Updated 7/23/2021 3:52 PM
Chuck Papanos lived by a specific motto, whether he was managing the Naperville Riverwalk and various park properties, or assisting a loved one, or battling T-cell lymphoma until the very end.
"Do nothing?" he would say. "Not an option."
Papanos, who died last summer, worked nearly 20 years for the Naperville Park District, most of which he spent as a Riverwalk and north parks operations manager.
He was known for his can-do spirit and passion for giving back, said his wife, Ann Marie. In his fight against cancer, he wanted to make sure physicians were learning from his case so they could help future patients, she said, even if they couldn't save him.