Ervin Simek

Ervin J. "Erv" Simek, 94, passed away peacefully on January 20 2010 surrounded by his loving family. Ervin was born in Chicago in February, 1915, to immigrant parents from Czechoslovakia. They lived on Chicago?s South Side where both he and his older sister, Helen, attended grade school and high school. Ervin was the first in his family to attend college, graduating in 1937 from Armour Institute of Technology (now Illinois Institute of Technology) with a degree in Fire Protection Engineering, and later from John Marshall Law School. He was an active member of the Illinois and Chicago Bar Associations. During a trip with his sister to visit her husband?s relatives in Baltimore in the early 1930s, 17-year-old Ervin met Imilda Buckingham. After a lengthy correspondence, they were married in June, 1941, in Baltimore. Ervin brought his new bride to Springfield where he was working for the Illinois Inspection Bureau while attending law school. The Second World War intervened in their plans and he applied to the Army Air Corps for military service. Due to his unique education, the Army hired Ervin as a civilian Fire Protection Engineer to inspect bomber aircraft manufacturing plants for fire safety. After the war, the family moved into their new home in Barrington where they have lived for the past 64 years. Ervin first worked as an insurance agent for W.A. Alexander & Co. of Chicago and completed his law studies at night while Imilda managed home and family and pursued her career as a gifted artist. In the mid-1950s, Ervin entered into a partnership and established Great Lakes Fire Equipment Company in Barrington. For nearly 50 years he sold fire and safety equipment from southern Wisconsin, throughout Illinois, and into northern Indiana. In his lifetime, Ervin enjoyed family driving vacations to many parts of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Second only to his wife and family, he was most passionate about opera. The couple were season subscribers to the Lyric Opera of Chicago for many years. Ervin was preceded by his parents, Joseph and Sophie Simek, his sister Helen and son Phillip. Ervin is survived by his wife of 68 years, Imilda; four children: Barbara Simek Vesper, Matthew, Jan William and daughter-in-law Judy, and Aimee Simek Skingle and son-in-law Paul. He has four grandchildren: Joanne Thomson, Carl Vesper, Kelly Rodenburgh, and Jacqueline Chandler; and four great grandchildren: Jimmy Thomson, Joey and Bryson Rodenburgh, and Lily Vesper. No services are planned at this time. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the American Heart Association would be appreciated.

---