Buffalo Grove Police Department as a part-time Police Officer on September 16, 1966, and sworn in as the Village's fourth full-time police on July 15, 1968. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on June 1, 1973, and became the first commissioned Lieutenant in the department and was assigned the rank of Commander of Field Operations on November 1, 1978 and the rank of Deputy Chief on May 1, 1981. He helped to initiate and participated in a number of local programs including, Buffalo Grove Park District Safety Town, Swap-a-Cop Program, fingerprint programs for the Buffalo Grove Jr. Women's Club, established the Buffalo Grove Police Department's Honor/Color Guard, and Chaplaincy Program. He was named the Accreditation Manager for the Buffalo Grove Police Department in May of 1985 and was instrumental in the Police Department becoming the 48th law enforcement agency nationally and the 5th in Illinois to become accredited. Deputy Chief Ronald Gozdecki oversaw the successful re-accreditation of the Department in 1992 and 1997. He served as the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Sergeant of Arms of the Lake County Association of Chiefs of Police, member of FOP Lodge #74 and has served as President of the Buffalo Grove/Wheeling Kiwanis Club. He has received numerous awards and recognitions including eight Commendations, two Honorable mentions and several Citizens letters of recognition.

Since retiring from the Buffalo Grove Police Department on August 2, 1988, Ronald has been the Court Liaison for the Village of Buffalo Grove. He served in the Army during the Korean War.

Ronald’s survivors include his wife of 32 years, Lynn A. (nee Kloman), whom he married July 6, 1975 in Wheeling; his daughters Jennifer (Scott) Dahl of Inverness and Ashley Gozdecki of Palatine; his grandchildren Ethan Everett and Trevor Michael Dahl; his sister Rita (Tom) Ryan, and his brothers Robert (Linda) and Richard (Beth) Gozdecki; his niece Lisa Antemann and nephew Michael Ryan.

Ronald is preceded in death by his parents.

Visitation from 3:00 until 9:00 PM, Friday, December 28, 2007 at the Glueckert Funeral Home, Ltd., 1520 N. Arlington Heights Rd., (4 blocks south of Palatine Rd.) Arlington Heights. Funeral Service Noon, Saturday, December 29, 2007 at the Glueckert Funeral Home, Ltd. Burial at St. Adalbert Cemetery, Niles, Illinois.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to the American Cancer Society, 1114 N. Arlington Hts. Rd., Arl. Hts., IL 60004.