Timothy John Faster

Timothy John Faster
December 29, 1950 to July 7, 2020
For the Faster family, Timothy John Faster in his sixty-nine years more than filled the role of an
exciting bachelor uncle whose deeds and whose appearances always made for stories.
Born December 29, 1950, the second of three sons, Tim died July 7, 2020 after suffering from a
sudden avalanche of illnesses.
For a time, perhaps because of the beneficial effect of his birthdate on the family's year 1950 tax
return, Tim intended to enter public accounting after earning a degree in the subject from his father Ed's
alma mater, Millikin University, Decatur, IL.
Like his brothers Don and Patrick, Tim grew up in Flossmoor, IL with a liking for cars, boats,
speed.
Tim added flight. The six years Tim spent in investment finance were successful but not fast.
Leaving that, Tim earned a succession of pilot licenses and undertook the career that would thrill him
(and many passengers) for the remainder of his life. Patrick says,"He flew various turbo prop aircraft
to get his hours to get to jet status. His absolute greatest love in the sky was flying DC-3's, which he
did for two years during his flying hour acquisition period."
During the time flying DC-3s, Tim had a route that took him to Anchorage, AK from Portland,
OR.
His talent for flying brought him finally to Berkshire Hathaway's subsidiary NetJets, where he
held captain status for 25 years and became the trusted pilot for jet owners' travel all over the globe.
For all his time aloft, Tim remained a down-to-earth friend, brother, son and uncle.
When longtime Flossmoor friend Rudy Figel came with his wife Sandy and daughters Melissa
and Katy for weekend attendance at a niece's wedding, Tim gave them the use of his house. He would
be away. But then he wasn't. Tim insisted that Rudy and Sandy have his own bedroom while he slept
on the couch.
Sandy says, "He kept checking with me to see if he was being a good host and doing all that he
should do. I enjoyed reading his Country Living magazines while we were there and sure enough when
we got home he had mailed them all to me. He always promised that he would come out to visit (in
Woodinville, WA) after that and we're very sad that that day will not come."
At a time Tim was flying for a commercial passenger airline, a winter storm was grounding all
flights while it passed over the airport. Tim heard a customer, a self-professed ace pilot, berating a
desk attendant about the needless interruption. Tim stepped over to help the beleaguered woman.
"Sir," said Tim, "grab a cup of coffee and wait a bit. We'll be on our way soon as things are
safe."
The man continued to rant.
Tim removed his pilot's hat and set it on the other man's head. "Keys are in it," Tim said. "Take
it up."
The same sense of humor served Tim and his friend Rudy well when a difficult Seattle maitre'd
had her nose in the air about Rudy's attire, which included shorts, not the required long pants. Tim and
Rudy were about to enter an elevator when Tim had an idea. At the time, he was a finance executive
and in addition to his own fine garb, he had a suitcase containing another pair of pants. In a moment,
with a tightly cinched belt securing a pair of pants that wrapped him twice around, Rudy followed Tim
into the restaurant. "The hostess was not happy," Rudy says, "but what are ya gonna do? That's the
way Tim rolled."
For all his accomplishments, Tim was never pretentious.
Former Flossmoor neighbor Tom Figel remembers Tim at a restaurant with the Figel family.
When the waitress came to take the order, Tim told her what he would like.
"Oh, that's something for large parties," the waitress said.
At that, Tim stood up, swung his girth a bit and stood before her, three times her size. "And
isn't this a large party?" Tim asked. She brought what he had ordered.
Up until his mother Yvonne Faster died in April, 2020, Tim was an attentive visitor and many
times an escort for her as he chauffeured her in his Corvette.
Preceding Tim in death were his father Ed, his mother Yvonne and his brother Don. Survivors
include Tim's brother Patrick, married to Elizabeth, his niece Kathryn Faster Taylor (Mark), nephews Brian,
married to Nicole, Kevin and the three children of Kathryn and Brian.