Cole Camp Courier
May 9, 2014
Long-time Cole Camp (MO) resident, Bernard ("Bernie") Rekus, passed away on February 24, 2014 in Orland Park, Illinois.
Bernie was born to the late B.B. and Catherine Whaley Rekus, April 20, 1933, in Chicago. Although he was raised in the Chicago area, his heart was in Missouri where, as a young boy, he spent many summers working with his grandparents on their farm in Edina, Missouri. In the mid-1950s, his parents purchased the 500-acre ranch in Cole Camp located on Seven Hills Road off Hwy F and the family spent their time between Cole Camp and Chicago.
Bernie became involved with the ranch soybean production after his father died in 1982, and he continued to travel back and forth between Chicago and Cole Camp. After his mother's death in 1992, he moved full-time to the ranch and began a cow/calf operation specializing in Saler cattle.
There were frequent visitors to the Cole Camp ranch and it was always special to be invited to hunt for deer or turkey on the property, or to be invited to fish at the B.B. Rekus Lake which was filled with catfish, crappie and blue gills.
A veteran of the U.S. Army, Bernie had many interests and significant accomplishments throughout his life. He became state champion in wrestling while attending Mt. Carmel High School in Chicago and also wrestled at Indiana University where he graduated in 1958 with a business degree. As a young man, while working in the health & life insurance business, he became a "car nut". He helped establish the Concourse Plains Rally Team and the Chicagoland Chapter of the Buick GS Club of America. He eventually began competing in sports car rallies and in 1970 he was awarded the title of National Rally Champion for the Sports Car Club of America after winning a 400 mile day-night race in his 1969 Mustang Mach I. Bernie's relations remember with great fondness the several fun road rallies he organized for their large summer reunions in both Cole Camp and Hannibal, taking them past historical points of interest to the family and culminating in an always-vivacious awards ceremony, trophies and all.
Bernie's curiosity eventually turned to competitive sailing and he spent many years as a much-loved and respected sailboat owner and captain on Lake Michigan, winning the famed 333-mile Chicago-to-Mackinac Island (Michigan) race in 1978 and Boat of the Year designation several times. He was also honored to serve as Commodore of the Burnham Park Yacht Club, located across from Soldier Field in Chicago. His loyal and dedicated crew members remember him most for his sense of fun and humor, intense competitiveness and his knack for thinking creatively when it came to out-foxing the competition.
He never lost his interest in cars, however, and in 2006 he surprised his aunt in Hannibal by arriving there from Cole Camp in his Corvette convertible to escort her to church for the celebration of her 100th birthday. Several family members remember watching him drive down the lane with her waving from the front seat, her grin a mile wide.
Bernie also developed a passion for gardening and completed the extensive class work and hands-on training provided by the University of Missouri Extension Service to qualify for the Master Gardener certification. He was a member of the local garden club.
In February of 2010, Bernie suffered a debilitating stroke and spent several months at Good Samaritan Nursing Home before moving back to the Chicago area to be closer to his family.
Bernie is survived by his son, Brian, daughter-in-law Andrea, and two granddaughters, Olivia Grace and Emilia Rose, of Orland Park, Illinois. He is also survived by his sister, Welda (Frank) Hedrick, of Mokena, Illinois, and was a very kind uncle to many nieces and nephews. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
May 9, 2014
Long-time Cole Camp (MO) resident, Bernard ("Bernie") Rekus, passed away on February 24, 2014 in Orland Park, Illinois.
Bernie was born to the late B.B. and Catherine Whaley Rekus, April 20, 1933, in Chicago. Although he was raised in the Chicago area, his heart was in Missouri where, as a young boy, he spent many summers working with his grandparents on their farm in Edina, Missouri. In the mid-1950s, his parents purchased the 500-acre ranch in Cole Camp located on Seven Hills Road off Hwy F and the family spent their time between Cole Camp and Chicago.
Bernie became involved with the ranch soybean production after his father died in 1982, and he continued to travel back and forth between Chicago and Cole Camp. After his mother's death in 1992, he moved full-time to the ranch and began a cow/calf operation specializing in Saler cattle.
There were frequent visitors to the Cole Camp ranch and it was always special to be invited to hunt for deer or turkey on the property, or to be invited to fish at the B.B. Rekus Lake which was filled with catfish, crappie and blue gills.
