George “Barrie” Tyler, of Monee, who reached the golden age of 85, passed away on the morning of January 2, 2023. Born on January 7, 1937, in Swinefleet, North Yorkshire, England, he was the son of George Bertram Tyler and Eva Alice Freeman.
Barrie’s father and mother ran Westfield farm, where he and his three siblings – Gloria (Tyler) Darley, Janet (Tyler) Stead, and Peter Tyler – grew up sharing and enjoying the duties of farm life. Life on the farm was where he developed his love of animals, hard work ethic, and a dedicated sense of discipline. Barrie served three years in the British Army and then went on to trade school to be a machinist. He played on a local rugby team and, as a result, was an avid rugby fan for the rest of his life. While in Leicester, he met and fell in love with Sheila Green. They got married and had their two daughters, Kate and Sally.
In 1982, Barrie and his family emigrated to the U.S., settling in the Chicagoland area, where he first worked for Tootsie Roll Industries. His passion for building and perfecting wrapping machinery continued in his work on machines for Nabisco, Life Saver, and M&M Mars. A dedicated laborer, he believed in good, honest work. He always said, “Do a job right or don’t do it at all,” and he lived by those words. His lifelong hobbies included fishing, rugby, gardening, and watching old westerns.
Barrie is survived by his wife, Sheila Tyler; daughters, Kathryn (Daniel) Ball and Sally (Tim) Oakes; and two grandsons, Charlie Oakes and Jamie Oakes.
A small gathering of family and friends met to honor Barrie on January 6, at Peotone Cemetery. It was followed by a celebration of life at a family home. Share a memory at www.feddehelfrichcrossfh.com.