James Buonicore, 86, a beverage delivery man in Chicago for more than 50 years who became known in his Near West Side neighborhood as “the pop man,” died of heart failure Friday, April 27, in Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center, Chicago. Mr. Buonicore was a longtime independent distributor of the Silver Springs brand. The youngest son of Italian immigrants, Mr. Buonicore lived in a four-unit apartment building on Taylor Street filled with relatives. Tom Greco, a nephew who once lived downstairs, remembers going up to Mr. Buonicore’s apartment almost every day as a child to eat dinner and play with his favorite uncle. “He practically raised me,” the nephew said. “I always wanted to help him make deliveries just so I could be with him. He was an impressive figure to be around. I idolized the man.” Mr. Buonicore is also survived by his wife, Carmella. Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at H. Marik Sons Funeral Home, 6507 W. Cermak Rd., Berwyn. Mass will be said at 10 a.m. Wednesday in St. Callistus Catholic Church, 2167 W. Bowler St., Chicago.
