PALOS HEIGHTS -- Gene Seymour, the well-known Copley News Service Chicago sports columnist, died late Monday night at Palos Community Hospital. He
was 43. Seymour served as CNS's sports expert since 1984, covering the Bears, Bulls, White Sox, Cubs and Blackhawks as well as Notre Dame and the University of Illinois.
The apparent cause of death was a heart aneurysm.
"It's unbelievable. Oh my God, it's unbelievable," said former Bears coach Mike Ditka, who had a 12-year working relationship with Seymour.
"I really liked him. When you get to talk with a guy every week, you know him pretty well," added Ditka, who writes a weekly football column for Copley. "But I knew him before when I was coaching, too. He was always a straight shooter. And I really respected him and appreciated that."
That sentiment was shared by others who worked with him.
"The loss of Gene Seymour is a major personal tragedy for his family, for me personally, and for his readers and newspaper colleagues," said Herb Klein, vice president and editor in chief of Copley Newspapers. "He was a great writer, with a spirit that will live long after him." "Gene Seymour was one of the finest sportswriters and also one of the finest people I have ever come in contact with," said Rey Hertel, former managing editor of The Herald-News in Joliet.
"He always worked very hard at his job to get the story behind the scenes." "Gene was an exceptional sports columnist and a great friend. He was a valued member of the Copley team and he will be sorely missed by all of us," said Patricia Gonzales, vice president/business manager of Copley News Service.
Seymour began his career with Copley when he accepted a sportswriter position at The State Journal-Register Sept. 18, 1977. He was there for seven years before becoming the Chicago sports columnist.
"I think Gene was one of the sweetest sportswriters I've ever run into," said Patrick Coburn, associate publisher of The State Journal-Register and Seymour's former managing editor. "He had a brilliant sense of humor and his rapport with his sources and his readers alike was unparalleled."
Before joining Copley newspapers, Seymour held sportswriting positions at newspapers in Hammond, Ind., Kankakee and Lansing.
A native of Markham, Seymour graduated from Midlothian Bremen High School and attended Thornton Community College before receiving his degree from Eastern Illinois University in 1975. He served as the sports editor of the Eastern News while attending EIU. He spent his life involved in the athletics that he loved to cover. At 6 feet 6, he was an outstanding basket-ball player and baseball pitcher at Bremen. He continued to pitch through college and continued his basketball career at local YMCAs and in park district leagues until recent years, when golf became his passion.
"I just talked to Gene. We were talking about what kind of driver he should get," Ditka said.
Seymour is survived by his wife of 15 years, Claudia (Petnuch), and three grade-school-age children, Maria, Joseph and Gregory.
Gene, whose parents, Neva and Sam, reside in Markham, was the oldest of four children. Gary, the second oldest, is an award-winning sportswriter at The Herald-News in Joliet. Doug, who lives in Springfield, and Annette, a Naperville resident, are the other siblings.
Visitation will be Thursday from 2-9 p.m. at the John Sheehy & Sons Funeral Home, 7020 W. 127th St. in Palos Heights. The funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Alexander Church, 7025 W. 126th St. in Palos Heights.
was 43. Seymour served as CNS's sports expert since 1984, covering the Bears, Bulls, White Sox, Cubs and Blackhawks as well as Notre Dame and the University of Illinois.
The apparent cause of death was a heart aneurysm.
"It's unbelievable. Oh my God, it's unbelievable," said former Bears coach Mike Ditka, who had a 12-year working relationship with Seymour.
"I really liked him. When you get to talk with a guy every week, you know him pretty well," added Ditka, who writes a weekly football column for Copley. "But I knew him before when I was coaching, too. He was always a straight shooter. And I really respected him and appreciated that."
That sentiment was shared by others who worked with him.
"The loss of Gene Seymour is a major personal tragedy for his family, for me personally, and for his readers and newspaper colleagues," said Herb Klein, vice president and editor in chief of Copley Newspapers. "He was a great writer, with a spirit that will live long after him." "Gene Seymour was one of the finest sportswriters and also one of the finest people I have ever come in contact with," said Rey Hertel, former managing editor of The Herald-News in Joliet.
