January 10, 2025
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Bob Blazier, giant of Crystal Lake civic life, dies at 98

Blazier’s death came just 2 months after his wife Rosemary’s passing

By Claire O'Brien
Bob Blazier, the founder of the Crystal Lake Chamber Foundation, speaks during the Crystal Lake Chamber Foundation's 11th Annual GEM Awards Leadership Celebration on April 18, 2024, at the Boulder Ridge Country Club in Lake in the Hills. This year's award winners are Elizabeth Wakeman, of Wakeman Law Group, PC.; Randy Smith, of General Kinematics Corporation; and SHAW Media/The Northwest Herald.

Bob Blazier, the founder of the Crystal Lake Chamber Foundation, speaks during the Crystal Lake Chamber Foundation's 11th Annual GEM Awards Leadership Celebration on April 18, 2024, at the Boulder Ridge Country Club in Lake in the Hills. He has died at 98. (Gregory Shaver/Gregory Shaver )

Robert Blazier – whose decades-long, immeasurable impact on the Crystal Lake area spanned education, philanthropy, health care, business and the arts – has died at 98.

Blazier’s passing came just about two months after his wife Rosemary’s; she also was a giant in Crystal Lake civic life. The couple celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary last June.

[ Photos: Bob and Rosemary Blazier, 'Mr. and Mrs. Crystal Lake' ]

Bob Blazier, often referred to as “Mr. Crystal Lake,” was a former superintendent of Crystal Lake Elementary School District 47, a former Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce president and a former vice president of marketing and education for Northern Illinois Medical Center in McHenry (now Northwestern McHenry Medicine Hospital). He also was communications officer at Home State Bank.

But that barely begins to cover his imprint on the community.

Bob Blazier, 97, holds a picture of him and his wife Rosemary Blazier. The couple celebrates 75 years of marriage Tuesday.

Bob Blazier, 97, holds a picture of him and his wife Rosemary Blazier. The couple celebrates 75 years of marriage Tuesday. (Michelle Meyer)

He helped found the Centegra Foundation, the Raue Center for the Arts Foundation and the McHenry County College Foundation. He established the Bob Blazier Run for the Arts that benefits the Raue Center. There’s a District 47 building named for him. He even has his own Bobblehead.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Bob Blazier. For many years, Bob was not just a beloved resident of Crystal Lake, but also a colleague of ours at Home State Bank,” the bank posted on its Facebook page. “During employee trainings, he taught our team to ‘Give ‘em the PICKLE!,’ symbolizing the importance of taking the extra step, of giving more. Bob always ‘gave more’ to our community, and we are so much the better for it. It was a life well lived, and he will be dearly missed.”

Steve Slack, CEO and vice chairman of the board at Home State Bank described Blazier as “a true gentleman that always gave more than he received in return.”

Chris Christensen has known Blazier since 2002.

“He helped change my life,” Christensen said, explaining he was among the first members of the Crystal Lake Chamber Young Professionals, which Blazier helped start.

Christensen said Blazier also gave him the best advice: “If you take care of your community, it will take care of you.”

Check back for updates on this breaking story.

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