Lynn R. Griebahn, Sr.

Lynn R. Griebahn Sr.

Beloved husband of Gloria Kazimer, nee Aronson. Loving father of Tammy Sako (Jim) and Lynn Griebahn Jr. (Brenda). Caring grandfather of Erin Joseph (Jake), Sarah Chinnathambi (Sathivel), Nicholas Coveliers, Joshua Griebahn (Sarah), Zachary Griebahn (Erin), Brittani Griebahn, Jim Griebahn Jr., Stacia Griebahn, Kristen Sako and Kevin Sako. Proud great-grandfather of Iain, Fiona, Elisa, Maisie, Evelina, Cillian, Judah, Lucia, Liam, Asher, Jonathan, Eleanor, Benjamin, Marianne, Andria, and Lily. Preceded in death by his loving wife, Mary Ann, nee Brancato, son Jim, parents Clifford and Josephine Griebahn and siblings Donna Schuth and Terrence Griebahn. Fond stepfather to Debbie Bray (Mike), Kevin Kazimer(Mimi), Kim Davis (Jerry), Patti Anderson, Joseph Kazimer (Ulrike), Tim Kazimer, Anne Goldstone (Lisa Rodriquez) and the late Mary Jo Kazimer (Kendell Nusbaum); step-grandfather to 26 and step-great-grandfather to 16.

Lynn was born on June 18, 1937 in Chicago, IL and graduated from Lane Technical High School. He was married to MaryAnn on May 14, 1957 and they shared 49 happy years together. He was an industrious man and held over 26 jobs over his lifetime. He worked primarily as a railroad conductor for over 45 years for the Pennsylvania Central, Conrail and Amtrak Railroads out of Chicago. He was a licensed truck driver and won the national truck rodeo contest twice in the 1970’s. He and MaryAnn were co-owners of Balloons Above Chicago, with their daughter Tammy, for almost 20 years. He drove buses for Pace Transportation as well as for multiple park districts in his retirement. After MaryAnn’s death, he was blessed to marry Gloria on November 17, 2012. They loved to travel with their camping buddies and spent many happy years in their winter home in The Villages, FL. Lynn was an arts enthusiast, appearing in local productions as an actor and doing stand-up comedy in his local communities of Des Plaines and The Villages, and even appeared in a national ad campaign commercial, and as a senior citizen model. Throughout the years, he practiced hypnotism, ventriloquism and magic, and enjoyed tap and line dancing, singing, acting and music. He was active in his retirement and his love of learning new things took him to the local community college for many classes. Lynn was a volunteer usher with Gloria at many Chicago theaters. He enjoyed playing cards, bocce, pickleball, ping pong and chair volleyball as well as biking and taking long walks anywhere, but his favorite pastime was visiting his children and grandchildren in Wisconsin and Iowa, being on the lake and driving the tractor at the farm. He was famous for breaking the ice with a great one-liner and was a jokester to the very end, always with a twinkle in his bright blue eyes!