Community Corner

Niles Names Street 'Uncle Pete Way'

The late Peter Zonsius' family comes to the Niles village board meeting to receive the honor.


'Uncle Pete' Zonsius, a Niles man who quietly brought donations to the poor and homeless for decades, was honored and remembered at the Niles village board meeting Tuesday.
Earlier:
Earlier: Friends Tell Great 'Uncle Pete' Stories
Zonsius, who died May 31 at age 90, was a fixture in St. John Brebeuf parish, where many others joined him in his good works. They brought food, clothing, baby equipment and supplies, furniture and other essentials of life to Catholic parishes in poor neigborhoods on Chicago's West side, and sometimes directly to the poor in parks, on the street or on Chicago's lower Wacker Drive.
The Niles village board issued a proclamation honoring Uncle Pete for the contributions he made to the community, and named Cleveland Street between Harlem Avenue and Waukegan Road as honorary "Uncle Pete Way." The street is the southern border of the St. John Brebeuf church and school complex, where Zonsius spent much of his time.  
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