Edward J. Blaha
Edward J. Blaha, born June 8,1955, passed away at his home on April 27,2022. Whether you knew him as Ed, Eddie, Dad, Grandpa, Uncle, Brother or Friend, you couldn’t help but love him. He had this mischievous smile that promised you an adventure, creating unforgettable stories and memories to make you smile. He loved spending time with his kids and grandkids, teaching them common sense (not always taken) and the skills of life which had served him well in his life. He could fix anything, put anything together and always had the right tool for the job from his never-ending workshop. Ed presented himself as the big scary guy (which he enjoyed when meeting his daughter’s boyfriends) but was the biggest teddy bear with a heart of gold. He was never pretentious, but rather enjoyed just being Ed, wearing shorts and a T-shirt, no matter the weather outside. One could not help but smile when he would get on the floor to play or sit at the kitchen table and discuss anything for hours with his grandkids. You could always see the twinkle in his eyes but only a few could see the tear of joy these times brought him. Ed enjoyed people and could start a conversation with just about anyone. He was the host of many family events, parties and get togethers. Once you met him, you could never forget him nor his last name – Blaha or BlaBla or Blahahaha, or any other version! He lived life large and rarely in moderation. Ed loved sports, both playing and watching (although often times it included a short nap between time outs, commercial breaks and innings). His wardrobe consisted largely of Chicago Bears, Cubs, Bulls and Blackhawks ware, with one of his most favorite T-shirts boasting the Cubs “Try Not to Suck” slogan. His love of golf was only outweighed by his love of his “poker buddies” and their monthly Friday night poker game (until of course some of them traded their snow shovels for suntan lotion). Ed shared his love of music (let’s be clear, with few exceptions, this meant only classic rock) and knowledge of music with his kids and grandkids. He knew all the words to nearly every song and couldn’t help but laugh and correct the rest of us as we sang the wrong words. Whether he was woo’ing Diane with the words from Lady (Styx) or karaoke to Moon Dance (Van Morrison), which may have made an indelible impact on some, he was rarely without music around him. Ed could not be described as techy in any sense and was one of the few remaining hold outs with no email address (he liked to tell people that he had Ed mail, which simply meant walking down the drive way to the mail box). Yet surprisingly he figured out how to get Who Are You (The Who) as his ring tone and Go Cubs Go as his text notification – Go Figure! Ed lived much more than 66 years of experiences. He was a proud Army veteran who served 8 years for his country. With the love of his life, by his side, he traveled more places, tested more boundaries and explored more living than most people could only imagine. Through nearly 46 years of marriage, Ed always held Diane’s hand, always kissed her when he saw her, said “I love you” more times than one can count every day, and never missed a chance to wink at her when no one was watching, not to mention putting up with a nearly entirely purple filled house. While Ed did not seem like the romantic type, every year, Ed sent Diane one white rose for each year they were married. Their love grew every day, filling some of the painful holes created by the challenges in life. He took his last breath by her side. Ed is survived by his wife, Diane (Pekofske), daughter Ashley, Grandchildren Gabriel 15, Autumn 12, Stella 2 and Harry (Bubba) 1, his sister Nancy Sydenstricker and numerous nieces, nephews and friends. For those Ed is leaving, he would want you to share your stories, love and be kind to your family and friends and pray for a winning Chicago sports team this year. Ed has joined those who have proceeded him in death, his sons, Derek and Jared, his parents, Frank and Eleanor Blaha, his brother, Jim Mills, his sister, Joan Gyurko, his Nephew, Billy Joe Pekofske and his Father (never considered him his father-in-law), Gene Pekofske. One can only imagine life in heaven with Ed, Jared, and Derek as they find Tom Petty and sing Last Dance with Mary Jane. You will be missed but more importantly you will always be remembered. Thank you Ed, for being part of our lives. A funeral mass will be held on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at 10:00 AM at St. Laurence Catholic Church, Elgin. Burial will be private. Visitation will be held on Monday from 4-9 PM in the Laird Funeral Home, Elgin and on Tuesday morning at church from 9:30 AM until the time of mass. For information 847-741-8800 or www.lairdfamilyfuneralservices.comObituary
