Rudolph Polheber

Visitation for Mr. Polheber is Wednesday, December 29, 2021 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Northlake Funeral Home. Funeral Service is 10:00 a.m. Thursday, December 30, 2021 at the funeral home. Committal Service with Burial immediately follows at Fairview Cemetery, Northlake. 

Rudolph is the husband of the late Beatrice, who died in 2017; father of Christine (Tom) Polheber and Valerie (Don) Seeger and the late Andrew; grandfather of Jacob, Ruby, Nikole, Jennifer, and Thomas; great-grandfather of 7; brother of Joseph (late Anna), Frank (Betty), John (late Maria) and the late Leo and Steffi (late Harold) Bojes. 

Born in Germany and arriving in America when he was only seven years old, Rudy was truly the "American Dream" story come true.  Rudy always taught his children that all things are possible and within your reach if you work hard.  Rudy's own hard work ethic was evident even at a young age when he worked three jobs right after graduating high school.  At one of his jobs, Lincoln National Bank, he would meet his future bride, Beatrice Whitlock. 
Rudy and Bea married in 1975 and shortly after Andrew and Christine were born and Rudy left the bank to pursue his American Dream of business ownership and entrepreneurship.  Rudy devoted many hours to the currency exchange business in the little village neighborhood where his co-workers had become like a second family to him.  Rudy loved celebrating special events and holidays with all of them – especially if it meant he got homemade tamales.  Rudy was still working up until the time he got sick and passed.  Some of his co-workers described Rudy as an angel on earth.  This is no surprise if you knew Rudy.  He was the type of man that would literally give you the shirt off his back.  If Rudy could help you, no matter the circumstance, he would.  While he might not have always verbalized his love for his friends and family, it was always evident in his actions and what he did for everyone.
Rudy's hobbies included a love for bowling and playing 16" softball that he passed on to his daughter Christine.  He also enjoyed football and following the Chicago Bears, a hobby that Andy and he would enjoy discussing often.  But most of all Rudy loved baseball and his beloved Chicago White Sox.  There wasn't a baseball statistic or baseball trivia question that Rudy did not know.  His grandson Jacob seems to have been born with Rudy's inherent love for baseball and Rudy loved playing catch and pitching the ball to Jacob and watching him hit it over the backyard fence. 
Most importantly, Rudy loved and adored his family, children, and grandchildren.  His granddaughter Ruby, who was named after Rudy and his wife Bea, was the apple of his eye.  He just adored her and would talk to her endlessly.  They had a very special bond from day one. 
Rudy worked his whole life to provide for his family and took amazing care of his wife and children his entire life.  Rudy's legacy of hard work, love of family, and love of America will be passed down for years to come, from generation to generation.  He was the best role model a child could ask for in a parent.  He lived his life by example, that hard work pays off, that love for your family should motivate all your decisions and to never ever give up.

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