David J. Onak, 41, a longtime spokesman for Ameritech who was chosen to develop the public relations arm of the Chicago-area Internet firm Divine Interventures Inc., died of an apparent heart attack Friday, Feb. 9, in his Winfield home. A graduate of Northern Illinois University where he studied journalism and public relations, Mr. Onak was involved in athletics and was an attentive father. He had recently left Divine Interventures and was about to begin a job closer to home so he could spend more time with his family, his longtime friend and colleague Steve Ford said. “Dave was a family man who loved his boys more than he loved anything else,” Ford said. “He was the guy coaching basketball, he was the guy who was active in soccer and taking his boys there.” From the time he was in high school, Mr. Onak loved journalism. He was thorough and sincere, said his father, Joe, and “before he would jump into anything he would check it out. … He knew how to get his point across. He was a good communicator.” He stayed at Ameritech until it was acquired by SBC Communications in 1999, then left to become part of the public relations operation at Lisle-based Divine Interventures. “Dave was really the consummate generalist who could speak intelligently on any subject, and that was a testament to his intelligence, his common sense and his strong upbringing,” Ford said. “He was a blue-collar employee in a white-collar world. Not only was he committed to doing his work but he was committed to looking out for his fellow employee.” . Other survivors include his wife, Stacy; two sons, Jacob and Michael; his mother, Barbara; two sisters, Denise Starkey and Donna Gucfa; and two brothers, Darryl and Dan. Mass will be said at 10 a.m. Monday in St. James the Apostle Church, 22nd Street and Park Boulevard, Glen Ellyn.
