Death Classification: Performance of Duty Death

Agency: Chicago Police Department

Served: 25 years, 2 months, 22 days

Unit of Assignment / Detail: 22nd District - Maxwell

District of Incident (Present Day): 009 - Deering

Cause of Death: Unkown Cause of Death

Age at Time of Death: 52

Timeline


Date of Birth: 14 Mar 1895

Date of Appointment: 26 Oct 1922

Date of Incident: 009 - Deering

End of Watch: 17 Jan 1948

Date of Interment: 20 Jan 1948

 

Interment Details


 Cemetery: Bohemian National Cemetery - Chicago, Illinois
 Grave Location: Unknown
 Interment Disposition: Burial

 

Memorial Details


Superintendent’s Honored Star Case: Not Enshrined

Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: Not Listed

Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: Not Listed

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall: Not Listed

Officer Down Memorial Page: Listed

 

Service


 Military Service: U.S. Army

 

Incident & Biographic Details


Patrolman John Blazek, Star #1381, aged 52 years, was a 25 year, 2 month, 22 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the 22nd District – Maxwell.

On January 16, 1948, between the hours of 12:00 am and 8:00 am, Officer Blazek was on duty working as the lockup keeper in the Maxwell Street Station. While working in the Cell Room he was pushed / struck causing him to strike his head against a hard object. It is presently not known if he was pushed / struck by a prisoner. It is also not known whether he struck his head against the floor or some other object. After the fall Officer Blazek remained on duty and worked the rest of his shift. After he left work he made it most of the way home before calling a friend who he told the above to. His friend then gave him a ride home. While at home Officer Blazek asked his wife for aspirin and then went to bed. Officer Blazek then passed away in his sleep. His wife later found him unresponsive and he was transported to Hines Hospital where he was pronounced dead on January 16, 1948.

A Coroner’s Inquest found his cause of death to be from a fractured skull resulting in a subdural hematoma. The Coroner also ruled his death accidental as a result of his duties as a Chicago Police Officer.

Officer Blazek was waked at the Szykowny Funeral Home located at 4907 South Archer Avenue. His funeral mass was held at the Szykowny Funeral Home. He was laid to rest on January 20, 1948 in Bohemian National Cemetery, 5255 North Pulaski Road, Chicago, Illinois.

Patrolman John Blazek, born March 14, 1895, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on October 26, 1922. Prior to joining the Chicago Police Department he was a Stationary Fireman.

Officer Blazek served in the U.S. Army from August 2, 1917 thru April 11, 1919 in the Company I, 59th Infantry of the 4th Division, was a veteran of World War I and was Honorably Discharged at the rank of Sergeant. He was also a member of Chicago Policemen’s Benevolent & Welfare Association, Police Progressive Council Royal Arcanum and Post 1313 Veterans of Foreign Wars. Officer Blazek was survived by his wife, Mae (nee Clohesey), age 47; children: John W., age 17 and William J., age 24; mother, Betty (nee Koukalik) and sister, Sylvia Tuma. He was preceded in death by his father, John.