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Kurt Liebhaber Obituary
Kurt Allen Liebhaber
Born: July 8, 1943
Died: June 17, 2025
Kurt Allen Liebhaber peacefully entered eternal life on June 17, 2025, in Sycamore, Illinois, where he shared a loving home with his devoted wife of 57 years, Teresa Liebhaber.
Kurt's creative spirit lives on through his five children, seven grandchildren, four surviving siblings, and a wide circle of family and friends from all walks of life. Born on July 8, 1943, in Chicago to Bernard and Marion Liebhaber, Kurt moved with his family in the early 1950s to the suburb of Wood Dale. There, he graduated from Fenton High School in 1961, served in the Army Reserves from 1965 to 1970, and married his sweetheart, Teresa, in 1968.
Kurt lived a unique life guided by individuality and creativity. In the early 1970s, Kurt and Teresa left the "cookie-cutter" suburbs behind,and built a homestead in the rural community of McGirr in Waterman, Illinois – many miles from the noise and rush of the city. Over the years, Kurt honed a wide range of trade skills driven by his lifelong passion for creating and building. Largely self-taught, his talents were nurtured early through his time in the Boy Scouts, hands-on experience working alongside his father Ben – an accomplished carpenter – and continued through his studies at Kishwaukee College in Malta, Illinois.
Kurt held many treasured memories – Boy Scout outings with his sons while serving as Webelos Den Leader of Pack 339, hopping on his Volksbike, and quiet evenings spent beadworking or rosemaling. On weekends, he enjoyed time with his family camping at Pow Wows or selling handmade furniture at craft shows.
He valued the freedom of self-employment, and ran several businesses throughout his life, including Kurt's Auto Body & Repair and The Wooden Touch. His greatest legacy, however, is SCF – Sidecars & Frames – where his love of motorcycles, fabrication, welding, and design came together. His innovative sidecar rigs were featured in publications like The Sidecarist, and he will always be remembered in the motorcycle/sidecar world for his masterful craftsmanship and imaginative engineering.
Kurt took fashion cues from no one, and his signature everyday look was all his own: a polka dot or floral welding hat, a plain pocketed T-shirt, Levi's 501 jeans, an L.L. Bean work shirt, Work n' Sport boots, a purple handkerchief, and a trusty purple felt-tip pen in his pocket – alongside a sharpened pencil and a few toothpicks.
Visitors to Kurt's shop were likely offered a seat in a handcrafted "buck skinner" chair. He loved AM radio, Chevy vans, a good cigar, a cold Squirt, George Burns, the Kingston Trio, railroad tie fences, "The Goonies," a meaningful chat, the Bible, and leaving love notes for his "wifey pie." He saved every nut, bolt, screw, and nail he could find – usually in a glass peanut butter jar. If his wife needed something, he built it. If she didn't need something, he built it anyway.
Kurt was a proud member of the AMA (American Motorcycle Association) and the United Sidecar Association. He loved Jesus Christ, his country, his German heritage, and above all, his family. He took immense pride in his five children, Elbe Lieb (Marcie Jo Moser), Emil (Kimberley) Liebhaber, Garth (Dorina) Liebhaber, Jill Liebhaber, and Gail Liebhaber Roloff. That pride extended to his beloved grandchildren, Delia, Amelie, Socorra, Oliver, Van, Sadie, and Violet.
Kurt is survived by his very patient wife Teresa (Moreno) Liebhaber; and his siblings, William, Benita, Carl, and Donna, all of whom he loved dearly to his last moment on earth.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, June 28, 2025, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Camden Club Room, 2390 Concord Drive, Sycamore, IL. Friends and family are warmly invited to join us for light refreshments as we honor the life of a truly unique human being.