"He always worked very hard at his job to get the story behind the scenes." "Gene was an exceptional sports columnist and a great friend. He was a valued member of the Copley team and he will be sorely missed by all of us," said Patricia Gonzales, vice president/business manager of Copley News Service.
Seymour began his career with Copley when he accepted a sportswriter position at The State Journal-Register Sept. 18, 1977. He was there for seven years before becoming the Chicago sports columnist.
"I think Gene was one of the sweetest sportswriters I've ever run into," said Patrick Coburn, associate publisher of The State Journal-Register and Seymour's former managing editor. "He had a brilliant sense of humor and his rapport with his sources and his readers alike was unparalleled."
Before joining Copley newspapers, Seymour held sportswriting positions at newspapers in Hammond, Ind., Kankakee and Lansing.
A native of Markham, Seymour graduated from Midlothian Bremen High School and attended Thornton Community College before receiving his degree from Eastern Illinois University in 1975. He served as the sports editor of the Eastern News while attending EIU. He spent his life involved in the athletics that he loved to cover. At 6 feet 6, he was an outstanding basket-ball player and baseball pitcher at Bremen. He continued to pitch through college and continued his basketball career at local YMCAs and in park district leagues until recent years, when golf became his passion.
"I just talked to Gene. We were talking about what kind of driver he should get," Ditka said.
Seymour is survived by his wife of 15 years, Claudia (Petnuch), and three grade-school-age children, Maria, Joseph and Gregory.
Gene, whose parents, Neva and Sam, reside in Markham, was the oldest of four children. Gary, the second oldest, is an award-winning sportswriter at The Herald-News in Joliet. Doug, who lives in Springfield, and Annette, a Naperville resident, are the other siblings.
Visitation will be Thursday from 2-9 p.m. at the John Sheehy & Sons Funeral Home, 7020 W. 127th St. in Palos Heights. The funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Alexander Church, 7025 W. 126th St. in Palos Heights.
PALOS HEIGHTS -- Gene Seymour, the well-known Copley News Service Chicago sports columnist, died late Monday night at Palos Community Hospital. He
was 43. Seymour served as CNS's sports expert since 1984, covering the Bears, Bulls, White Sox, Cubs and Blackhawks as well as Notre Dame and the University of Illinois.
The apparent cause of death was a heart aneurysm.
"It's unbelievable. Oh my God, it's unbelievable," said former Bears coach Mike Ditka, who had a 12-year working relationship with Seymour.
"I really liked him. When you get to talk with a guy every week, you know him pretty well," added Ditka, who writes a weekly football column for Copley. "But I knew him before when I was coaching, too. He was always a straight shooter. And I really respected him and appreciated that."
That sentiment was shared by others who worked with him.
"The loss of Gene Seymour is a major personal tragedy for his family, for me personally, and for his readers and newspaper colleagues," said Herb Klein, vice president and editor in chief of Copley Newspapers. "He was a great writer, with a spirit that will live long after him." "Gene Seymour was one of the finest sportswriters and also one of the finest people I have ever come in contact with," said Rey Hertel, former managing editor of The Herald-News in Joliet.
"He always worked very hard at his job to get the story behind the scenes." "Gene was an exceptional sports columnist and a great friend. He was a valued member of the Copley team and he will be sorely missed by all of us," said Patricia Gonzales, vice president/business manager of Copley News Service.
Seymour began his career with Copley when he accepted a sportswriter position at The State Journal-Register Sept. 18, 1977. He was there for seven years before becoming the Chicago sports columnist.
"I think Gene was one of the sweetest sportswriters I've ever run into," said Patrick Coburn, associate publisher of The State Journal-Register and Seymour's former managing editor. "He had a brilliant sense of humor and his rapport with his sources and his readers alike was unparalleled."
Before joining Copley newspapers, Seymour held sportswriting positions at newspapers in Hammond, Ind., Kankakee and Lansing.
