Elmer Erbe Obituary

"Mr Erbe" was my PE teacher, coach and looking back a teacher of life to boys becoming young men. I was in my daughter´s barn yesterday and saw the brightly painted Warrior plaster cast made by Mr Erbe looking like it did so long ago (mid-late 60s). This man was so much more than just a teacher or coach. He dedicated his life to making us feel special having fun and instructing us about sports, exercise and of course life. I still remember hanging on that chin up bar with Mr Erbe encouraging me and when he presented the John F Kennedy award for physical fitness to me I was so proud and on cloud 9. I still have it. Reading these shares was emotional and learned some things about this man who had a big impact on me.

As a young child I was not interested in playing sports. But when I entered junior high and Mr. Erbe was our gym teacher, his encouragement was so wonderful that I started to develop an interest in sports and greatly enjoyed participating with the other kids. The one thing about his encouragement is that he made me feel like I was a man. It´s amazing when an adult can communicate with you in such a way that it elevates you and builds your confidence to be as best as you can. It was due to Mr. Erbe that I have now for the past 50 years been very involved in sports and keeping myself as healthy as I can. I will always remember Mr. Erbe as a tremendous educator and inspiration.

It is just now that I have learned of the death of Mr. Erbe. I was in 5th grade back in 1961 when he took over as Gym Teacher for weekly gym classes. Words cannot describe what a great human being he was. More than just a teacher, he single-handedly created an after school athletic intramural program that was truly ahead of it's time. He used his own time and probably at his own expense to make participation awards for everyone. He taught all of us not only how to play various sports, but showed us how to be better human beings. He was an incredible man and so many of us learned so much from him.

Elmer Erbe was the first person to refer to me as a "man" when I was just a 12 year old boy. He was the first person to inspire me to achieve things in athletics that I didn't think I could do. That served me well for the rest of my life. I didn't want to let him down on the court or on the field and from that, I learned that I shouldn't let myself down either. I was lucky to have a pen pal relationship with him through my college years. I've always referred to him as the most influential educator I encountered in my lifetime. I've shared stories, both funny and profound about him to people who never met him and I reminisce with old classmates who he'd also touched deeply. Gone but never forgotten.

It is with sadness, but with a sacred duty that I write this tribute for Coach Elmer Erbe. In 1957, at nineteen years of age, while in the army in Bad Kissingen, Germany, Elmer became my basketball coach. This was at a time when the Cold War was going strong, and the draft was still in effect. There were many thousands of troops in Germany, and battalion basketball teams were loaded with former college players. After a slow start, Coach Erbe took a team mainly comprised of former high school players and led us to a 27-win and 8-loss season. Along the way, we won our group championship, and a prestigious holiday tournament by defeating the number one rated battalion team in Germany. It is no wonder, that later on in his life, that in 1993, Coach Erbe was selected to enter the Illinois Coaches Association Hall of Fame. But, Coach Erbe was much more than just a basketball coach. He was a great teacher, mentor and friend. It was partly because of his advice that I went on to play college basketball after the service, and further my education. Coach Erbe remained my friend for 48 years. When he knew that I was fighting the disabling effects of MS many years ago, he made it his personal duty to help me in any way possible. I never asked him for help, he just gave it to me from the goodness of his heart. To me, to my four daughters, and their families, Elmer Erbe was a hero. A gentleman with a great sense of humor, and a heart of gold. I will miss him always, and I will honor his memory by making certain that my grandchildren learn valuable lessons from his life.

As a proud graduate of Parkview '66, I remember the energy, commitment and caring Mr. Erbe displayed on a daily basis toward his students. I always wondered how he found time to personally make the award plaques that he gave out to the students. He was an inspiration and he will never be forgotten. May he rest in peace knowing that he made a positive difference in so many young people's lives.

Coach and Caring leader Mr.Erbe taught myself and many young people the importance of always

giving your best no matter what the situation is.He made you beleive anything is possible.

Thanks Mr Erbe, God Bless

As a proud member of the 1981 version of the "B-Bombers", a graduate of Park View, and a basketball player (albeit on the bench) for Mr. Erbe, I like to think that every day my current students and players see a bit of him in me. While I coach a different sport, and teach a different discipline, it was my experiences during those few short years at Park View and during freshmen football at Niles West in which I like to think my current ways were shaped. There are not many people in education who have reached and touched as many as Mr. Erbe did. He may not be with us anymore, but his impact lives in all of us We need to remember that "one is not gone until he is forgotten". I will never forget.

I had the pleasure of coaching the "Bombers" with Elmer at Niles West for many years. I have never met a more gentle, caring person. His coaching methods inspired me. I never saw him get angry at a player. He had a way of reaching the boys through his clever use of words. Every young man that he coached is a better person because of his relationship to Elmer. I will miss his laugh, his sense of humor, and his friendship.

Elmer was a dear friend of my brother and I from 1949 on, he was a regular at our home as we grew up. He was a leader at 15 and never changed, he will be missed.

Mr. Erbe was a man among men. I personally learned a lot from him in school and talking with him in life. He was a great inspiration to all the kids and young men he taught. I remember him always being on the sidelines of football games, his dumbbells made of concrete and coffee cans, and course his laugh.



He will be missed

Elmer and I roomed in the same house in DeKalb in 1959 during my freshman year at Northern Illinois University. Our nickname for the housing was the cardboard castle. The landlord had very cheaply remodelled his home for us students.



Elmer amd I played 'street' basketball together on occasion. I remember one game when we were playing 2-on-2 and Elmer was my 'man'. I am small, 5'6" and Elmer was a 'little' bit bigger. I will always remember driving to the basket and bouncing-off of Elmer's stomach as he took the charge.



He was older than I and his advice to me was often appreciated.



May the Lord comfort you in your loss.

Coach Erbe made a difference in many boys’ lives; he made us believe in our selves, and to work with others. He will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.