News and Observations from Wapella, Illinois: Home of the Wildcats.

Facebook Activity for Wapella

Friday, September 28, 2007

William Hugh Toohill, 1957-2007

Hughie Toohill has died today from complications related to a brain tumor. More details to come. He will never be forgotten in Wapella. Our deepest condolences to his wife and his family.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

He was there when I got on the school bus for the first time, he helped me learn to drive a tractor, build fence and tell a dirty joke. He understood the concept of forgiveness better than anybody I know, maybe because he asked for it a lot. He was never afraid to tell you how beautiful you were and how much he loved you.

He wasn't my friend, brother or father. He was a great combination of all three. He was my uncle

James Daniel (as he called me)

Anonymous said...

1957-2007

He was 50.

Anonymous said...

William Hugh is up there with a small handful of people that had a knack for making you feel very special. Hard to leave a better collection of memories than Hughie left. Godspeed brother Hugh. Cousin Matthew

Anonymous said...

After a stirring round of pinochle with Clem, Sr., and William Hugh one winter evening, Hughie gave me a piece of his artwork--a painting of his house with some assorted family members that he wanted me to have. It's been hanging on my wall at home ever since. He made me smile.

Joe Powers (as he called me)

Anonymous said...

There was no one like him. He was definitely one of a kind. Just being around him made your day a whole lot better. He loved John, Paul, George, and Ringo. What more is there to say. I remember living in Grandpa's house having the cd player on shuffle with Beatles and Lennon's greatest hits playing and watching how much Hughie loved his music. I know one Lennon song in paricular that he liked, and it was one of my favorites as well. I can picture Hughie in heaven right now belting out these lyrics:

Im just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round
I really love to watch them roll
No longer riding on the merry-go-round
I just had to let it go
I just had to let it go
I just had to let it go

You will never be forgotten and greatly missed cousin.

Godspeed

Greg Toohill (as he called me)

JBP said...

Up until I was age 18, Huey was my basketball and dance hero. 25 years later, he may have lost a step on the basketball court, but he still had Wilson Township's #1 hips.

Here's to you, cousin Hugh, the most profound and most joyous man I have ever met in my life.

John Powers

JBP said...

I should add that Huey was replaced by Bruce Douglas in 1982 as my basketball hero. They both had similar games, but Huey had a better jump shot.

JBP

Anonymous said...

One summer night when Wapella had a beer garden I was in town visiting and uptown when Hugh stopped by. I was with Jackie Toohill and Tracey Ryan and Hugh embraced us all and yelled that he was in heaven with the three most beautiful girls: a Powers , a Toohill and a Ryan all in one place. Then he gathered all of us together with Dad, Pete and Buddy and we sang a Beatles song in a circle...probably something that could only happen in Wapella.

I will miss him.

Helen

PS I think it was earlier that day that he mowed our entire front yard with a hand mower while Dad cheered him on smoking Kools from his lawn chair.

Anonymous said...

I talked on the phone with Hughey last week as local people were asking me how he was doing. We talked on the phone for 1/2 or so and I reminded him that he borrowed a Derek and The Dominos cassete from my truck in 1993. On Tuesday 9/25 he sent me a letter thanking me for the call and wishing us all the best. On Weds 9/26 I received a package from him with a Clapton/Johnny Cash remix cassete. This will go in my lock box. I don't know what else to say. Michelle will remember him but Kevin probably won't. I will never forget the great one and the lessons he taught. Everybody crack open a Pabst Blue Ribbon. RJT as he called me.

Anonymous said...

my son (5 years old), who knew him as "great uncle huuwee" reacted much like I think uncle hugh would have.... he got mad. Clayton kicked the door, punched the wall and said "that's not fair, I wanted to say good bye to him." He then started to cry and said, "well mommy at least he's in heaven. Can I go ride my bike now?"...

In a wierd ass way he brought us all closer together and taught us what it means to forgive and have second chance.


Thank you for helping me learn how to be a good human, helpful to others, deep feeling, and forgiving. I will do my best to teach these lessons with your spirit at heart.
love you uncle howard!

Anonymous said...