A native of Markham, Seymour graduated from Midlothian Bremen High School and attended Thornton Community College before receiving his degree from Eastern Illinois University in 1975. He served as the sports editor of the Eastern News while attending EIU. He spent his life involved in the athletics that he loved to cover. At 6 feet 6, he was an outstanding basket-ball player and baseball pitcher at Bremen. He continued to pitch through college and continued his basketball career at local YMCAs and in park district leagues until recent years, when golf became his passion.
"I just talked to Gene. We were talking about what kind of driver he should get," Ditka said.
Seymour is survived by his wife of 15 years, Claudia (Petnuch), and three grade-school-age children, Maria, Joseph and Gregory.
Gene, whose parents, Neva and Sam, reside in Markham, was the oldest of four children. Gary, the second oldest, is an award-winning sportswriter at The Herald-News in Joliet. Doug, who lives in Springfield, and Annette, a Naperville resident, are the other siblings.
Visitation will be Thursday from 2-9 p.m. at the John Sheehy & Sons Funeral Home, 7020 W. 127th St. in Palos Heights. The funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Alexander Church, 7025 W. 126th St. in Palos Heights.
was 43. Seymour served as CNS's sports expert since 1984, covering the Bears, Bulls, White Sox, Cubs and Blackhawks as well as Notre Dame and the University of Illinois.
The apparent cause of death was a heart aneurysm.
"It's unbelievable. Oh my God, it's unbelievable," said former Bears coach Mike Ditka, who had a 12-year working relationship with Seymour.
"I really liked him. When you get to talk with a guy every week, you know him pretty well," added Ditka, who writes a weekly football column for Copley. "But I knew him before when I was coaching, too. He was always a straight shooter. And I really respected him and appreciated that."
That sentiment was shared by others who worked with him.
"The loss of Gene Seymour is a major personal tragedy for his family, for me personally, and for his readers and newspaper colleagues," said Herb Klein, vice president and editor in chief of Copley Newspapers. "He was a great writer, with a spirit that will live long after him." "Gene Seymour was one of the finest sportswriters and also one of the finest people I have ever come in contact with," said Rey Hertel, former managing editor of The Herald-News in Joliet.
"He always worked very hard at his job to get the story behind the scenes." "Gene was an exceptional sports columnist and a great friend. He was a valued member of the Copley team and he will be sorely missed by all of us," said Patricia Gonzales, vice president/business manager of Copley News Service.
Seymour began his career with Copley when he accepted a sportswriter position at The State Journal-Register Sept. 18, 1977. He was there for seven years before becoming the Chicago sports columnist.
"I think Gene was one of the sweetest sportswriters I've ever run into," said Patrick Coburn, associate publisher of The State Journal-Register and Seymour's former managing editor. "He had a brilliant sense of humor and his rapport with his sources and his readers alike was unparalleled."
Before joining Copley newspapers, Seymour held sportswriting positions at newspapers in Hammond, Ind., Kankakee and Lansing.
A native of Markham, Seymour graduated from Midlothian Bremen High School and attended Thornton Community College before receiving his degree from Eastern Illinois University in 1975. He served as the sports editor of the Eastern News while attending EIU. He spent his life involved in the athletics that he loved to cover. At 6 feet 6, he was an outstanding basket-ball player and baseball pitcher at Bremen. He continued to pitch through college and continued his basketball career at local YMCAs and in park district leagues until recent years, when golf became his passion.
"I just talked to Gene. We were talking about what kind of driver he should get," Ditka said.
Seymour is survived by his wife of 15 years, Claudia (Petnuch), and three grade-school-age children, Maria, Joseph and Gregory.
Gene, whose parents, Neva and Sam, reside in Markham, was the oldest of four children. Gary, the second oldest, is an award-winning sportswriter at The Herald-News in Joliet. Doug, who lives in Springfield, and Annette, a Naperville resident, are the other siblings.
Visitation will be Thursday from 2-9 p.m. at the John Sheehy & Sons Funeral Home, 7020 W. 127th St. in Palos Heights. The funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Alexander Church, 7025 W. 126th St. in Palos Heights.
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