By Dee Longfellow
If you were interested in hearing a great story about movie palaces with theatre organs, the history of Chicago, Marshall Field’s or anything to do with trains and railway systems, the scholared expert you could call on was Richard J. Sklenar. He also appreciated antiquing, estate sales, theatre performances and art.
Sklenar passed away on Friday, Sept. 23 in Berwyn at the age of 76. He was born on April 30, 1946, to Albert and Olive Sklenar and was raised in Chicago with his siblings Ronald and Yvonne. He was the much-loved uncle with a wry sense of humor to Sue and Kurt Sklenar, Lynn Michko and Lori Legge. Finally, he became a great-uncle to Dakota (Jacelyn) Legge. The last family event he attended was Dakota and Jacelyn’s wedding in Detroit on May 29.
Richard voluntarily enlisted in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam conflict and was stationed in Thailand. Upon his honorable discharge, he enrolled in the College of Law at DePaul University and earned his Juris Doctor of Law.
A scholar in theatre design history, Richard was the retired executive director of the Theatre Historical Society of America (THS). He served in THS’s heyday infusing the
museum and archives with accessibility, functionality and value. THS, located above Classic Cinemas-York Theatre in Elmhurst, became a popular destination for long-time and new theatre enthusiasts.
He was instrumental in leading the campaign to save the grand old movie palace, the Chicago Theatre, and more recently, served as a staff tour guide for the Madison Square Garden Foundation. He was often sought-after as a tour guide for the Uptown Theatre on Chicago’s north side. Richard was an esteemed, well-known railway and theatre organ devotee. His loss is immeasurable to all who knew and loved him.
The date for his celebration of life has not been finalized. Anyone who wishes to attend, please send an email to [email protected].
Editor’s note: Information provided by Legacy and Chicago Tribune archives.
