James T. "James" Wengerd

1968 - 2023

James 'James' T. Wengerd
Born: April 5, 1968
Died: July 28, 2023
With sadness we report the passing of James "Jamie" T. Wengerd, age 55, of Plainfield, Illinois after losing his battle with cancer on Friday, July 28, 2023. He was born on April 5, 1968 in Melrose Park, Illinois.
Jamie was a beloved son, brother, uncle, cousin, nephew and friend. He was loyal and committed to those in his life.
He lived much of his life in Wood Dale and Downers Grove and had a passion for sports, music, and stock car racing. A die-hard fan of Chicago sports teams, he loved getting together with long-time childhood pals to watch Bulls, Blackhawks, and White Sox games. He competed in wheelchair hockey and was fierce on the court. His encyclopedic knowledge of sports history and stats was breathtaking, you definitely wanted him on your Trivial Pursuit team. He had a love of music, his eclectic tastes ranged from Frank Zappa to Cross Canadian Ragweed. He appreciated sweet sentimental films and lighthearted sit-coms.
As a young man he was comfortable in front of a camera and microphone. He served as a poster child for United Cerebral Palsy and was an on-air personality for fundraising telethons. He did play-by-play for local sports events and his love of music led to work as a disc jockey. His outgoing and affable nature made him a great fit for the customer service and tech support work he did later in life.
He was fiercely independent and cherished his home and the community of neighbors he found in his condo building. He was always excited to travel and meet new people and enjoyed trips to visit family and friends in Indiana, Idaho, New York, and Arizona. Loving and gentle-natured, most people liked him instantly.
Throughout his life he was dealt an unfair number of physical and health-related challenges. He weathered them with tenacity and a humble spirit and consistently remained more concerned for the welfare of those around him than for himself. He lived in a place of kindness and gratitude. He was generous, smart, and funny, and beloved by those who knew him. He will be dearly missed.
Jamie is survived by his loving parents; James E. and Anne (nee Bacha) Wengerd, sisters; Tamara Anne (Ryan) Shullaw, and Barbra Anna (Kelly) Cooper, nieces and nephews; Emily Anne (Daniel) Wirtz, Natalie Grace Shullaw, Owen James Shullaw, and Elliott James Cooper, his aunt Mary Jane (nee Bacha) Voytas, cousins; Kim (David) Dettloff and their son Eddie, Bob Voytas and his son Eric, Dan Voytas, Laurel Wing (Will) Caston and her son Blake Wing, Linda K. Fischer, Heather Heidrich, and Charlie Wengerd. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents; John and Anna Bacha, paternal grandparents; Barbara and Ralph Wengerd, his uncle Charles Wengerd, and aunt Barbara Haver.
Services for Jamie are private. A celebration of life event is being scheduled for a future date. Memorials in his name may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, United Cerebral Palsy, or the American Cancer Society.
It's been said we are made of stardust. Jamie will once again live among the stars.