We are saddened to share news that Michael Wietlispach passed away on New Year's Day, suddenly and unexpectedly. Mike was born in Moline, IL on May 15th, 1957 as the second of six children. He attended Sterling High School and Eureka College where he excelled in athletics and is a "Hall of Famer" for two sports at each school. In college, Mike was a member of the Lamda Chi Alpha fraternity, which provided hilarious stories and lifetime friends.
Big Mike," as nearly everyone referred to him, was a salesman's dream according to his family. When grandchildren started arriving, he bought an entire daycare center's collection of toys and books, then turned the basement into the kid's zone. A Facebook marketplace connoisseur, he was constantly adding to his toy collection, much to the chagrin of his loving wife who still doesn't understand why you need every plastic figurine that Disney has made in the last 50 years. His seven grandchildren Mara, Aiden, Lily, Lexi, Theo, Willa, and Shay will sorely miss having such a gentle giant to play with them and read to them. Mike played golf weekly, often with his college friends and brother Pat. Whether they were at Redtail, where Mike had been a volunteer for years, or at any simulator around the area, he was not a good golfer. Most of the time he didn't keep score, instead keeping track of how many "pars" he had and estimating from there. Mike was also an avid fisherman, with a boat slipped on Bang's Lake in Wauconda for the last decade. He cherished the time spent on his boat with family and friends. As a high school science teacher and football coach for over 35 years, he influenced thousands of people during his career. He was locally involved in NISRA, Indian Guides, Crystal Lake Senior Services, Continental Little League, and the YMCA throughout his 35+ years living in Crystal Lake. You couldn't go anywhere without someone recognizing him; he had friends everywhere. In lieu of sending flowers, please take this advice from the "Big Mike" playbook. Write a handwritten note to someone letting them know what they mean to you. Care not about someone's political ideals, appearance, age, capabilities, etc. and just care for them. Do something nice for someone else, whenever you have the opportunity. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Cheryl, and three sons, Adam (Talita), Chris (Katie), and Tim (Laura). He is also survived by his five siblings: Pat, Denise, Bryan, Todd, and Danielle. He leaves behind dozens of cousins, nieces, nephews, and countless friends.