CHRIS FOX PHOTO
Villa Park Fire Chief Ron Rakosnik is retiring on Thursday, Oct. 27. His family, friends and colleagues are celebrating his retirement that afternoon at Fire Station 81, 1440 S. Ardmore Ave. Rakosnik has been the village’s fire chief for the last 10 years. Before joining the Villa Park Fire Department, he spent over 27 years with the Lombard Fire Department. Rakosnik grew up in the Congress Knolls subdivision in unincorporated Lombard. He graduated from Willowbrook High School in 1975. Rakosnik started volunteering for the York Center Fire District during his senior year in high school. He began his professional firefighting career with the Wilmette Fire Department in 1982. “It’s time; it’s hard, but it’s time,” said Rakosnik, who is pictured recently outside of Station 81. “I’ll miss the camaraderie. I’ve been doing this my whole adult life.”
