Art is 4th from left back row
Arthur "Art" L. Atilano February 2, 1948 - December 14, 2023
Arthur "Art" Atilano Obituary
Arthur Leon "Art" Atilano, 75, of Dixon, IL, passed away on December 14, 2023, surrounded by his family, at OSF St. Anthony in Rockford.
Born on February 2, 1948, in Savanna, IL, Art was a loving, hardworking, loyal husband and father, who always provided for his family, and his family was his greatest pride. He was funny, helpful, and a great friend to many. Art was very social and could talk to anyone about anything. He would liven up his surroundings with laughter by always having a few jokes ready to tell.
Art is survived by his wife, Janice of Dixon; two daughters, Lisa (Scott) Hoyle of Dixon and Cynthia (Kasey) Paul of Dixon; one son, Philip (Julia) of Sterling; four grandchildren, Harper, Camden, Reid, and Beckham; one sister, Margaret (Gilbert) Madrigal of Olathe, Kansas; and one brother, Gary Atilano of Sterling. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Anne Atilano, and one brother, John Robert (Joan) Atilano.
Art graduated from Newman Central Catholic High School in 1966. He proudly served in the US Navy for four years during the Vietnam War. After his military service, Art met Jan (Russman) and they were married on May 20, 1972. During this time, he was employed by Northwestern Steel & Wire Company and remained there for 33 years as a mobile equipment operator, before retiring in 2000. He then worked for the Illinois Department of Transportation for 10 years, until his retirement in 2011.
In his free time, Art enjoyed spending time with his family, watching the Cubs, Bears, and Newman sports, mowing the lawn, snow plowing, meeting his friends for breakfast every week, and supporting the Veterans Memorial Park. One of his most memorable experiences was taking a Veterans Honor Flight to Washington DC in 2017.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, December 30 from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at McDonald Funeral Home (1002 12th Avenue Rock Falls, IL). The burial, with military services, will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Sterling.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established for the Veterans Memorial Park in Dixon.
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