John Sluis was a familiar and reassuring face at community meetings for Wheaton Warrenville School District 200, where for the last several years he played an important role in keeping the community informed on maintenance and construction of school facilities.
“He was good at explaining things, whether the issue had to do with indoor air quality or a new building project at the high school,” said his brother, Bill, editor of the Tribune’s New Homes section. “He had answers to any questions that would arise and was very adept at putting them in layman’s terms.”
Mr. Sluis, 53, of Wheaton, the executive director of facilities for District 200, died Sunday, Feb. 22, in his home of a massive heart attack.
“In many ways, John was a model of what every good leader should be,” said Supt. Gary Catalani. “He used his expertise as an engineer and his skills as an effective communicator to ensure that everyone understood exactly what was going on at all times.”
Described by his colleagues as “well-liked and respected,” Mr. Sluis was also a role model for many of the people with whom he worked.
“John was a good friend to all of us,” said Catalani. “We’ll miss his leadership, his sense of humor and the positive spirit with which he approached every situation.”
The son of Dutch immigrants, Mr. Sluis was the youngest in a family of five children and the only one of his siblings born in the United States. He grew up in Mokena and attended Lincoln-Way High School before receiving a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Valparaiso University in 1972.
According to family members, Mr. Sluis developed a strong work ethic as a young man, carrying a full coarse load in college while working full-time as an apprentice engineer for the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railroad in Joliet.
“From a young age he could juggle many things at once,” recalled his brother. “He enjoyed keeping busy and had a mind that could shift gears easily.”
Before joining District 200 in 1999, Mr. Sluis was employed for 15 years in facilities management for Iowa State University in Ames. Before that he worked as an engineer in the heating and air-conditioning division of Johnson Controls Inc.in the south suburb of Lansing, during which time he helped build several Chicago-area malls.
While with District 200, Mr. Sluis oversaw the renovation of eight schools, the construction of the Longfellow Elementary School, and the planning for the renovation and additions to Wheaton North and Wheaton Warrenville South High Schools. He also organized the district’s first Indoor Environmental Quality Committee, formed to develop procedures to ensure the materials used in schools create a healthy environment for teaching and learning.
“He took the necessary steps to have mold removed from schools and always kept the environmental systems in the district’s buildings up to government standards,” said his brother. “He also brought a high level of management to his job, keeping an eye on the bottom line to save taxpayers money.”
Although the demands of his job were great, family members credit Mr. Sluis for always finding time for his family and friends. He was an avid golfer, car enthusiast, gardener and cook.
“John could be very focused when it came to his work but he also knew how to relax and enjoy the company of those he loved,” said his brother. “He was a confident and able person, who people just liked being around.”
Other survivors include his wife, Theresa “Terry”; a son, Paul; a daughter, Lisa Marie Hayducak; his mother, Ann Sluis Jasinski; two other brothers, Joost and Bernard; a sister, Helen Gramse; and two grandchildren.
Visitation will be held from 3 to 9 p.m. Thursday in Williams-Kampp Funeral Home, 430 E. Roosevelt Rd., Wheaton. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday in the funeral home.
