Former Life Newspapers president remembered for dedication to local journalism

BERWYN – Jack R. Kubik loved people. He believed everyone had a story to tell and enjoyed printing those stories in his suburban newspapers.

The former president and publisher of Life Newspapers, a predecessor of Suburban Life Media, died July 26 at age 87 surrounded by his family after a long battle with cancer.

“He believed that the things that happened in suburban residents’ lives were important,” said Kubik’s son, Jack L. Kubik. “He really believed in local news, and that was the success of his newspapers for such a long time. Nothing made him happier than following local happenings and then writing about them. His love of journalism grew out of his curiosity.”

Kubik was born in 1929 in Berwyn and attended Morton High School before graduating from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in 1951. He began working as a reporter at Suburban Life, which was owned by his father, John F. Kubik. Kubik worked his way up to editor before becoming president and publisher of the company in 1980 after his father died.

Kubik oversaw the continued growth of the company, which expanded from Cicero and Berwyn into surrounding communities. He sold Life Printing and Publishing to Liberty Group Publishing in 1999, before retiring in 2000.

Kubik also served as president of the Suburban Newspapers of America organization, which focused on suburban newspapers across the country, and also was very involved in the Illinois Press Association, Cook County Suburban Publishers and the Suburban Press Foundation.

During Kubik’s tenure as president and publisher, Life publications received numerous local, regional, state and national awards for excellence in writing, advertising, community service and business expertise.

“He loved what he did and loved going into the office every day. It was such a big part of his life,” Jack L. Kubik said of his father. “He always tried to be fair, and people respected him and what he did.”

Larry Randa’s father was Kubik’s business partner, and Randa later worked with Kubik for several years at Suburban Life. Randa described Kubik as his “mentor.”

“He cared about the people and businesses in the towns,” he said. “He understood what a community newspaper should be in that it was for the readers. He knew its responsibility. He wanted names and faces in the newspaper and was just a wonderful human who was kind to everyone.”

As great a journalist and businessman as he was, Kubik was an even better father who was very involved in his children’s and grandchildren’s lives, his son said.

“My dad was very active in business but was always there for us. He coached our sports teams and took great interest in all of us,” Jack L. Kubik said. “He was a terrific father. If you had a problem, he was there for you. He was truly a remarkable man.”

Kubik is survived by his wife of 65 years, Barbara (Morevac) Kubik, three children, five grandchildren, one sister and numerous nieces and nephews. Services were held July 29 at Woodlawn Funeral Home in Forest Park.