Dave Bachmann Running for County Coroner as a Democrat

You know his last name if you drive between Crystal Lake and Woodstock.

You see it on a funeral home he started.

That’s the funeral home Bachmann was told he wouldn’t get off the ground, that he could not succeed.

But you can see his name still on the sign on Route 14 next to Flowerwood. Bachmann doesn’t run it any more, but his name is still there.

“As you know Cal, under the ol’ Querhammer reign in the county,” Bachmann emailed me, “I was told I could never build a funeral home in Crystal Lake. Querhammer would never hire me, and Jim Flagg laughed at me… Well, there it sits, 20 years later, Bachmann Funeral Home.

“I also believe I could never get any attention from the powers that be in the Republican party for the office of Coroner unless I was anointed by the party, as Al Querhammer had done when he ‘handed’ the office to Marlene Lantz many years ago. Thus, again, if there’s a will, and there is, there is a way!

“I may not win, but I can guarantee, the office of Coroner will have a formidable opponent for the race in 2008. The winds of charge are blowing!”

Bachmann has returned from Mexico.

He emailed McHenry County Blog that he has

“decided to run for County Coroner.. under the Democratic Banner. Time for change..

“I have most recently been living in Mexico helping the poorest of states learn about modern and sanitized ways of burial. I’m happy to be back home in my county.

”It will be a large undertaking, excuse the pun…however, I feel I have the qualifications to make a difference. I believe the race will be a one on one with Marlene Lantz in Nov. 2008. Seemingly, this county now votes more or less independent rather than straight ticket.

“This would be my road to victory, my only road.”

I asked for a picture to run with an article. He sent me this one.

Here’s the explanation:

“The mother of this baby died as result of an auto accident. The family came to my home, with the child, and told me they named him David, after me. I was able to help the father and family of this baby thru their grief. Often times, babies born in Mexico, go unnamed for a full year.

“I was able to teach the Medical Examiners how we treat our grieving families here in the United States, and how we care for our dead with dignity and respect.

“In Mexico, they literally put naked, autopsied bodies in the back of pickup trucks for transport, and line dead bodies from accidents on the side of the road with no police oversight to stop on lookers from just going up to the scenes of horrific accidents.

“The government would spend little to no money on protective wear for its medical examiners, ie, no gloves, or gowns or masks…. they still do autopsies with an old saw.

“However, the people of Mexico were gracious when they found they had help. And this child, was brought to my home, they found where the ‘gringo’ who helped them lived, and just showed up one evening.

“It was a humbling experience. I intend to continue this type service to our people in McHenry County. I will be a ‘hands on’ Coroner. Like the ol’ country doctor.”

Tomorrow, some more of Bachmann’s personal history and his goals for the office.


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