Alexander T. Bonkowski, Meat Researcher

Alexander T. "Al" Bonkowski Jr., 55, a former Chicagoan who was aresearcher in the meatpacking industry, died of cancer Saturday inhis Macon, Ill., home.

Mr. Bonkowski was director of meat, seafood and poultry forArcher Daniels Midland Company of Decatur, Ill. In that post, heresearched formulas for meat and wrote a number of articles for trademagazines. He honed his trade by attending night school, includingthe Illinois Institute of Technology, while working in Chicago forArcher Daniels and Vienna Sausage.

Born and reared in the Back of the Yards area, he attended SacredHeart grammar school and St. Rita High School.

Mr. Bonkowski worked for a railway equipment company and anothermeatpacking company before being hired by Vienna in the mid-1960s.He left to join Archer Daniels, then located in Chicago, in 1980. Hetransferred to the company's Decatur plant when it closed its Chicagofacility six years later.

In 1958, he married Theresa R. Pawela.

Besides his wife, survivors include a daughter, Katherine AnnWilliams; two brothers, Richard and Jerome; his father, Alexander,and a granddaughter.

Mass will be offered at 10 a.m. today in Holy Family CatholicChurch, Macon. Burial will follow in Mount Gilead Cemetery, Macon.