Chester Bahrke

1935 - 2025

Born: October 22, 1935 in Chicago, IL
Died: March 16, 2025 in Wonder Lake, IL
Chester Bahrke, age 89, passed away peacefully at home. He was born in Chicago to Gustav and Genevieve Bahrke in 1935. After graduating high school, he was employed as a sheet metal worker and installed construction on many high-rise buildings in downtown Chicago. In 1957 he married the love of his life, Arline Risko. They had two sons, Gary (Diana) and Gregg (Janice). The Chester Bahrke family continued to grow with three grandsons, Jesse, Zachary (Emily), Gabriel (Lydia) and seven great grandchildren, William, Lewis, Bozena, Finley, Zander, Micah and Emma.
In 1975, Chester, Arline and their two sons moved into the home they built in Wonder Lake. Chester died peacefully at home in this house he loved so much which held all of the wonderful and beautiful memories, including a lifetime of love and 67 years of marriage to Arline. Family vacations were a very important part of his life. He especially loved the family holidays with the grandsons which were filled with lots of laughter, jokes and fun with each one reciting many different lines from the classic movie comedy, The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. Chester and Arline enjoyed multiple golf vacations all over the Midwest with their close friends. Getting together with old friends from school was also an important part of his life.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Dorothy and Eleanor. Chester is survived by his wife Arline, his two sons Gary and Gregg, three grandsons and seven great grandchildren.
A visitation will be held at Christ The King Church located at 5007 E. Wonder Lake Rd on Tuesday March 25, 2025, from 10:00 to 11:00 and the funeral mass to begin at 11:00 am. The burial will follow at the church cemetery.