Celebrating Centenarians
The Village is recognizing its special citizens who have lived a full century.
Do you know someone who has reached 100 years old and should be recognized as one of Oak Park's incredible centenarians? Let's celebrate these individuals who demonstrate extraordinary resilience and learn from their lived histories!
Submit a nomination
Herta Lisicic
Herta Lisicic was recognized by the Village of Oak Park for her extraordinary life, spanning more than 100 years of resilience, cultural heritage and community involvement. She has a remarkable immigration story, with a commitment to language and tradition, and an active presence in the Village for more than 30 years.
Born in Poland in March 1922, Lisicic grew up in a German household before World War II reshaped the course of her life. As wartime conditions worsened, she fled with her sister and two young children to seek safety. She later lived in a Displaced Persons camp, where she met her future Serbian husband, a partnership forged in survival and determination.
In 1951, Lisicic and her family arrived at Ellis Island, beginning their American journey. They were first sent to Arkansas to pick cotton as repayment for their passage. They soon relocated to Chicago with support from a family friend, where they purchased a home in Lincoln Park and rebuilt their lives with hard work and thrift.
Fluent in German, Polish, Serbian and English, Lisicic ensured her children were raised in a home rich with both Serbian Eastern Orthodox and German traditions, preserving her family’s deep cultural roots.
After moving to Oak Park, she became an active member of the Village. She participated in programs at the Oak Park Arms Senior Center, where she taught German until the age of 90, and she sang joyfully for many years in the choir at First United Church of Oak Park.
Her professional life included work at Illinois Bell Telephone Company and Zenith Radio Corporation, placing her at the center of early innovations in communications and electronics. Later in life, her enthusiasm for learning earned her a feature on the cover of the Oak Leaves as she took part in senior computer classes.
Today, her family describes her as resourceful, brave and deeply resilient. Her journey stands as a powerful example of strength, adaptability and cultural continuity across generations.
Congratulations to Herta Lisicic on more than 104 years of wisdom, courage and community impact.
Essie Pough
Essie Pough turned 100 years old in February 2026.
Pough was honored with a proclamation at the Feb. 17, 2026 Board Meeting, where she was recognized for an extraordinary life of faith, perseverance and service. Trustees noted her work as a public servant, a gracious matriarch, a dear friend and an active member of the community whose passion for life has touched many. Pough was also acknowledged at the Village’s 4th Annual Black History Month event, “Celebrating 100 Years of Black History,” on Feb. 28, 2026 at the Nineteenth Century Charitable Association.
Pough was born in rural Mississippi and migrated to Chicago with her husband. Pough raised eight children while working for the State of Illinois for 46 years until her retirement in 2014. She remained committed to service by advocating for causes such as voting rights, civic engagement and youth development. Her family noted that Pough had the privilege and honor of breaking bread with former First Lady Michelle Obama and to cast her vote for Harold Washington, Chicago's first Black mayor and for Barack Obama, the first Black U.S. President - achievements she believed she would never witness in her lifetime.
Pough was an active and dedicated member at United Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago for over 50 years, enjoying the choir and participating in various church activities. She is currently an active member of Living Word Christian Center in Forest Park where she adds her beautiful voice to the choir. In 2020, at 94 years old, Pough wrote and recorded her debut song, “Jesus Reigns Forever," earning national spotlight on NBC, CBS and Fox News. She remains active with gardening, bowling and reading her bible.
May her legacy live on through her eight children, 19 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and 26 great-great-grandchildren. Congratulations on a life well-lived!