William Haig Obituary

Dear Haig Family, I am sorry for your loss. Mr. Haig he was the best English teacher that I ever had. I went to Lake View High School 1971 and 1972. He was the best of the teachers may he rest in peace.

Dear Haig family,

Just learned about Bill. Knew him from the Green Mill Poetry slam, where his quest to win a slam using funny rhyming couplets was hilariously quixotic. What joie de vivre that man had! And a light-emitting smile, inextinguishable I'll bet, ready to be borrowed during any dark hours to come.

I just found out about his passing. I was a student of his at Lakeview High School. He was one of the most beloved teachers we had. Every morning, without fail, we could expect to hear the music from the song "I had the time of my life,", from the film "Dirty Dancing," soaking the hallways with happiness, and wamrth, and it would come from his classroom. I was also a student manager back in the 90's, at DePaul, and when I started seeing him at functions, and games and learned of his history at the school, it made me feel so extraordinary that I could share in the DePaul tradition with someone I looked up to in high school. He will be missed.

Our hearts are filled with gratitude and appreciation!


Ulysses
Alfred Lord Tennyson

It little profits that an idle king,
By this still hearth, among these barren crags,
Matched with an aged wife, I mete and dole
Unequal laws unto a savage race,
That hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me.

I cannot rest from travel: I will drink
Life to the lees: all times I have enjoyed
Greatly, have suffered greatly, both with those
That loved me, and alone; on shore, and when
Through scudding drifts the rainy Hyades
Vest the dim sea: I am become a name;
For always roaming with a hungry heart
Much have I seen and known; cities of men
And manners, climates, councils, governments,
Myself not least, but honoured of them all;
And drunk delight of battle with my peers;
Far on the ringing plains of windy Troy.
I am part of all that I have met;
Yet all experience is an arch wherethrough
Gleams that untravelled world, whose margin fades
For ever and for ever when I move.
How dull it is to pause, to make an end,
To rust unburnished, not to shine in use!
As though to breath were life. Life piled on life
Were all to little, and of one to me
Little remains: but every hour is saved
From that eternal silence, something more,
A bringer of new things; and vile it were
For some three suns to store and hoard myself,
And this gray spirit yearning in desire
To follow knowledge like a sinking star,
Beyond the utmost bound of human thought.

This is my son, mine own Telemachus,
To whom I leave the scepter and the isle
Well-loved of me, discerning to fulfill
This labour, by slow prudence to make mild
A rugged people, and through soft degrees
Subdue them to the useful and the good.
Most blameless is he, centered in the sphere
Of common duties, decent not to fail
In offices of tenderness, and pay
Meet adoration to my household gods,
When I am gone. He works his work, I mine.

There lies the port; the vessel puffs her sail:
There gloom the dark broad seas. My mariners,
Souls that have toiled, and wrought, and thought with me
That ever with a frolic welcome took
The thunder and the sunshine, and opposed
Free hearts, free foreheads you and I are old;
Old age had yet his honour and his toil;
Death closes all: but something ere the end,
Some work of noble note, may yet be done,
Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods.
The lights begin to twinkle from the rocks:
The long day wanes: the slow moon climbs: the deep
Moans round with many voices. Come, my friends,
'Tis not too late to seek a newer world.
Push off, and sitting well in order smite
The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds
To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths
Of all the western stars, until I die.
It may be that the gulfs will wash us down:
It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,
And see the great Achilles, whom we knew.
Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in the old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are,
One equal-temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

Dear Haig Family,
I, too, often saw Bill at the Poetry Slam at the Green Mill. Although so many of these postings speak to his value as a teacher and coach, I hope people know that we appreciated his sense of fun, zest for life and the great attitude he displayed in his later years as well. He was a wonderful man and will be dearly missed.
Emily Calvo
emily@emilycalvo.com

Dear Mrs. Haig & Family,
I knew Bill from his evenings at the Green Mill and found him to be a delightful, sweet, and gracious man. We were both fellow English teachers and would share a smoke on the sidewalk during intermissions. You may have heard that the poets called him "Boa Bill" because of his fearless approach to performing his poems sometimes wearing costumes but always in an effort to share his love of life. I hope you find a way to listen to some of the recordings Marc Smith has made of these performances. He was a dear person to me and I am deeply saddened by his passing. My sympathies to you. Dr. Dick Prince 773-915-3792

My condolences to the Haig family. I was one of so many that were fortunate to call him Coach. I remember in my freshman year I weighed in at about 80 lbs and I was trying out for second base. Coach Haig would hit these rocket ground balls at me so hard. I was actually afraid to catch them. One day he pulled me to the side and told me that maybe I was suited to play the outfield, because I had the speed and the arm. Coach was always firm but blunt and always told you like he saw it. He told me that I had a big heart for a little man and would have to work hard in the outfield to make the team. Well I took his advice and ended up playing the outfield, where I contibuted to a City Championship in my senior year of 1977. Coach Haig was one of the first to congratulate me. I actually had the pleasure of speaking to him a few years back and we had a great conversation.
I am truly sorry I wasn't able to attend and pay my respects. Coach Haig will always be remembered. Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you all.

