Lake and McHenry County Scanner

The Barrington Fire Department said they are mourning after a retired firefighter, who had 39 years of service with the department, died last week.

John Matlachowski, 63, of Barrington, died on Thursday, according to an obituary.

“He was a true gentleman who was loved by the Barrington Fire Department and the entire community,” the department said Tuesday afternoon.

Matlachowski graduated from Barrington High School in 1977 and became a volunteer firefighter for the Village of Barrington in June 1979.

He was hired full-time in January 1997 and stayed a member of the department until his retirement in 2018, his obituary said.

Matlachowski was also an electrician and the owner of Matlac Electric Company.

He was a member of Barrington Boy Scout Troop 10, Firefighters for Christ and Lutheran Church of the Atonement.

“He loved spending time with his family and friends. He also enjoyed his daily workout routine, even the Burpees, and his weekly runs at Citizens Park with his Bravo Boot Camp friends,” his obituary said.

A memorial visitation will be held on Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Lutheran Church of the Atonement, 909 East Main Street in Barrington.

A fire department walk-through will be at 6 p.m.

All fire service personnel are invited and should assemble in Class A uniform in front of the church no later than 5:45 p.m., the fire department said.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday at 1 p.m. at the Lutheran Church of the Atonement.

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