Joseph Valentino, a long-time resident of the Tri-Taylor community and most recently of Des Plaines, IL, died on Oct. 26. He was 87 years old.

Mr. Valentino was the husband of the late Margaret “Margie” (nee Del Page) for 49 years; father of Linda Valentino (John) Stelmach and Joseph, Jr., (Mary); grandfather of Nicole (Dino) Geroulis, Natalie Altamore, Joseph (Jenny) Valentino, and Anthony Valentino; great-grandfather of Angelo Geroulis; brother of James (the late Connie), Ralph (the late Della), Carlo (the late Mary), Dominic (Caroline), Jennie (the late Louis) Caliendo, Edith (the late Anthony) Macioce, Lorraine (Joseph) Caccamo, and the late Charles (the late Angie) and the late Katie (the late “Red”) Marino; and fond uncle of many nieces and nephews.

Mr. Valentino was a veteran of the U.S. Army during World War II and saw action throughout the South Pacific. He later joined the Chicago Police Department, where he served as a patrol officer for 37 years. In the turbulent years of the mid-1960s, when racial tensions in Chicago were at an all-time high, Officer Valentino was among the first white police officers to accept the assignment of riding on patrol with an African-American police officer. He did so in an effort to show fellow Chicagoans that people of different races and color could get along.

Officer Valentino served throughout the city’s West, Near West, and Near North Side neighborhoods including the Monroe Street district, and the former Maxwell Street and Fillmore Street districts. He also was selected to be part of the first group of Chicago Police officers assigned to area high schools — among them Crane Technical High School on the Near West Side — not far from his boyhood home.

He spent the last eight years of his police career at O’Hare Airport. During his stint at the airport, Hollywood actor and Chicago native Charlton Heston wrote to then Police Chief Fred Rice thanking Officer Valentino for coming to the aid of Heston’s elderly mother when Heston’s flight was delayed. In his letter, Heston explained how Officer Valentino escorted his mother to the gate, bought her a cup of coffee, and waited with her until Heston arrived.

Daughter Linda Valentino recalled that her father’s many attributes as a Chicago Police officer also came into play at home. “He was a friend and a father and he walked my brother Joey and me through life sharing all of our joy, laughter, and heartache,” she said. “He taught us right from wrong and he never let us down. He never asked for much but he always gave so much to everyone.”

Services were held at Severino’s River Woods Funeral Chapels in Des Plaines, IL. A Funeral Mass was said at St. Emily Church. Entombment is at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside, IL.