On August 12, 2024, Francis Weider, better known as Frank, 78, of Huntley and formerly of Maryville, TN, passed on to his next adventure. He will be very much missed by his wife, Andrea “Ann” Phillips of 58 years, his daughters, Angela (Scott) Carlson and Pamela (Dean) Orvis and six grandchildren: Ryan and Katherine Carlson, and Janine, Rebecca, Jacqueline, and Jackson Orvis, siblings, Peggy Buxton; Ginny (David) Hanna; Paul (Sandra) Weider; Susan (Robert) Weum; Donna (Michael) Frische; and David (Ann) Weider; and many nieces and nephews and many friends, even some from his school years. He was preceded in death by his mother Margaret Barton Weider, father, John J. Weider, and his brother, John M. (Bernadette) Weider.
Born in Hazel Crest, IL, Frank graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago with a BS in Civil Engineering and earned a master’s in business administration from DePaul University. Frank also served in the US Army, being deployed in Asmara, Ethiopia (now Eritrea) for 18 months. He and his beloved wife Ann lived in several places: Long Beach, NJ, Phoenix, AZ, Hoffman Estates, IL, Louisville, KY, Florence, Y, Maryville, TN, and finally Huntley, IL; all adventures as Frank followed a long and successful career in Structural Engineering before retiring from three companies. He served as president of the Structural Engineers Association of Kentucky., and Frank was also involved actively in several offices of Prairie State Canoe Club, Chicago, leading trips with his wife for many years. He and Ann traveled to many locales with their daughters while wilderness canoe-camping, their favorite place being the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, near Ely, MN. Frank was a canoe and kayak instructor for the American Canoe Association, teaching beginners, as well as an instructor trainer for advanced paddlers in both disciplines.
Frank held a patent for a shelving design and also designed their log home in the Great Smoky Mountains of TN, which was their dream home. After a life of adventure which included running nineteen marathons, qualifying for the Boston Marathon, and winning a place in his age group for two of them. Sadly, his adventures ended after a terrible car crash on January 2, 2014. Following several years of therapy in the Chicago area, he and Ann moved to Del Web Sun City in Huntley, IL enjoying their last years together. His greatest accomplishment was his life with his wife and raising their daughters to be successful women. All will sorely miss frank’s warm smile, friendliness, patience, storytelling, and love of all music.
A Celebration of life service will be held later.
For further information please contact the funeral home at 847-515-8772 or online condolences may be directed to www.defiorefuneral.com
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Dad, you were such an amazing person. Words cannot adequately describe the magnitude of your loss. You were legendary and have been a powerful role model and influence in so many lives. May you now find peace and joy doing all that you love ❤️. Love and miss you. All my love, Pam
YOU WILL BE REALLY MISSED BY FAMILY AND FRIENDS. IT WAS MY PLEASURE TO HAVE KNOWN AND SPENT TIME WITH YOU.
Frank was my big brother. 11 years older than me, growing up I was the annoying little brother. Frank was a great big brother, teaching me the finer points of snake wrangling…how to take a fish off a hook…keeping me from drowning. When Frank was stationed in Ethiopia I wrote him letters and he would write back…telling me about Donkey baseball and sending me an Ethiopian dollar and some coins. I have the letters and currency to this day. As adults he tried to teach me canoe tricks and tips. We could talk technical as we were both in the energy business. He gave me two wonderful nieces. Rest easy my brother, I will miss you.
Such a wonderful and amazing man! We so enjoyed our time together, every time our family got together. May you now find peace. All our love.
I didn't get to see Frank very much in his later years but I remember growing up and seeing him every summer at Lindy or at other family gatherings. He was always so charismatic with a beautiful smile on his face and a great story to tell. He lived an incredibly full and beautiful life. Happy to think that he is up there with his Brother and Dad enjoying the next journey together.
I am so sorry for the loss of my cousin Frank. We didn't see each other in person much but kept in touch by email. I will miss him very much.
I'm very sorry to hear of Franks passing. One of the very best engineers I had the opportunity to work with. My condolences to his family.