William Eggert Obituary

Our deepest Sympathy and sincere condolence to the entire Eggert Family for the loss of Mr. Brighton Park, Bill Eggert. Oner, one of a kind, left his mark on each person he came in contact with. He lives on through his family and friends.

As I sit here and read some of these truly touching thoughts, I am struck by the fact that Uncle Bill's personality was the same to everyone. Not only was he my godfather and uncle he was a friend. I can still remember like yesterday my father George taking me "to the station" on Saturday mornings as a child. Not only did I love going there, but it was an education in life. Uncle Bill will always be with me. He truly epitomized what a man, father, husband and grandfather were all about. He will always be in my thoughts.

The following the Eulogy at Bill's funeral given by his son in law: David Gardner:





In order to prepare a few words to say about Bill, I wanted to capture what his family and friends really thought of him. Here are a few things they had to say:



LOVING,

COMPASSIONATE,

GOOD LISTENER,

HARD WORKER,

LOYAL,

HONEST,

FUN-LOVING,

GENEROUS,

KIND,

DOWN TO EARTH,

SELFLESS,

AND A GREAT MAN.



However, when collecting these thoughts there was one word, one common denominator, that popped up time and time again and it was GENUINE. Bill Eggert was real. He pulled no punches, didn’t hold back, you always knew where you stood with Bill and he was always there for you.



He became whatever you needed at the time. If you needed someone to talk to, Bill was there; if you needed advice, he was there; if you needed a shoulder to cry on or someone just to listen, he was there.



He provided us with laughter when we needed it and always reminded us to love life no matter what came your way. This was a man who lived every day in pain and due to his positive nature you would never even know it.



Along with many of the words to describe Bill, I was lucky to hear more about his life. How he, George, John, and Evelyn grew up on 39th Place next to the gas station. How he started working at the station when he was only 12 years old. And that he and his brother, John, wrested on television in a match that would blow away the current stars of the World Wrestling Federation.



I heard about Cal-Arcs and the many parties he and Anne threw. I heard when he approached Anne’s parents at Evelyn Barski’s wedding and asked to escort Annie home and Anne’s mother said, “Oh an Eggert boy, of course you can take Annie home.” And that was the beginning of their remarkable relationship.







I discovered how he was a Korean War Veteran and when he returned, he married his beautiful bride in September 1954. I learned how he built his business up after returning from the war with only three bottles of oil on the shelf. Over the years the gas station meant many things to many people. For some it was place to gather and have a beer at the end of the day, for others it was the only card game in town, and for so many people it was a place to have your car fixed by someone who was unmatched in his honesty and integrity. When Bill retired, a long time family friend had this to say, “The gas station is a landmark. It’s like closing the Field Museum or tearing down the Brooklyn Bridge. We should have a day of mourning or joy.”



Anne and Bill went on to have three children: Mark, Bill and Laura. And all three reflect the outstanding traits of their parents, and like their parents, they are good and decent individuals. Anne and Bill have always been proud of them, and would be impressed with how they are handling life without them.



They taught their children how to be a family and how to love unconditionally. They enjoyed many family vacations that took them all over the country. I heard about the famous “Taste of Sunoco” Christmas parties, and how Bill was a member of the Brightonnites and Donats. He always looked forward to his pinochle marathons that would last sometimes 15 hours in one stretch.



He loved to go out to breakfast with his friends and as many of you know, Bill was a die hard Cub Fan no matter what, he supported them. In his latter years he enjoyed spending time with his three grandchildren: Lauren, Allsion, and Joshua. All three of them were very special to Bill in unique ways and his family saw Bill teaching them what he thought were the most valuable lessons in life. We are confident his legacy will live on through them.



As for me, personally, it was an honor and a privilege to know him. One of the most remarkable things about him was how much he cared about what you had to say. It didn’t matter if what you were saying wasn’t important to him; if it was important to you, then it was important to Bill. And for me, that was the essence of Bill Eggert. He sacrificed his ego and his desires for yours.



Bill was a special person and in the world we live in people like Bill are rarities. But I have promised myself that I won’t waste the time I had with Bill. I saw first hand how you live life to the fullest and that is exactly what I plan on doing with my life and that is exactly what I plan on teaching my son.



Today is truly a very sad day and I can only offer this as consolation for our sorrow. I was lucky enough to spend time with Bill in his last few days as he spent the weekend with us. He enjoyed a shopping trip to Sam’s Club with Laura, played with his grandson, and got to see him crawl and stand up for the first time. We laughed and played cards until 12:30 the night before his fateful moment. He did what he loved most, enjoying himself until the end.



And I was also privileged to be at his bedside when he passed from this world and in his last peaceful moments, I could hear him saying to me, “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be just fine. I know this is a Kick in the Head for all of us, but I’m gonna be OK – you just take care of yourself.” Just another example of how selfless Bill really was. And even though we all mourn and grieve this terrible loss in our lives, we must find a way today to celebrate Bill Eggert for that is exactly what he would have wanted.

My Godfather, My Uncle



I will remember Uncle Bill smiling all the time. His eyes so sweet and kind. Always upbeat, no matter what pain he was having.



I will remember Uncle Bill, and Auntie Annie too. Because whenever I think of one, I think of the other.



I will remember Uncle Bill, when I was a child, in greasy cover-alls at the station. All of his friends surrounding him.



I will remember Uncle Bill, in shared summer vacations. At the many "Eggert" family parties.



I will remember Uncle Bill, my Godfather, so sweet and kind. I miss him.



We love you Uncle Bill....



Your niece,



Julie Wenk and family

The loss of my Brother Bill has been devasting to me and my family. He and I were very close, I pray that he is happy in a better place. Our family chain is broken and nothing seems the same, but as God calls us one by one, the chain will link again. We love you Billy.
The Tom Carver Family

Bill was a father and brother to many in the Brighton Park and Chicago area. Gone too soon, I'm

grateful he died with dignity, with

his beloved family. Twas a 'kick in

the head', wasn't it?

These days, "BORN INTO ETERNITY" is

printed on funeral cards instead of

"DIED". On Bill's day, the parade from the Church traveled around the block in a figure-8 pattern...also a

symbol for infinity (in math circles). At the cemetary, a green

tow-truck acted as 'caboose' on the

parade. The driver, the man who rents the station from Bill, humbly

stood behind the crowd as final services were conducted. I shook his

hand afterwords, thanked him for joining us to honor Bill.

His name is Angel.

Infinity? Go figure...

Please except my condolence for the lost of your dad.I graduated high school with Bill

Marie Grganto Spade

You have our deepest sympathy for your loss of a loved one.

uncle bill, you were always my favorite uncle. i will miss you. you were always a warm, kind, and generous man. generous of your time, your love, and your spirit. i love you. your niece, mary

Our sincere condolences

from your friends at Klein Tools,Inc.