Robert A. Grygiel

Robert Anthony Grygiel of Homewood, Illinois, passed away peacefully on Friday, July 21, 2023, at age 83. He was the beloved father of Christopher Grygiel and longtime companion of Susan Johnson. He was a devoted brother of Marilyn Halper (Greg), and Fred Grygiel (Joanne). He was preceded in death by his sister Carol Daugherty, as well as his mother, Monica Grygiel (Kalinowski) and father, Charles Grygiel. He is remembered by many nieces and nephews, neighbors, and friends.

Bob attended Holy Trinity High School in Chicago, IL and earned his Undergraduate and Master's degrees from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. He started his teaching career at Holy Trinity and then taught Physical Education and 6th grade in Homewood School District 153 until his retirement in 1999. In earlier years, he enjoyed biking, hiking and playing tennis. He loved to cheer on his favorite collegiate basketball and football teams. He was an avid fisherman and outdoorsman and loved spending time on Lake Michigan in Ludington, MI. He kept in contact with many former students and was delighted to learn several of them were inspired to become teachers.

Bob enjoyed gardening year-round and was particularly fond of flower gardening. He won the Homewood Beautification Award three times for his spectacular yard and gardens. Bob loved to read both books and newspapers, especially those from other cities, and discuss both books and current events. Bob was a devout Catholic and enjoyed attending daily Mass and spending time in prayer. He loved to cook with Sue and enjoyed trying new recipes. A favorite pastime of Bob's was listening to classic radio recordings and he especially enjoyed the mysteries.

Bob was known and beloved for his sharp wit, keen sense of humor, one-liners and easy laugh. He spoke fluent sarcasm. He was often the life of the party and will be sorely missed.

Celebration of Life from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, September 16, 2023, at the Tews-Ryan Funeral Home at 18230 Dixie Highway, Homewood, IL.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Holy Trinity High School, 1443 West Division Street, Chicago, IL 60642 https://holytrinity-hs.org/giving/