Bryan James Grelyak

Bryan James Grelyak, age 58, of Harvard, Illinois, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, April 10,
2024, due to a sudden cardiac event.
Bryan was born April 16, 1965, to Kenneth James Grelyak and Donna Marie Hartung in Chicago,
Illinois. He married Cheri Cooper on October 4, 2003, in Pell Lake, Wisconsin.
In life, Bryan was a self-employed farmer and excavator. He had an outstanding work ethic and was
meticulous in all he did. He was a man of many talents and could fix anything. In his youth he raced
motocross for 10 years and enjoyed taking his custom monster truck “Radical Taz” to shows. He enjoyed
building custom hot-rods, doing restoration of old vehicles, and especially passionate about drag racing
with his 55 Chevy.
Bryan was a good friend to many and had a young fun-loving spirit, so the more he teased you the more it
meant he liked you. Friends and family meant everything to him. He especially enjoyed meeting his
farmer buddies at Kelly’s Restaurant for breakfast, and loved all of the time he spent with his family and
friends. He will be greatly missed by all.
Survivors include his loving wife and best friend Cheri, mother Donna, brother Jeff and wife Alicia, aunts
Lee Ann Calcagno and Farol Tomsovic, father-in-law and mother-in-law Donald and Jean Cooper,
brothers-in-law Robert (Bonnie) Cooper and Michael (Teresa) Cooper, nieces and nephews Jeremy
Grelyak, Javan Rodgers, Asha Billstrand, Kira (Gregg) Petersen, Kayla (Samuel) Kagel, Lily Cooper, and
great nephews Wade Petersen and Regan Kagel, many cousins and his four legged friend Dozer.
He was preceded in death by his dad Kenneth, maternal grandparents Virginia and Charles Hartung,
paternal grandparents Violet and Wendelin Grelyak, and several aunts and uncles.
There will be a Celebration of Life held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the American Diabetes Association or to your favorite animal
shelter or rescue.
Bryan lived by the famous quote by Abraham Lincoln:
And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count, it’s the life in your years.
Family and friends may sign the online guest book at www.saundersmcfarlin.net
Call Saunders & McFarlin Funeral Home for more information at 815-943-5400.

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