Reverend Peter Alexander Zadeik, Jr., 81, the long-time superintendent of the Lutheran High School Association of Greater Chicago, pastor, and dedicated docent at the Art Institute of Chicago, died Sunday, January 11, 2015 following a prolonged illness.
Born June 15, 1933 to Peter and Alice (Stoltz) Zadeik, Peter grew up in the Bronx, attending PS16, Concordia Preparatory HS (’51), Junior College (’53) and Seminary (M.Div, ’58). He attended NYU and Teachers College Columbia University, earning a master’s degree from NYU and a certificate in school administration from Columbia. He returned to Concordia Prep to teach English, Latin, and Religion and coach wrestling, football, and baseball. He became guidance counselor and principal, later continuing as principal of Concordia Lutheran HS (Ft. Wayne, IN), then superintendent of the Lutheran High School Association of Greater Chicago from 1969-86. After this first career, he returned to full-time ministry as senior pastor at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church (Prospect Heights, IL) from 1986-96; this led him to obtain certification as an Intentional Interim Minister, assisting over a dozen churches in the Chicago area from 1996-2014. Passions for art, public speaking and education facilitated a third career when, in 1996, he became a docent and special lecturer at The Art Institute of Chicago, leading tours of the museum’s treasures for a remarkable twenty years.
Peter met his wife of 50 years, the late Esther Behling while a student at Concordia. Married in 1957, Peter and Esther had five children: Philip (Lisa Krepps) Zadeik; Amy (Dr. Allan) Anderson; Patricia (Dr. Andrew) Rouse; Anastasia (Thomas) Hipkins; and Michael (Jerri Edelman) Zadeik. He was a loving and generous grandfather to eleven grandchildren: Thomas, Cara and the late Conor Zadeik; Kathryn, A.J. and Peter Anderson; Caroline, Christina and McCown Rouse; and Olivia and Jack Hipkins.
A life-time Yankee fan and Shakespearean scholar, he will be remembered for his oratorical skill, sense of humor, philanthropic spirit, encyclopedic knowledge of literature, history, art, and theater and – above all – his love for family and friends. He will be deeply missed.
Visitation Friday, January 16, 3 to 9 p.m. at Friedrichs Funeral Home, 320 West Central Road, at Northwest Highway, Mt. Prospect.
Memorial service Saturday, January 17 at Faith Lutheran Church, 680 West Deer Path, Lake Forest; visitation 1-2 p.m., service 2 p.m., reception to follow.