Henry “Hank” John Hyde, Jr., 55, of Elk Grove Village died on December 24, 2005, following a lengthy illness. Born January 18, 1950, the firstborn child of Henry J. Hyde and the late Jeanne Simpson-Hyde, “Hank”, as he was affectionately known to family and friends, grew up in Chicago’s far northwest side nieghborhoods of Sauganash and Edgebrook. He was a graduate of St. Mary of the Woods Catholic School, and later Loyola Academy in Wilmette. At Loyola, Hyde was a standout athlete, starring on both baseball and basketball. In 2003, he was inducted into Loyola Academy’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Following his first year in college at Loyola University of New Orleans in 1969, Hyde was drafted and signed by Major League Baseball’s Pittsburgh Pirates and assigned to the Niagara Falls Pirates of the minor league New York-Penn League. An outstanding pitcher, Hyde possessed a low 90’s fastball and a kneebuckling curve to go along with a baffling knuckleball. The following season he was sent to pitch for the Salem Rebels, Pittsburgh’s Class A affiliate in the Carolina League, where he played alongside future Major League players Art Howe, Kent Tekulve, Frank Taveras and future Pirates All-Star Dave Parker. In 1973, Hyde was signed by the Atlanta Braves as a free agent and assigned to pitch for the Greenwood (SC) Braves of the South Atlantic League, where he spent parts of two seasons before suffering a career-ending arm injury. Hyde then returned to his native Chicago where he volunteered for many years as a youth basketball, baseball and football coach. At the time of his death, Hyde also served as a revenue agent with the Office of the Illinois Secretary of State. Mr. Hyde is survived by two children, Veronica, 20 and Daniel, 18 and his former wife, Gina. He is also survived by his father, U.S. Representative Henry J. Hyde of Wood Dale, a sister, Laura of Chicago and two brothers, Robert of Irving, Texas and Anthony of Elk Grove Village, IL. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Geils Funeral Home, 260 W. Irving Park Rd., Wood Dale, IL. A Mass of Christian burial will take place at 12:30 p.m. December 28, 2005, at St. Julian Eymard Roman Catholic Church, 601 Biesterfield Rd., Elk Grove Village, IL. Burial will be at All Saints Cemetery in Des Plaines, IL. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to the DuPage Convalescence Center Foundation, 400 N. Country Farm Rd., Wheaton, IL 60187. Arrangements by Geils Funeral Home 630-766-3232
