John Douglas Weingarten (1948-2024)

John Douglas "Doug" Weingarten, 76, of Glenview, Illinois passed away peacefully surrounded by family on December 15, 2024.

He was born in Hastings, Nebraska on August 3, 1948 to John Lusk Weingarten and Dorothy [Koenig] Weingarten. The Weingartens and their children, Doug and Linda, moved throughout the Midwest due to John's position in sales with the Burlington Northern railroad. Doug went to junior high school in Galesburg, Illinois, high school in Hinsdale, Illinois, graduated from University of Nebraska in 1970 and earned his Juris Doctorate from University of Illinois in 1973.

Upon graduation, Doug was appointed as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Springfield, Illinois. In 1979, Doug moved to Chicago and went into private practice. Doug met the love of his life, Nancy Sasamoto, in 1980 at a reception at the Chicago Bar Association for newly-initiated attorneys.

Doug and Nancy married on August 13, 1983 and had three children, John William "Billy" Weingarten, Christine Ann Weingarten, and Rebecca Merry Weingarten. Doug also had one grandson, Jason Douglas Weingarten, son of Billy and Nicole Weingarten, who will carry on Doug's namesake.

Doug was a family-first father who spent his evenings cooking dinner and taking care of the family dog, Lexsa. Doug meticulously planned the family's annual vacation which involved substantial time reviewing Fodor's travel books. Doug enjoyed photography, frequently taking pictures of his family, as well as the destinations the family traveled to. In his free time, Doug was an avid fan of the Huskers and a staunch supporter of the Cubs and Blackhawks. Doug particularly enjoyed cheering for any hockey team that Rebecca played on.

Doug will always be remembered by family and friends for his sense of humor and his ability to cook meals that would delight any palette. He would always joke that the secret to a good meal was (often unintentionally) delaying the food service so that his diners would be extra hungry. His delicious cooking was even more remarkable due to the fact that Doug lost his sense of taste decades ago. His meals were a labor of love as exemplified by the detailed notes he would leave on his recipes. These notes allow his family to continue to replicate his delicious meals.

Doug is survived by his wife, Nancy Sasamoto, his children, John "Billy" (Nicole) Weingarten, Christine (Omar El-Dabt) Weingarten, and Rebecca Weingarten; his sister, Linda (John) Wolf of Grand Island, Nebraska, and niece, Jennifer Wolf of Dellwood, Minnesota.