Former Civic Leader, McHenry County Board Member Bill Dwyer Dies

Former McHenry County Board member Bill Dwyer died June 8th.

Bil Dwyer was instrumental in the development of the Raue Center in Downtown Crystal Lake.

He was the one who founded and guided the Crystal Lake Gala for many years and was the spark plug behind the conversion of the Downtown Crystal Lake movie theater into the Raue Center.

His obituary appears below:

Visitation: 4-8pm, Monday, June 13, 2011 at Davenport Family Funeral Home, 419 E Terra Cotta Ave (IL Rt 176), Crystal Lake IL

Mass of Christian Burial: 9:45am Prayers at the funeral home processing to the church for a 10:30am Mass, Tuesday, June 14, 2011 at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 451 W Terra Cotta Ave (Rt 176), Crystal Lake IL

WILLIAM “BILL” F. DWYER, JR.William “Bill” Dwyer, Jr., 83, of Crystal Lake, passed away Wednesday, June 8, 2011 in Elgin.

Bill was born in Chicago to William, Sr. and Mabel Dwyer.

He graduated from De LaSalle Institute and attended DePaul University.

He is a veteran of the Korean War, stationed at Fort Meade, MD.

After his military service, he went on to work for Celotex and Masonite corporations before starting his own business, the Bilmar Company, in 1970.

Bill and his family moved to Crystal Lake in 1973. Always a man with a positive attitude, he became very active in the community. He was a member of the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce and later became a Chamber Ambassador.

He was elected to the McHenry County Board in 1990 and served ten years as Transportation Chairman, responsible for the building of Rakow Road. He was a leader in the formation of the McHenry County Road Coalition.

But his true love was Crystal Lake. One of his finest achievements was as co-founder of the Crystal Lake Gala, a place where family and friends could gather to celebrate the Fourth of July. He was chairman for five years.

He was past president of the Crystal Lake Country Club and loved his golf (sometimes). He received the Crystal Lake Jaycees Lifetime Award for community service and the Carl Wehde Community Service Award. He was also a member of the McHenry County Enterprise Club.

He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, where he served as an usher.

Bill Dwyer Way

But his proudest achievement was the creation of the Raue Center for the Arts, for which he worked tirelessly and served as president for ten years and later as chairman emeritus.

 

In May 2009 he was honored by the City of Crystal Lake by having a street named “Bill Dwyer Way.”

But above all was his love of family and friends.

He is survived by his loving wife of 30 years, Joyce (nee Grismer); children, Daniel Dwyer, Robert (Renee) Dwyer, Mary Krikorian, Maureen (Stephen) Regele, Thomas O’ Connor and Daniel O’ Connor; grandchildren, Chris (Melissa) Dwyer, Blake (Meagan Fenwick, fiancée) Dwyer, Dylan Dwyer, Cameron Dwyer, Joseph Krikorian, Elyse Krikorian, Kelley Regele, Megan Regele, and Katherine Regele; and great-granddaughter, Delanee Dwyer.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Marjorie (nee Reedy) Dwyer; daughter-in-law, Christine Owen; parents; and twin brother, Robert Dwyer.

Visitation will be from 4-8pm, Monday, June 13 at Davenport Family Funeral Home, 419 E. Terra Cotta Ave. (IL Rt 176), Crystal Lake. Transfer prayers will be said at the funeral home at 9:45am, Tuesday, June 14, proceeding to St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 451 W. Terra Cotta Ave., Crystal Lake for the 10:30am celebration of the Mass of Christian Burial.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Raue Center for the Arts, 26 North Williams St., Crystal Lake IL 60014-4404.


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