A veteran of the U.S. Army, Bernie had many interests and significant accomplishments throughout his life. He became state champion in wrestling while attending Mt. Carmel High School in Chicago and also wrestled at Indiana University where he graduated in 1958 with a business degree. As a young man, while working in the health & life insurance business, he became a "car nut". He helped establish the Concourse Plains Rally Team and the Chicagoland Chapter of the Buick GS Club of America. He eventually began competing in sports car rallies and in 1970 he was awarded the title of National Rally Champion for the Sports Car Club of America after winning a 400 mile day-night race in his 1969 Mustang Mach I. Bernie's relations remember with great fondness the several fun road rallies he organized for their large summer reunions in both Cole Camp and Hannibal, taking them past historical points of interest to the family and culminating in an always-vivacious awards ceremony, trophies and all.
Bernie's curiosity eventually turned to competitive sailing and he spent many years as a much-loved and respected sailboat owner and captain on Lake Michigan, winning the famed 333-mile Chicago-to-Mackinac Island (Michigan) race in 1978 and Boat of the Year designation several times. He was also honored to serve as Commodore of the Burnham Park Yacht Club, located across from Soldier Field in Chicago. His loyal and dedicated crew members remember him most for his sense of fun and humor, intense competitiveness and his knack for thinking creatively when it came to out-foxing the competition.
He never lost his interest in cars, however, and in 2006 he surprised his aunt in Hannibal by arriving there from Cole Camp in his Corvette convertible to escort her to church for the celebration of her 100th birthday. Several family members remember watching him drive down the lane with her waving from the front seat, her grin a mile wide.
Bernie also developed a passion for gardening and completed the extensive class work and hands-on training provided by the University of Missouri Extension Service to qualify for the Master Gardener certification. He was a member of the local garden club.
In February of 2010, Bernie suffered a debilitating stroke and spent several months at Good Samaritan Nursing Home before moving back to the Chicago area to be closer to his family.
Bernie is survived by his son, Brian, daughter-in-law Andrea, and two granddaughters, Olivia Grace and Emilia Rose, of Orland Park, Illinois. He is also survived by his sister, Welda (Frank) Hedrick, of Mokena, Illinois, and was a very kind uncle to many nieces and nephews. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
Cole Camp Courier
May 9, 2014
Long-time Cole Camp (MO) resident, Bernard ("Bernie") Rekus, passed away on February 24, 2014 in Orland Park, Illinois.
Bernie was born to the late B.B. and Catherine Whaley Rekus, April 20, 1933, in Chicago. Although he was raised in the Chicago area, his heart was in Missouri where, as a young boy, he spent many summers working with his grandparents on their farm in Edina, Missouri. In the mid-1950s, his parents purchased the 500-acre ranch in Cole Camp located on Seven Hills Road off Hwy F and the family spent their time between Cole Camp and Chicago.
Bernie became involved with the ranch soybean production after his father died in 1982, and he continued to travel back and forth between Chicago and Cole Camp. After his mother's death in 1992, he moved full-time to the ranch and began a cow/calf operation specializing in Saler cattle.
There were frequent visitors to the Cole Camp ranch and it was always special to be invited to hunt for deer or turkey on the property, or to be invited to fish at the B.B. Rekus Lake which was filled with catfish, crappie and blue gills.
A veteran of the U.S. Army, Bernie had many interests and significant accomplishments throughout his life. He became state champion in wrestling while attending Mt. Carmel High School in Chicago and also wrestled at Indiana University where he graduated in 1958 with a business degree. As a young man, while working in the health & life insurance business, he became a "car nut". He helped establish the Concourse Plains Rally Team and the Chicagoland Chapter of the Buick GS Club of America. He eventually began competing in sports car rallies and in 1970 he was awarded the title of National Rally Champion for the Sports Car Club of America after winning a 400 mile day-night race in his 1969 Mustang Mach I. Bernie's relations remember with great fondness the several fun road rallies he organized for their large summer reunions in both Cole Camp and Hannibal, taking them past historical points of interest to the family and culminating in an always-vivacious awards ceremony, trophies and all.
Bernie's curiosity eventually turned to competitive sailing and he spent many years as a much-loved and respected sailboat owner and captain on Lake Michigan, winning the famed 333-mile Chicago-to-Mackinac Island (Michigan) race in 1978 and Boat of the Year designation several times. He was also honored to serve as Commodore of the Burnham Park Yacht Club, located across from Soldier Field in Chicago. His loyal and dedicated crew members remember him most for his sense of fun and humor, intense competitiveness and his knack for thinking creatively when it came to out-foxing the competition.
