Gary Beaver

Gary Beaver was always busy planning his next joke or prank. From his slogan T-shirts worn just to get a rise out of people, to his infectious laugh, Gary was a man who truly brightened the lives of everyone he came into contact with. Gary also had a more serious side, however - a deep store of generosity and love, from which he drew upon unsparingly to help his family, friends, and anyone who was in need.

Gary was born on January 21, 1946, into the small Midwestern town of Eldorado, Illinois. His proud parents were Lee and Aileen (Back) Beaver. The Beavers were a large family, and Gary grew up with six siblings: Phillip, Evon, Pat, Sandy, Lacy, and Terry. Even as a child, Gary was very helpful and considerate of others. For example, he was very attached to his Grandma Beck, and helped out with chores around her house almost every day. She in turn loved having Gary around – he was her baby. During the hot summers, one of Gary’s favorite pastimes was swimming in one of muddy rivers near his home.

As Gary grew older, he became fascinated by cars. Throughout his teenage years, his major goal in life was to buy a car of his own, and to this end he worked hard mowing lawns for years. In 1967, he finally had enough money to buy his very first car – a brand new Chevy Camaro. Sitting behind the wheel of that Chevy, Gary was the proudest guy in town!

When Gary started working with the Local 150 Operating Engineers, he found his true passion. He loved wrecking buildings, and soon became renowned as the best crane operator around.

When Gary was in his early twenties, he met the love of his life – Pamela Sue Swaggerty. They first set eyes on each other on the staircase in the lounge, and one glance was all it took for Gary to know that he’d just met his future wife. The happy couple was married on April 4, 1972, in Lockport, Illinois. Over the years, Gary became the proud father of five children: Robbie, Greg, Tammy, Christy, and Dale. Gary was a great father, and always made sure that his family was taken care of. He was also a big jokester, and loved making his family laugh – his sense of humor lives on through his sons. Gary would have wanted two additional members of his family to be mentioned – his dogs, Princess and Misty. They were his faithful fishing sidekicks, and Gary made sure that they had presents of their own to rip open on Christmas and their birthdays!

The Beavers were a warm and happy family, and holiday gatherings were filled with love, food, and lots of laughs. Everyone has fond memories of their first big family vacation, a trip to Dollywood in Tennesse. In his free time, Gary loved fishing, hunting, camping, and adding to his gun collection.

Gary was pleased to have his son, Greg, join him in his chosen profession. He and Greg both worked on the demolishment of the Buckingham Fountain. Gary also worked on the demo of Al Capone’s building. It was actually during this project that Gary’s foot was shattered, ending his career as a crane operator – considering what normally happened to people who annoyed Al Capone, Gary may have gotten off easily!

Gary retired from the Local 150 in 1997, after many years of outstanding, dedicated service. Retirement gave his wife and himself more opportunities for travel, and they enjoyed visiting out-of-state family. His first experience with the ocean was in Florida, where he and his grandbabies dipped their toes in the water. He enjoyed the experience so much that he later took a Disney Cruise with his family to see the Islands. At home, Gary enjoyed buying dilapidated homes, fixing them up himself, and then reselling them. He was always willing to lend a hand, and often fixed things for friends and family.

Funny, kind, and generous, Gary was an exceptional crane operator, a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, and a true friend. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by his many friends and family members.

Gary L. Beaver died on April 16, 2012, at the age of sixty-six. His family includes his wife, Pamela; his sons, Robbie Beaver, Gregory (Jennifer) Beaver, and Dale Duane (Sheryl) Beaver; his daughters, Tammy Lyn (Michael) Beaver and Christy (Travis) Boyer; his grandchildren, David, Bella, Brendan, Sky, Dakota, Jacob, Madison, Mackenzie, Whitney, Connor, Wyatt, Dylan, Chloey and Deven; and his siblings, Phillip Beaver, Lacy Beaver, Terry Beaver, Evon Griffin, Pat Davis and Sandy Drabik.

A gathering time for family and friends will be held on Friday, April 20, from 3-7 p.m. at the Bourbonnais Chapel of the Schreffler Funeral Homes. Please visit Gary’s personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can learn more about his life, share a favorite memory or photo, and sign the online guestbook.