Posted 8:46 pm Wednesday, August 29, 2012
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‘Bill’ Kachlic
William “Bill” Kachlic, 70, and known to some as Chicago Bill, Motorcycle Bill, Post Office Bill and the Cowboy Fiddler, was born to William and Irmgard Newmann Kachlic on Aug. 25, 1942, in Melrose Park, Ill. He attended St. Paul Lutheran schools and graduated from Proviso East High School. He studied music and bass fiddle at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago, Ill., and played with the Milwaukee Symphony prior to serving in the Army during the Vietnam era. In 1977, he graduated from Triton College with a degree in nuclear medicine.
During the 1980s, Bill played with the East Texas Symphony and two seasons with the Longview Symphony. In December of 1990, he graduated from Kilgore College Police Academy. He served a number of years as a Tyler Police Reserve officer and deputy in Arp. In the late 1990s, he studied journalism at The University of Texas at Tyler and was inducted into the Alpha Chi Honor Society, and later wrote for the Dallas Morning News. He retired from the United States Post Office after serving more than 31 years in Illinois and Texas. Bill believed his greatest accomplishment and blessing was being the father of his daughters.
He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Donna M. Kachlic, Lindale; daughters, Colleen Kachlic of Hurst, Drs. Lara and Ken Treviņo of Rochester, N.Y., and Irving; brothers, Timothy Newmann of Naples, Fla., Ted and wife Jean Kachlic of Brookfield, Ill., Phillip and wife Elsa Kachlic of Forest Park, Ill.; numerous nieces and nephews; and his boxer, Duchess.
The family will receive visitors Wednesday, Aug. 29, from 5:30 to 8 p.m., with the rosary beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Caudle-Rutledge Funeral Home in Lindale.
Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 30, at Holy Family Catholic Church, 16292 Farm-to-Market Road 849, in Lindale.
Memorials may be made to The Hospice of East Texas Foundation, 4111 University Blvd., Tyler, 75701.
During the 1980s, Bill played with the East Texas Symphony and two seasons with the Longview Symphony. In December of 1990, he graduated from Kilgore College Police Academy. He served a number of years as a Tyler Police Reserve officer and deputy in Arp. In the late 1990s, he studied journalism at The University of Texas at Tyler and was inducted into the Alpha Chi Honor Society, and later wrote for the Dallas Morning News. He retired from the United States Post Office after serving more than 31 years in Illinois and Texas. Bill believed his greatest accomplishment and blessing was being the father of his daughters.
He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Donna M. Kachlic, Lindale; daughters, Colleen Kachlic of Hurst, Drs. Lara and Ken Treviņo of Rochester, N.Y., and Irving; brothers, Timothy Newmann of Naples, Fla., Ted and wife Jean Kachlic of Brookfield, Ill., Phillip and wife Elsa Kachlic of Forest Park, Ill.; numerous nieces and nephews; and his boxer, Duchess.
The family will receive visitors Wednesday, Aug. 29, from 5:30 to 8 p.m., with the rosary beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Caudle-Rutledge Funeral Home in Lindale.
Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 30, at Holy Family Catholic Church, 16292 Farm-to-Market Road 849, in Lindale.
Memorials may be made to The Hospice of East Texas Foundation, 4111 University Blvd., Tyler, 75701.
