Arnold "Arnie" Bacigalupo

Arnold (Arnie) C. Bacigalupo, husband of Janet; father of the late Christopher; son of the late Louis and Josephine Bacigalupo; brother of Carlotta (Lawrence) Carroll; uncle to Colleen (Todd) Clark, Tracy (Doug) Seyfarth, Keith (Noelle) Carroll and Bridgett (Joel) Finstad and great uncle to many nieces and nephews passed away after a brief battle with cancer on March 30, 2025. Arnie's presence and way of embracing life leaves a void that is deeply felt by all who knew and loved him.

From his roots on the Northwest side of Chicago, to the Minnesota Boundary Waters and the Canadian Quetico, to the suburbs of Clarendon Hills and Burr Ridge, to the woods of Northern Wisconsin and the desert of Tucson, Arnie's life was as rich and wide as the places he lived. How to put so much life into what will inevitably be not enough words?

Arnie's youth was spent with his sister Carla, on the Northwest side of Chicago, in a loving Italian family. His father, Louie, instilled in him the value of hard work, his love of the outdoors and his generous spirit. From his mother, Josie, he inherited his zest for life and extroverted charm.

Fishing with his father led Arnie to begin guiding canoe trips in his beloved northern wilderness lakes. He eventually founded Guided Wilderness Canoe Trips, and served as owner and guide for over thirty years with his wife, Jan, and partner/long time friend, Mark Uscian.

In between canoe trips, Arnie taught History at St. Joseph High School in Westchester, Illinois. Here he began the American Sportsman Club, created for kids who weren't involved in team sports, encouraging in them a sense of belonging and self reliance. This later inspired his son, Chris, who with his friend and colleague John Acott, started the Jefferson Sportsman Society for those in the wine industry who loved fishing and hunting.

After his high school teaching years, Arnie began his studies at Loyola University in Chicago, eventually earning his PhD in Psychology. At Loyola he also taught classes based on his dissertation at the Institute for Pastoral Studies.

During his time at Loyola, Arnie met Jan and a magical partnership was born. They married a couple of years after meeting and had their son, Christopher, a few years later. Together, Arnie and Jan created a lifetime of love and adventure that spanned 50 years.

Arnie used his education to start a private practice as a psychologist, later founding Voyageur One as he transitioned into Organizational Development consulting work, and from there he never looked back.

Arnie's entrepreneurial spirit, love of his work and gift for building relationships resulted in a business that lasted 40 years, took him all over the United States and within many industries from family and traditional businesses to colleges, universities and religious institutions, all while forging meaningful connections that lasted throughout his life.

Once you met Arnie, you never forgot him. Those who knew him, know he had a way of being present and connecting with people that made them feel seen and heard. The way he embraced life was infectious; his generosity never-ending. He always found a way to find enjoyment in the midst of whatever else was going on...and he loved people. Arnie's life was about the people in it.

And because of the vast number of people across the country that Arnie touched throughout his life, it doesn't seem possible to be able to truly honor his legacy within a physical location. Instead we are using this platform and are inviting all who have memories, stories, pictures, anything that conveys what Arnie meant to you, to please share them here so we can all experience the impact he had during his lifetime and carry his spirit forward with us.

And while, in no way do we expect or are asking for anything more, if you feel the desire to do something, two places that meant a lot to Arnie include:

- Camp Manito-wish YMCA, an organization that was close to Arnie's heart for much of his life for the work they do to provide opportunities to youth to attend camp programs that nurture their growth and development.

- The Mayo Clinic Foundation that was so wonderful in providing care and treatment to Arnie during his illness.

Or simply find a way to embody Arnie's spirit by embracing life and the people within yours.

Your participation, whether here or in some other way of remembering Arnie, means the world to those close to him.