Edward J. Blaha, born June 8,1955, passed away at his home on April 27,2022. Whether you knew him as Ed, Eddie, Dad, Grandpa, Uncle, Brother or Friend, you couldn’t help but love him. He had this mischievous smile that promised you an adventure, creating unforgettable stories and memories to make you smile. He loved spending time with his kids and grandkids, teaching them common sense (not always taken) and the skills of life which had served him well in his life. He could fix anything, put anything together and always had the right tool for the job from his never-ending workshop. Ed presented himself as the big scary guy (which he enjoyed when meeting his daughter’s boyfriends) but was the biggest teddy bear with a heart of gold. He was never pretentious, but rather enjoyed just being Ed, wearing shorts and a T-shirt, no matter the weather outside. One could not help but smile when he would get on the floor to play or sit at the kitchen table and discuss anything for hours with his grandkids. You could always see the twinkle in his eyes but only a few could see the tear of joy these times brought him. Ed enjoyed people and could start a conversation with just about anyone. He was the host of many family events, parties and get togethers. Once you met him, you could never forget him nor his last name – Blaha or BlaBla or Blahahaha, or any other version! He lived life large and rarely in moderation. Ed loved sports, both playing and watching (although often times it included a short nap between time outs, commercial breaks and innings). His wardrobe consisted largely of Chicago Bears, Cubs, Bulls and Blackhawks ware, with one of his most favorite T-shirts boasting the Cubs “Try Not to Suck” slogan. His love of golf was only outweighed by his love of his “poker buddies” and their monthly Friday night poker game (until of course some of them traded their snow shovels for suntan lotion). Ed shared his love of music (let’s be clear, with few exceptions, this meant only classic rock) and knowledge of music with his kids and grandkids. He knew all the words to nearly every song and couldn’t help but laugh and correct the rest of us as we sang the wrong words. Whether he was woo’ing Diane with the words from Lady (Styx) or karaoke to Moon Dance (Van Morrison), which may have made an indelible impact on some, he was rarely without music around him. Ed could not be described as techy in any sense and was one of the few remaining hold outs with no email address (he liked to tell people that he had Ed mail, which simply meant walking down the drive way to the mail box). Yet surprisingly he figured out how to get Who Are You (The Who) as his ring tone and Go Cubs Go as his text notification – Go Figure! Ed lived much more than 66 years of experiences. He was a proud Army veteran who served 8 years for his country. With the love of his life, by his side, he traveled more places, tested more boundaries and explored more living than most people could only imagine. Through nearly 46 years of marriage, Ed always held Diane’s hand, always kissed her when he saw her, said “I love you” more times than one can count every day, and never missed a chance to wink at her when no one was watching, not to mention putting up with a nearly entirely purple filled house. While Ed did not seem like the romantic type, every year, Ed sent Diane one white rose for each year they were married. Their love grew every day, filling some of the painful holes created by the challenges in life. He took his last breath by her side. Ed is survived by his wife, Diane (Pekofske), daughter Ashley, Grandchildren Gabriel 15, Autumn 12, Stella 2 and Harry (Bubba) 1, his sister Nancy Sydenstricker and numerous nieces, nephews and friends. For those Ed is leaving, he would want you to share your stories, love and be kind to your family and friends and pray for a winning Chicago sports team this year. Ed has joined those who have proceeded him in death, his sons, Derek and Jared, his parents, Frank and Eleanor Blaha, his brother, Jim Mills, his sister, Joan Gyurko, his Nephew, Billy Joe Pekofske and his Father (never considered him his father-in-law), Gene Pekofske. One can only imagine life in heaven with Ed, Jared, and Derek as they find Tom Petty and sing Last Dance with Mary Jane. You will be missed but more importantly you will always be remembered. Thank you Ed, for being part of our lives. A funeral mass will be held on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at 10:00 AM at St. Laurence Catholic Church, Elgin. Burial will be private. Visitation will be held on Monday from 4-9 PM in the Laird Funeral Home, Elgin and on Tuesday morning at church from 9:30 AM until the time of mass. For information 847-741-8800 or www.lairdfamilyfuneralservices.com
Events
There are no events scheduled.