Tinley Park mourns death of Patrick Rea: 'A selfless public servant' of nearly 50 years

(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Patrick Rea, a retired Army general who served the residents of Tinley Park nearly five decades, has died.

Rea’s resume was a long one. The University of Illinois graduate served as an Army general in the Vietnam War and spent 30 years in the military. In 2004, he received the Secretary of Defense Medal of Outstanding Public Service Award.

He was also a well-known figure in Tinley Park, where he became a commissioner in 1968, a village trustee in 1971 and a clerk in 2009. Rea left office in 2017.

According to family members, Rea passed away over the weekend due to natural causes.

In a statement, former Tinley Park Mayor Ed Zabrocki said Rea was a “leader, a mentor, a great storyteller and, above all, a great friend with a wonderful sense of humor.”

“He’ll be remembered as a selfless public servant who always put his community first and did everything with integrity and an old-school sense of humor,” Zabrocki said.

Rea was 84.

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