Joseph Samuel Procopio had already lived through a world war, raised six children, built several careers and watched his family grow into four generations before reaching a milestone few people ever experience.
On July 14, the Burbank resident turned 100 years old.
Just days earlier, family members from across the country gathered at Johnson-Phelps VFW Post No. 5220 in Oak Lawn to celebrate the man whose life had become the heart of their family. Relatives traveled from New York, Denver and California, joining those closer to home to honor a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and World War II veteran whose century of life has been defined by hard work, quiet strength and unwavering devotion to the people he loves.
Born in downtown Chicago to Italian immigrant parents, Procopio spent his childhood in Burbank, a community he would eventually call home for nearly his entire life. He later raised his own family there, creating deep roots that stretched well beyond one generation…