Herman H. "Bud" Boese passed away peacefully at home in Hillside, IL on December 3, 2022. He was a World Ward II Veteran, one of the Greatest Generation. He was 96. Bud was born March 31, 1926, in the middle of one of the largest late-season snowstorms in Chicago history. The son of German immigrants, Herman and Minnie Boese, he and his sister grew up in the family home on Roosevelt Road near Oak Ridge Avenue that was built using limestone from the Hillside Quarry. The new house was not far from his father's business, Boese Monument, which remained at the same location until the road was widened in the early 2000's.

When Bud was a young boy, Roosevelt Road stopped just up the street at Wolf Road, which at that point turned into a poorly maintained little-driven two-lane path that went west to Glen Ellyn. There were so few cars that Bud would ice skate on the highway when it was icy.

Bud was a member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church, where he graduated from the one-room elementary and middle school in 1940. He attended Proviso High School and joined the Army a few months after graduating in 1944. He was on the Pacific Front and sent to New Guinea and Philippines. After the war, he returned to his Hillside home to begin a 40-year career in the family monument business where he worked 7 days a week.

In 1954, Bud was selling raffle tickets for the Hillside Lions Club – when he happened to sell one to young lady named Lois. In a sense, Bud won the raffle because it was love at first sight. They were married for 68 years until her passing in February this year at the age of 89.

Their starter home was on Wolf Road, then a home on Maple Lane for more than 50 years, where they raised three rambunctious children: a son, Steve, and two daughters, Brenda (Croce) and Sheila (Railing).

Bud believed in helping his neighbors and community. He had been a member of the Hillside American Legion for 75 years, and even help construct the present Legion Hall on Butterfield Road in the 1950s. He served as volunteer fireman from 1947 to 1977 – where a special ring on the telephone would summon him and the other volunteers to the fire station. For his commitment to the town of Hillside, Bud was named the Grand Marshall of the Hillside's Annual Veterans Day Parade in 2013.

Bud was Hillside's longest living resident. He was the only person in town who had been listed in every census since 1930. He witnessed Hillside turning from a small, sparsely populated, German agricultural town into the diverse village today.

Bud was tall and strong from the monument work. His ethics and belief in God just as strong. He was a valued member of his Church and was a regular there until recently.

He loved watching the Bears and following the Blackhawks – but had no patience for the genteel sports of golf or baseball. He was a passionate outdoorsman and loved to hunt and took annual fishing trips to Canada. He most enjoyed the extended family camping trips to Lake Shelbyville. He loved a cold beer at parties with neighbors and an extra-dry martini at family gatherings.

Bud had a great sense of humor and enjoyed lively banter even to the end. Despite working 7 days a week, he always had time for family. Friday night was Game Night (he hated losing); if there were a snow, he'd be the first one pulling the kids on the sled; if there were a rainstorm, he would sit in the open garage to watch. He had cookouts at Bemis Woods, and yearly vacation trips.

Besides his three children, Bud is survived by 8 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, as a celebration of Bud's life, the family suggests donations to Immanuel Lutheran Church or the American Legion of Hillside.