Robert S. Hegberg

Robert Stanley Hegberg, 90, originally from Brookfield, IL, passed away February 8, 2024. He was the son of Stanley Werner Hegberg and Louise Marie Woods Hegberg and stepson of Mary O'Hara Hegberg, who predeceased him. Bob was a graduate of St. Francis Xavier grade school in LaGrange, IL Fenwick high school in Oak Park, IL, and Wabash College of Crawfordsville, IN. He lived for some time in Grayslake and spent many years in both Chicago and Oak Park. A lifelong dedication to table tennis found him winning many Chicagoland tournaments and becoming the U.S. Army Korean Army Champion in 1955. In 2000, he won a trip to the Olympics in Australia at the Chicago Ping Pong Festival Raffle and travelled there with his longtime friend, Bob Beiter. As he aged, he became known as one of the "older guys" who could beat anyone at Ping Pong. His favorite venues were the Happy Village and The Net and Paddle Club. He viewed Ping Pong as akin to chess, not only because of its position and precision, but also because of the intensity. Bob medaled in six different sports at Chicago's Senior Olympics starting when he was in his 60s. He was a habitué at many Chicago hangouts including Weeds in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood where he enjoyed meeting new people with whom he could converse for hours. Bob was predeceased by his former wife, Patricia Hegberg, his youngest son Brian Hegberg, and his sister Nancy Hegberg Dustin. He was the father of four children with his wife Patricia Hastie Hegberg: Karyn (Daniel) Gleeson, Erik (Micki Passarella), James K, and the late Brian P. Hegberg. He has nine grandchildren: Patrick, Tim, Rachel, Robert, Alice, Katie, Tom and Natalie Gleeson and Maya Nashva Taylor. He was the older brother of Nancy Hegberg Dustin and Deborah "Debbie" Hegberg Heer. Bob Hegberg was the uncle of his sister Nancy's children: Stacy (John) Verkayk, Missy (Ralph) Dangelmaier, Becky Dustin-(John) Holzwarth and Laurie (James) Byrne, and of his sister Debbie's children: Jennifer (Rob) Norman, the late J.J. Heer, Anne (Andrei) Poluchowicz and Peter (Lori) Heer. Burial of cremated remains with military honors Monday, February 19, 11am, Fort Sheridan National Cemetery, Vattman Road, Lake Bluff, IL 60044. Arrangements by Inclusive Funeral Care, 773-703-2959 or www.InclusiveFuneralCare.com.