Lewis F. "Lew" Concklin Jr.

Lewis F. Concklin, Jr., age 74, of Western Springs, IL, passed away peacefully on the morning of January 15th, 2026. He is survived by his wife, Melanie, and his two children, Lewis and Samantha. He was the dear son of the late Lewis F. Sr. and Elsie Jane Concklin, and fond cousin and friend of many.

Lew was a civil engineer-cost estimator throughout his career working for large engineering firms in Chicago. He was gifted with the ability to calculate numbers to many decimal points on the spot in his head and, because of that, he was a valuable asset on shopping trips. He was a whiz at utilizing a spreadsheet for not only his work but enjoyed organizing data for many personal and hobby-related projects.

Known as "Choo-Choo Lew" by his friends, Lew was a jovial man who always brought joy and life to the room. He was deeply passionate about his interests and especially enjoyed model railroading. As a member of his model railroad club in Oak Park, IL he held various positions within the club, and enjoyed the friendships and camaraderie of the relationships he built over the years.

Lew also had a number of other passions. Fighting Illini basketball and football was a joy of his as he took many drives to Champaign to cheer on his alma mater. He had a very curious mind, especially for "Dad" subjects like history, economics, transportation, and engineering which propelled him to dive headfirst into various topics on Wikipedia. He was proud to play Santa at the family holiday parties, and of the many road trips taken across the country with his family. Whenever he could include industrial areas, he would weave a drive-by of a steel mill or manufacturing plant into the itinerary.

Whether it was attending plays, musicals, shows and storytelling with Melanie, bringing flowers to Samantha's orchestra performances or driving her to Girl Scout camp, or supporting Lewis in his scouting adventures and pursuits (sleeping in a cave and helping out on his Eagle project), Lew was a loving and caring man who put his whole heart into everything he did. He could be counted on. Everyone who got to know him became an instant friend. He will be deeply missed by all of the folks he made smile over the years.

Remembrance and visitation from 4 to 8pm on Thursday, February 12th at Hallowell & James Funeral Home, 1025 W. 55th St., Countryside, Illinois. Refreshments will be provided. Funeral Info: 708-352-6500