Arthur Henry Bade

Arthur Bade passed away at St. Joseph’s hospital in Tampa, FL on July 13, 2020, with his loving son, Eric, and grandson, Drew, at his side. Art was born in Des Plaines, IL, on November 6, 1936, together with his twin brother, Albert (Al) to Carl and Ester (Winkelman) Bade. Art was the youngest of the family by mere minutes.

While growing up, his father Carl owned the Bade Bike Shop in downtown Des Plaines, a certified Schwinn dealership. There, he and his brothers spent many hours working and goofing around. When he was a boy, Des Plaines was all farm land and mostly truck farming, later growing from 4,000 people to 75,000 people after factories moved from the city into his small town.

After graduating from Maine Township High School in Des Plaines in 1954, he worked one summer in construction, and that fall enlisted in the US Marines at the age of 17 and served on active duty until 1957 in 29 Palms, California. He then served in the reserves and left the Marines as a Sergeant in 1962. During this time, he attended classes at the University of Illinois at Urbana, taking classes in accounting and working in private and public accounting. In 1960 he met his lifelong love, Janet Marjorie Marx, at Liberty Distributors where they both worked. They were married on March 5, 1960; they shared 43 years together until her passing in 2003.

Art and Jan moved to Tampa in 1969 to start a new division of RGIS, when he became Vice President of the Southern Division for RGIS Inventory Specialists. He traveled all across the Southeast and Puerto Rico setting up offices, developing a total of 35 district offices. He managed that region until he retired in 1992 at the age of 57.

Art enjoyed owning a boat. He loved taking friends and family on fishing trips offshore in the Gulf of Mexico to hunt for grouper, and to Islamorada every year for big game fishing. One of his most memorable boats was the Grouper Snooper, a large Mako that he was proud of and known in the community for. He, Jan, and their children have fond memories of camping trips, water skiing on lakes and Tampa Bay, and many family trips to Disney World, Weeki Wachee and Busch Gardens.

Art had a great sense of humor and often had a good joke at his disposal, and a hearty laugh to go along with it. He was a fun-loving spirit and enjoyed playing pool and card games. He also enjoyed barbequing, frying fish, golfing and entertaining.

Jan and Art shared a life full of the things they loved doing together. They had season tickets to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from their inaugural season in 1976 to 2010. They loved traveling and had fond memories of their Rhine River Cruises in Germany and twice seeing the Passion Play in Munich. They loved taking cruises and took frequent trips to the Caribbean. Art generously hosted family reunion cruises on several occasions giving cousins and siblings lifelong memories. Together, they traveled the world!

After the heartbreaking death of Jan, Art was fortunate to establish a deep companionship with Gail Driscoll. Art and Gail enjoyed many years together at the beach, boating, traveling, spending time with friends and family, and dining with his Gyro Club, for which he had served as President of the local chapter.

Art is survived by his children Andrew (and Barbara) Bade of Longmont, Colorado; Eric (and Jenn) Bade of Lutz, FL; Jennifer (and Doug) Woods of Burlington, VT; and Julie (and Sam) Alexander of Belle Isle, FL; and by his eldest brother Jim of Cedarville, IL. He is also survived by twelve grandchildren – Michelle, Kyle, Lorelei, Drew, Sarah, Emily, Lauren, Anson, Jaden, Sabine, August, Benjamin, and two great granddaughters: Meia and Olivia. He is also survived by his loving partner of over 15 years, Gail Driscoll. He is predeceased by his wife Janet, both his parents, his sister Joyce, and his twin brother Al.

Donations in Art’s memory can be made to the Children’s Home Network in Tampa, FL.