He never lost his interest in cars, however, and in 2006 he surprised his aunt in Hannibal by arriving there from Cole Camp in his Corvette convertible to escort her to church for the celebration of her 100th birthday. Several family members remember watching him drive down the lane with her waving from the front seat, her grin a mile wide.
Bernie also developed a passion for gardening and completed the extensive class work and hands-on training provided by the University of Missouri Extension Service to qualify for the Master Gardener certification. He was a member of the local garden club.
In February of 2010, Bernie suffered a debilitating stroke and spent several months at Good Samaritan Nursing Home before moving back to the Chicago area to be closer to his family.
Bernie is survived by his son, Brian, daughter-in-law Andrea, and two granddaughters, Olivia Grace and Emilia Rose, of Orland Park, Illinois. He is also survived by his sister, Welda (Frank) Hedrick, of Mokena, Illinois, and was a very kind uncle to many nieces and nephews. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
May 9, 2014
Long-time Cole Camp (MO) resident, Bernard ("Bernie") Rekus, passed away on February 24, 2014 in Orland Park, Illinois.
Bernie was born to the late B.B. and Catherine Whaley Rekus, April 20, 1933, in Chicago. Although he was raised in the Chicago area, his heart was in Missouri where, as a young boy, he spent many summers working with his grandparents on their farm in Edina, Missouri. In the mid-1950s, his parents purchased the 500-acre ranch in Cole Camp located on Seven Hills Road off Hwy F and the family spent their time between Cole Camp and Chicago.
Bernie became involved with the ranch soybean production after his father died in 1982, and he continued to travel back and forth between Chicago and Cole Camp. After his mother's death in 1992, he moved full-time to the ranch and began a cow/calf operation specializing in Saler cattle.
There were frequent visitors to the Cole Camp ranch and it was always special to be invited to hunt for deer or turkey on the property, or to be invited to fish at the B.B. Rekus Lake which was filled with catfish, crappie and blue gills.
A veteran of the U.S. Army, Bernie had many interests and significant accomplishments throughout his life. He became state champion in wrestling while attending Mt. Carmel High School in Chicago and also wrestled at Indiana University where he graduated in 1958 with a business degree. As a young man, while working in the health & life insurance business, he became a "car nut". He helped establish the Concourse Plains Rally Team and the Chicagoland Chapter of the Buick GS Club of America. He eventually began competing in sports car rallies and in 1970 he was awarded the title of National Rally Champion for the Sports Car Club of America after winning a 400 mile day-night race in his 1969 Mustang Mach I. Bernie's relations remember with great fondness the several fun road rallies he organized for their large summer reunions in both Cole Camp and Hannibal, taking them past historical points of interest to the family and culminating in an always-vivacious awards ceremony, trophies and all.
Bernie's curiosity eventually turned to competitive sailing and he spent many years as a much-loved and respected sailboat owner and captain on Lake Michigan, winning the famed 333-mile Chicago-to-Mackinac Island (Michigan) race in 1978 and Boat of the Year designation several times. He was also honored to serve as Commodore of the Burnham Park Yacht Club, located across from Soldier Field in Chicago. His loyal and dedicated crew members remember him most for his sense of fun and humor, intense competitiveness and his knack for thinking creatively when it came to out-foxing the competition.
He never lost his interest in cars, however, and in 2006 he surprised his aunt in Hannibal by arriving there from Cole Camp in his Corvette convertible to escort her to church for the celebration of her 100th birthday. Several family members remember watching him drive down the lane with her waving from the front seat, her grin a mile wide.
Bernie also developed a passion for gardening and completed the extensive class work and hands-on training provided by the University of Missouri Extension Service to qualify for the Master Gardener certification. He was a member of the local garden club.
In February of 2010, Bernie suffered a debilitating stroke and spent several months at Good Samaritan Nursing Home before moving back to the Chicago area to be closer to his family.
Bernie is survived by his son, Brian, daughter-in-law Andrea, and two granddaughters, Olivia Grace and Emilia Rose, of Orland Park, Illinois. He is also survived by his sister, Welda (Frank) Hedrick, of Mokena, Illinois, and was a very kind uncle to many nieces and nephews. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
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