Obituary for John James Grabert
John James Grabert, age 69, died unexpectedly at home, Wednesday October 5, 2022. He John was born at Lorretta Hospital in Chicago, IL on July 7, 1953 to George and Estelle (Iwanski) Grabert.
John came from a large family with two sisters and two brothers. His most cherished memories were created at Rock Lake in Trevor, WI where he spent summers and weekends with his siblings and many “Cuzs.”
A graduate of Ridgewood High School in Norridge, IL, John became a military police officer for the Air Force reserve right out of high school. After 6-years, the air force base closed, and John became a boiler scientist where he supplied steam power for the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) campus in Chicago, IL. He worked for on the IIT campus for 42 years and was a member of the 399 operating engineer union.
Along the way John and Mary had two amazing children—Lisa and Richard. Lisa and John spent many weekends together golfing. John only beat Lisa twice, both times at Cousin Joan’s Entwood Golf Course in Holcombe, WI. Richard was always John’s apprentice. Whether it was hunting, fishing, casting sinkers, or cutting grass.
John was an avid hunter. He literally died with his crossbow in his arms. Over the 54 years John hunted, he was known to use a rifle, compound, and crossbow. He hunted white tail deer, antelope, mull deer, pheasant, rabbit, and turkey. John reloaded his own ammo. He was also an expert fisherman. His recent favorite spot was Half Moon Lake in Eau Claire, WI. The whole Grabert family loved dining on blue gills, sun fish, and perch. As a younger man, John fished Coho Salmon in Lake Michigan and gave smoked fish out to his Chicago family and neighbors.
John loved to shop—he would never admit it—but he did! He would often take day-long trips to Eau Claire and hit up his favorite stores. He also loved television. If there was a show about Alaska, he watched it. He also loved Westerns. Any variety of the old West would do, even spaghetti Westerns. His favorite actors were Liam Nesson and Clint Eastwood. John was never happier than when he had a slice of fresh hot Villa Napoli pizza in his hand.
John was a proud producer and member of the Wisconsin Maple Syrup Association. Every winter he hand-tapped 150 maple trees and collected sap. He custom built and welded his own maple cooker. It takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup and John’s all-time record was 14 gallons in one year!
John was an extremely handy man. He was finishing his dream log home, himself. Always known to have a chain saw in his hands, John was a skilled lumberjack. He also built everything himself. A major consumer of YouTube, John could teach himself anything. John loved a “Dad” joke. One of his favorites: “How much does it cost to hunt? A couple of bucks!”
John is survived by his wife, Mary; daughter Lisa Grabert and Richard (Karen) Grabert; two sisters, Georgianne and Tiny; two brothers Mister and Bobby; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Estelle and George Grabert; and his in-laws Paul and Eleanor Hartjen.
A Mass of Christian Burial for John will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 13, 2022 at St. Beatrice Catholic Church, 4157 Atlantic Avenue in Schiller Park, IL 60176. Father Rob will celebrate the Mass. Friends and family are invited for visitation on Wednesday, October 12th from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Cumberland Chapels Funeral Home, 8300 W. Lawrence Avenue in Norridge, IL. There will be a luncheon/reception following the Mass at the Edelweiss restaurant 7650 W. Irving Park Road in Norridge. Burial will take place at the Hillcrest Cemetery, Co. Highway T in Fairchild, WI on Friday, October 14th at 1:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers or plants the family requests that Donations should be directed to the Whitetails Unlimited, in John’s name https://www.whitetailsunlimited.com/support/donate-now/
The Schiefelbein Funeral Home, 13507 Seventh St., in Osseo, WI is serving the Family (715) 597-3711.
John came from a large family with two sisters and two brothers. His most cherished memories were created at Rock Lake in Trevor, WI where he spent summers and weekends with his siblings and many “Cuzs.”
A graduate of Ridgewood High School in Norridge, IL, John became a military police officer for the Air Force reserve right out of high school. After 6-years, the air force base closed, and John became a boiler scientist where he supplied steam power for the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) campus in Chicago, IL. He worked for on the IIT campus for 42 years and was a member of the 399 operating engineer union.
Along the way John and Mary had two amazing children—Lisa and Richard. Lisa and John spent many weekends together golfing. John only beat Lisa twice, both times at Cousin Joan’s Entwood Golf Course in Holcombe, WI. Richard was always John’s apprentice. Whether it was hunting, fishing, casting sinkers, or cutting grass.
John was an avid hunter. He literally died with his crossbow in his arms. Over the 54 years John hunted, he was known to use a rifle, compound, and crossbow. He hunted white tail deer, antelope, mull deer, pheasant, rabbit, and turkey. John reloaded his own ammo. He was also an expert fisherman. His recent favorite spot was Half Moon Lake in Eau Claire, WI. The whole Grabert family loved dining on blue gills, sun fish, and perch. As a younger man, John fished Coho Salmon in Lake Michigan and gave smoked fish out to his Chicago family and neighbors.
John loved to shop—he would never admit it—but he did! He would often take day-long trips to Eau Claire and hit up his favorite stores. He also loved television. If there was a show about Alaska, he watched it. He also loved Westerns. Any variety of the old West would do, even spaghetti Westerns. His favorite actors were Liam Nesson and Clint Eastwood. John was never happier than when he had a slice of fresh hot Villa Napoli pizza in his hand.
John was a proud producer and member of the Wisconsin Maple Syrup Association. Every winter he hand-tapped 150 maple trees and collected sap. He custom built and welded his own maple cooker. It takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup and John’s all-time record was 14 gallons in one year!
John was an extremely handy man. He was finishing his dream log home, himself. Always known to have a chain saw in his hands, John was a skilled lumberjack. He also built everything himself. A major consumer of YouTube, John could teach himself anything. John loved a “Dad” joke. One of his favorites: “How much does it cost to hunt? A couple of bucks!”
John is survived by his wife, Mary; daughter Lisa Grabert and Richard (Karen) Grabert; two sisters, Georgianne and Tiny; two brothers Mister and Bobby; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Estelle and George Grabert; and his in-laws Paul and Eleanor Hartjen.
A Mass of Christian Burial for John will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 13, 2022 at St. Beatrice Catholic Church, 4157 Atlantic Avenue in Schiller Park, IL 60176. Father Rob will celebrate the Mass. Friends and family are invited for visitation on Wednesday, October 12th from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Cumberland Chapels Funeral Home, 8300 W. Lawrence Avenue in Norridge, IL. There will be a luncheon/reception following the Mass at the Edelweiss restaurant 7650 W. Irving Park Road in Norridge. Burial will take place at the Hillcrest Cemetery, Co. Highway T in Fairchild, WI on Friday, October 14th at 1:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers or plants the family requests that Donations should be directed to the Whitetails Unlimited, in John’s name https://www.whitetailsunlimited.com/support/donate-now/
The Schiefelbein Funeral Home, 13507 Seventh St., in Osseo, WI is serving the Family (715) 597-3711.