Each year, seeing Billy Haig at the DePaul men's basketball golf outing brought a huge smile to everyone's face. He is a true DePaul legend. We will all miss him.

Thad Dohrn - DePaul Athletics

Anthony ,Chris ,and Mrs.Haig,

I wanted to tell you how sorry I was to hear> I attended the service on Sunday with my Father in law Tom Tonelli. He wanted to leave before it was over so I never got the chance to even say hi to any of you.He was a great guy who always made you feel good!Icould always tell how special the relationship relationship he so obviously had with his boys was!!

Take Care! Tim Pinner

Dear Josette and Family,
I knew Bill as a DePaul Academy and DePaul University classmate. Besides being a great athlete, he was always a role model for each of us. I last saw him in September, 2009 at a gathering for the Class of 1956. He was the same kind, humble, warm man with a smile that I first met in 1952.
My deepest sympathy to all of you,
Joe Kelly

I am deeply saddened to hear of Mr Haigs passing. He was one of my favorite teachers at LV.
May he rest in peace.
Peggy Baker Georgalas
LV Class 1973

Dear Haig Family:
I was saddened to learn of the passing of such a dear man. Mr. Haig was one of my favorite teachers at LV and I have the fondest memories of our "ioo's" english class. Not to mention the fun times I had as an aid in the P.E. office. He was the best example of what a teacher should be. My deepest sympathies to your entire family. May the wonderful memories of him and testimonials about him be a comfort to you during this difficult time.
Karen Lirtzman Zimbler-Class of 1973

The Haig Family would like to thank everyone for your kind and gracious words. Know they are of great comfort to us all. We had a wonderful service for Dad on Sunday. Dad would have been impressed. It was a celebration of a life fully lived and a life of one that touched many.

Dear Haig Family,

Every young man has prominent male figures that touch their lives, and Coach Haig was one of mine. He taught me the importance of teamwork and fairplay during the baseball years at LakeView High School. Although our practices and games were intense, I somehow had the ability to make him laugh. And what a wonderful laugh it was. I was fortunate enough to spend some time with Coach Haig about a year ago. It was a pleasure to once again look into those sincere eyes of his. Thank you Coach for touching my life and being part of it!

My prayers are with the entire Haig Family.

Dear Mrs. Haig, Chris, and Tony, Pratt neighbors, our friends. Mr. Haig to me, your husband, your father, was a smiling face all the time on our block, took time out of any day to talk to a typical confused teenager and then thirty something years later greeted myself and husband as though it was yesterday at a St. Jerome's reunion a couple of years ago. And he made sure I saw you Josette and updated us on all your family. He was the kind of person who helped all of us grow up feeling like we had promise and good hope the future and was there to see it through. I am forever grateful and know he will be missed. I thank God for having him share in so many of our lives. I am sorry for your loss. He will be forever in our hearts.

Dear Mrs. Haig, Chris, and Tony, Pratt neighbors, our friends. Mr. Haig to me, your husband, your father, was a smiling face all the time on our block, took time out of any day to talk to a typical confused teenager and then thirty something years later greeted myself and husband as though it was yesterday at a St. Jerome's reunion a couple of years ago. And he made sure I saw you Josette and updated us on all your family. He was the kind of person who helped all of us grow up feeling like we had promise and good hope the future and was there to see it through. I am forever grateful and know he will be missed. I thank God for having him share in so many of our lives. I am sorry for your loss. He will be forever in our hearts.

Dear Mrs. Haig, Tony, Chris & Family,

It is with a sad heart that I heard of Mr. Haig's passing. I have such fond memories of him, especially as a young child . . . I remember his converse high tops, warm smile, and the many times I saw him toodling around Rogers Park on his bicycle. Additionally, I have met numerous Lakeview H.S. graduates who had only the best to say about Mr. Haig. In recent years, it has been a pleasure to see him around the neighborhood canvasing for his causes--still with a friendly smile. He will be greatly missed.

Dear Josette: What sad, sad news. Bill was such a wonderful man and I was so privileged to work with him at LV for so many years. I loved his smile and his wonderful letters. He was always so gracious and caring and we were so lucky to have him return for Veterans Day many times. He did a lot for the students of Lake View and was loved by so many of us. Please know we all share your sorrow. Karen Siciliano

Dear Mrs. Haig, Chris and Tony,

My deepest thoughts to all of you!!! Mr. Haig was such a wonderful person he always brought a smile to my face being from a big family he always knew us all and was always so friendly to us. I will always treasure the moments of him and my dad coaching maybe now they will find a team in heaven to coach.
May he rest in peace and watch over us all.

Dear Mrs. Haig, Chris and Tony,

Your husband/father left me with many wonderful boyhood memories. I can still remember to this day his lightning speed as he showed us an end run on the practice field of Pottawattomie Park.

He was such a warm and gregarious person, and he always smiled upon meeting you. His heart was as vast as the gridiron on which he coached.

He was someone who always seemed to assure us that the world is fundamentally a good place -- and we were lucky to have known him.

Here's to his great memory.

