Hillside
(708) 449-8300
Catholic, Est. 1947
The mausoleum viewed from across the street, Wolf and Roosevelt Roads.
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At Queen of Heaven we find the plots of such sterling citizens as Mob boss, Sam Battaglia (1908-1973), a teddy bear compared to his predecessor, Giancana.
The mausoleum's central tower. Photograph by Jim Arbuthnot
The gothic style central tower of the community mausoleum. Photograph from from Graveyards of ChicagoThis section temporarily unavailable. Sorry for the inconvenience.Gallery:
Sources were used in the compilation of this entry include but are not limited to:
- Graveyards of Chicago by Matt Hucke and Ursula Bielski -- a book which describes many of the Chicago area cemeteries.
MOUNT CARMEL CEMETERY1400 South Wolf RoadLocated in the western suburb of Hillside, this predominantly Italian cemetery contains a most interesting set of personalities to be found in the Chicagoland.
Hillside
(708) 449-8300
Catholic, Est. 1901
This section temporarily unavailable.
Along the south edge of the Mount Carmel on Roosevelt Road sits this monument to Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini -- "First Citizen Saint of the United States Patron Saint of Immigrants.""Mother Cabrini was not a humanitarian, she was a heroic lover of God. In her missions of charity, in her achievement of the impossible, it was not genius. Her secret was divine love. This is the wonderful story of a romance that is gripping and striking. It is the story of a woman who lived among us, who saw the things which we see. A woman in whose soul divine love was consumed the last remnant of self, who came to love only God. And who saw God in every poor man, woman and child. Her life was filled with difficulties. Many were her disappointments. Most of the time she had tasks which were far from congenial . At times she was misunderstood even by good people. She wavered not. She was working for God."She loved us. She was our benefactor. She went begging in our sheets. She rode out streetcars. Through alleys she went in search of little hungry children who were homeless and friendless. It seems to me that God through our saint is telling that if we only love Him with all our souls, in the very conditions of our lives, here in this great modern city, we shall be holy and pleasing to Him. Our Saint issues a challenge to each of us. Our works in life may be modest, our achievements in the eyes of men insignificant. But we dare hope to be great in the sight of God, and the little things become big things, and the trials can be blessings, and no matter how gloomy the world about us may be, we can smile the serene smile of our saint wonderful as were her works in life, more wonderful are and ever will be her works after death."His Imminence Samuel Cardinal Stritch
OAK RIDGE CEMETERY
4301 West Roosevelt Road
Hillside, Illinois
(708) 344-5600
"The Abbey" Mausoleum at Oak Ridge. This photograph is from the 1920s. The original photograph hangs in the Oak Ridge office.
There are several famous people who rest at the Oakridge Cemetery:
Harold Lincoln Gray (1894-1968), a local suburban boy who created Li'l Orphan Annie, established his heroine on the pages of the Chicago Tribune.
Musician Chester A. "Howlin' Wolf" Burnett (1910-1976), rests here after nearly 70 years of hard living. Originally from Mississippi, Howlin’ Wolf's began his musical experience by singing in church on Sundays. In his eighteenth year is father presented Chester with a guitar. Soon, Chester met Charley Patton, a Delta Blues pioneer. Under his tutelage, Chester learned Patton's style and methods.
For several years Chester perfected his skills at local weekly fish fries while spending his days farming with his family. Chester met another Delta Blues performer, Sonny Boy Williamson, after moving to Arkansas. Williamson taught him the harmonica. Soon Chester quit farming and went on the road. Chester wandering and four years in the service brought him back to farming but his heart wasn't in it. He formed his own band and went back on the road.
Chester experienced good success in Mississippi and Arkansas. At 38 he landed a radio spot in West Memphis and had his big breakthrough. His fame grew and, in 1950, led to a recording contract with Chicago's Chess Records for his versions of "How Many More Years" and "Moanin' at Midnight." With record sales of over 60,000, RPM began competing with Chess for Wolf's recordings. Chess won. And Chess, Chester, and the Chicago Blues scene became entwined.
The Mason's Rest monument at Oak Ridge
At 6 feet 6 inches and nearly 300 pounds, with an earth-shaking voice punctuated by gut-wrenching moans and wails, Chester Burnett had become a performer known for scaring audiences out of their wits. In the years since his debut, he has been credited by hundreds of musicians, representing countless countries and musical styles, as a major influence on their work.
Chester continued his popular performances throughout his later years in spite of a kidney problem, receiving dialysis before beginning his engagements. He died in Chicago, the town that loved him well, on January 10, 1976.
Sources were used in the compilation of this entry include but are not limited to:
- Graveyards of Chicago by Matt Hucke and Ursula Bielski -- a book which describes all the Chicago area cemeteries.
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