In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to the Automotive Technology Department of Kishwaukee College: https://kish.edu/about/foundation/ways-to-give
To sign the online guest book, visit: www.ButalaFuneralHomes.com
Born: July 8, 1943
Died: June 17, 2025
Kurt Allen Liebhaber peacefully entered eternal life on June 17, 2025, in Sycamore, Illinois, where he shared a loving home with his devoted wife of 57 years, Teresa Liebhaber.
Kurt's creative spirit lives on through his five children, seven grandchildren, four surviving siblings, and a wide circle of family and friends from all walks of life. Born on July 8, 1943, in Chicago to Bernard and Marion Liebhaber, Kurt moved with his family in the early 1950s to the suburb of Wood Dale. There, he graduated from Fenton High School in 1961, served in the Army Reserves from 1965 to 1970, and married his sweetheart, Teresa, in 1968.
Kurt lived a unique life guided by individuality and creativity. In the early 1970s, Kurt and Teresa left the "cookie-cutter" suburbs behind,and built a homestead in the rural community of McGirr in Waterman, Illinois – many miles from the noise and rush of the city. Over the years, Kurt honed a wide range of trade skills driven by his lifelong passion for creating and building. Largely self-taught, his talents were nurtured early through his time in the Boy Scouts, hands-on experience working alongside his father Ben – an accomplished carpenter – and continued through his studies at Kishwaukee College in Malta, Illinois.
Kurt held many treasured memories – Boy Scout outings with his sons while serving as Webelos Den Leader of Pack 339, hopping on his Volksbike, and quiet evenings spent beadworking or rosemaling. On weekends, he enjoyed time with his family camping at Pow Wows or selling handmade furniture at craft shows.
He valued the freedom of self-employment, and ran several businesses throughout his life, including Kurt's Auto Body & Repair and The Wooden Touch. His greatest legacy, however, is SCF – Sidecars & Frames – where his love of motorcycles, fabrication, welding, and design came together. His innovative sidecar rigs were featured in publications like The Sidecarist, and he will always be remembered in the motorcycle/sidecar world for his masterful craftsmanship and imaginative engineering.
Kurt took fashion cues from no one, and his signature everyday look was all his own: a polka dot or floral welding hat, a plain pocketed T-shirt, Levi's 501 jeans, an L.L. Bean work shirt, Work n' Sport boots, a purple handkerchief, and a trusty purple felt-tip pen in his pocket – alongside a sharpened pencil and a few toothpicks.
Visitors to Kurt's shop were likely offered a seat in a handcrafted "buck skinner" chair. He loved AM radio, Chevy vans, a good cigar, a cold Squirt, George Burns, the Kingston Trio, railroad tie fences, "The Goonies," a meaningful chat, the Bible, and leaving love notes for his "wifey pie." He saved every nut, bolt, screw, and nail he could find – usually in a glass peanut butter jar. If his wife needed something, he built it. If she didn't need something, he built it anyway.
Kurt was a proud member of the AMA (American Motorcycle Association) and the United Sidecar Association. He loved Jesus Christ, his country, his German heritage, and above all, his family. He took immense pride in his five children, Elbe Lieb (Marcie Jo Moser), Emil (Kimberley) Liebhaber, Garth (Dorina) Liebhaber, Jill Liebhaber, and Gail Liebhaber Roloff. That pride extended to his beloved grandchildren, Delia, Amelie, Socorra, Oliver, Van, Sadie, and Violet.
Kurt is survived by his very patient wife Teresa (Moreno) Liebhaber; and his siblings, William, Benita, Carl, and Donna, all of whom he loved dearly to his last moment on earth.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, June 28, 2025, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Camden Club Room, 2390 Concord Drive, Sycamore, IL. Friends and family are warmly invited to join us for light refreshments as we honor the life of a truly unique human being.
In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to the Automotive Technology Department of Kishwaukee College: https://kish.edu/about/foundation/ways-to-give
To sign the online guest book, visit: www.ButalaFuneralHomes.com
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Published by Daily-Chronicle on Jun. 21, 2025.
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