Mrs Haig, Chris and Tony,

So very sorry for your loss. I have many wonderful memories of Coach Haig on and off the gridiron. I still see him in my minds eye with his old Lakeview hat just grasping enough skull to stay in place, blue letter jacket, worn work pants and low cut Chuck's stained from the previous summer paint job. He would pace the sidelines urging us on to victory! Thanks for sharing him with us! Thanks Bill! Go Raiders!!!

Dear Josette,Chris and Tony,
I am so sorry for your loss. This is Shannon - Terry Thompson's daughter. My son Chris works at Lakeview HS and many of the teachers were shedding tears when they heard about Billy.
I send condolences on behalf of myself, my mom and my son too.
I will pray for all of you that you may heal through God's greatness!
Love, Peace and Hope,
Shannon

Dear Haig Family,
I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your Husband, Dad, and Grandfather and May He Rest In Peace. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
God's Blessings to all of you...
Donna Pulaski Bolier and Family

Dear Josette, Chris and Tony:
It was a privilege and a joy to know
Bill. My family and I thought so much
of him. He was so admired by so many
of us who were fortunate to know him.
Prayers and blessings to all of you.
Dorie Quinlan

Dear Josette, Chris & Janet, Tony & Riikka, Dylan & Ryan,

What a shock it was to hear of Bill's passing. We are so utterly devastated that he is no longer with us. His warm smile and always present humor will be sadly missed. All of our love and prayers go out to you in this time of sadness and in the future.

Dear Haig family- In the wake of such a profound loss, I hope it comforts you to see and hear how much Bill meant to so many people. He left such a positive and lasting impression on those lucky enough to know him. His loved ones--friends and family-- will remember him fondly as a warm, sincere and funny man. His impact on those lucky enough to call him family, friend, coach, or teacher will live on for many, many years to come.

God bless Bill, and God bless you all,

We’ll all miss him,

Bill(y) O’Callaghan

A Life Well-done, good man!
Ben Gorski
Friend and classmate DePaul Academy 1956

Dear Mrs. Haig, Chris, and family,

I am one of Janet's friends and have met Mr.Haig at a few of Janet's parties. I am very sorry to hear of Mr. Haig's passing. May he rest in peace..
God bless,
Angela and Bill Garrett

Dear Mrs. Haig, Chris and Tony -

I cannot express how sorry I am to hear of Mr. Haig's death. What a great role model he was to us as boys -- what a great role model he was to us as men, and particularly to us as fathers and husbands. He always greeted me with his sweet smile and kind words. I will remember him and the example he set forever.

God bless all of you and the Murphys will keep the Haigs in their prayers.

Dear Josette, Chris and Tony,

My deepest sympathy on your loss. It is a great loss for all of us. Bill had a profound impact on all whom he touched. He was one of my mentors and I learned more about coaching from Bill than anyone. I am so saddened by his loss. We are keeping you in our thoughts and prayers.

Dear Josette and Family, May God comfort you in this time of sadness. Bill's funny newsletter, elephant stories and the Chase park,Lourdes Reunions will live on in all of our hearts. My love and prayers ,Carol

Dear Josette and Sons, It is with great sadness I bid safe journey to Bill's travel to eternal life. May God give you and the boys comfort in this time of sadness. I will miss our 'Almost Annual Chase Park,Lourdes Reunions. His funny newsletters and elephant stories will now be done for the Angels. He will live on in our hearts. My love and prayers for your family. Carol

My thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of grief. May your memories bring you comfort.

May each of you be blessed with God's peace and comfort in this difficult time. "Mr. Haig" touched my life in many, many lasting ways. He had the knack of extending kind words and a warm pat on my shoulder when I needed it most. God bless. -Johnny Gladych.

A great teacher, role model, father figure, and mentor who has touched and changed many of us. Never will I remember a bigger smile than the one that always stretched across the face of Mr. Haig.

Dear Mrs. Haig, Chris and Tony,

I was so very sorry to hear that Mr. Haig passed away. We all have treasured memories of the days at St. Jerome's, especially the football games. What great times those were and to know all of you. His generous spirit, kindness and "can do" attitude always shined through. I can still see him and my Dad on the football field. They were born to coach.

Even though I would only see all of you or Mr. Haig from time to time, it always brightened my day.

May the angels lead him into paradise and seat him at the table next to my Dad.

Another great one from Rogers Park leaves us but his legacy and the memories live on. I will never forget him.

With my deepest sympathies to all of you,

Fondly, Diane Quinlan Fleming

Dear Mrs Haig, Chris and Tony,

I am so sorry to hear of this news. Mr. Haig was such a tremendous person to know during my growing up years at St. Jeromes. I have many good memories of him and those days. And when we would see each other over the years - we always had such a nice conversation. Please know the McGoverns are praying for you and your family to get through your loss.

Phil

Dear Josette, Chris and Tony,

My profound condolences on your loss. Bill (Mr. Haig to me) was a wonderful man and I am blessed with fond memories of him and all of you. The Quinlan family has long been privileged to have your friendship for all these years.

I'm truly sorry I can't be there to celebrate his life on Sunday and to pay my respects to Bill and you in person. Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you all.

Karen Quinlan Turner
Winston-Salem, NC