That's great, it starts with an earthquake, birds and
snakes, an aero plane and Lenny Bruce is not afraid.
Eye of a hurricane, listen to yourself churn - world
serves its own needs, dummy serve your own needs. Feed
it off an aux speak, grunt, no, strength, Ladder
start to clatter with fear fight down height. Wire
in a fire, representing seven games, a government
for hire and a combat site. Left of west and coming in
a hurry with the furies breathing down your neck. Team
by team reporters baffled, trumped, tethered cropped.
Look at that low playing! Fine, then. Uh oh,
overflow, population, common food, but it'll do. Save
yourself, serve yourself. World serves its own needs,
listen to your heart bleed dummy with the rapture and
the revered and the right, right. You vitriolic,
patriotic, slam, fight, bright light, feeling pretty
psyched.

It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.

Six o'clock - TV hour. Don't get caught in foreign
towers. Slash and burn, return, listen to yourself
churn. Locking in, informing, book burning, blood
letting. Every motive escalate. Automotive incinerate.
Light a candle, light a votive. Step down, step down.
Watch your heel crush, crushed, uh-oh, this means no
fear cavalier. Renegade steer clear! A tournament,
tournament, a tournament of lies. Offer me solutions,
offer me alternatives and I decline.

It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.

The other night I dreamt of knives, continental
drift divide. Mountains sit in a line, Leonard
Bernstein. Leonid Brezhnev, Lenny Bruce and Lester
Bangs. Birthday party, cheesecake, jelly bean, boom! You
symbiotic, patriotic, slam book neck, right? Right.

It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel
fine...fine...

(It's time I had some time alone)

Anonymous said...

I had alot of people ask about Hugh last night in Hog City at various places, and all pass along their sincere condolenscenes. Hughie was a true blue Wildcat and will be greatly missed.

Once Hughie and I were coming home from a party on Phoenix Ave at about 2am in a snowstorm and we passed some unfortunate having car trouble on 51. Hugh had me pull over, and we got out and helped him out. We got him to safety, then Hugh and I listened to Abbey Road a couple times in Clem's driveway before we called it a night. I was fortunate enough to be in his company many times since then, but I'll always remember that time.

Ride on, brother.

Sean

Anonymous said...

My most sincere condolences to the entire family of William Hugh Toohill. Spent a few fun times at the Clem and Helen household, myself, and I know how deeply the family will feel his loss. God Bless you all...you're in my prayers!

SoCal [Beth {Oakley} Mazza]

Anonymous said...

"The Parting Glass"

Oh all the money that ere I spent,
I spent it in good company.
And all the harm that ere I've done,
alas it was to none but me.
And all I've done for want of wit,
to memory now I can't recall.
So fill to me the parting glass,
goodnight and joy be with you all.

Oh all the commrads that ere I've had,
are sorry for my going away.
And all the sweethearts that ere I've had,
would wish me one more day to stay.
But since it falls, unto my lot,
that I should rise, and you should not.
I'll gently rise, and I'll softly call, goodnight and joy be with you all.

Thank you all for you're condolances and thoughts of brohter Hugh.

Maffu (as he called me)

Anonymous said...

William Hugh Toohill's visitation will be on Sunday, September 30, 2007 at Irwin Chapel
Family Viewing - 4:00 p.m.
Rosary - 4:30 p.m.
Public Viewing - 5:00 p.m.

Irwin Chapel Funeral Home
3960 Maryville Rd.
Granite City, IL 62040
618.931.8000

Directions to Irwin Chapel
From 270 exit 203 South
Turn left on Maryville Rd (by SW College)
Go approximately 3 miles
Funeral home is on the left hand side next to GC Credit Union

Funeral - Monday, October 1 at 10:00 a.m. @ St. Mary's Catholic Church

St. Mary's Catholic Church
1621 10th St.
Madison, IL 62060

Directions to St. Mary's Catholic Church
270 exit 203 South (turns into Nameokie Rd.)
Go approximately 5 or 6 miles turn Right on Madiosn Ave (by Schnucks Grocery Store)
Turn Left on 10th (by Croation Home/Hall)
Church will be on the left

Burial - Tuesday, October 2 at 10:00 a.m. @ St. Pat's Cemetary, Wapella, IL (or Heyworth?)

I will miss his smile and always hearing how much he loved me.

Annie Thorp (as he called me)

Anonymous said...

Correction on directions:

Turn right on Madison Ave. (not Madiosn) to get to the church. Next time I will check the spelling before I post!

As you all know, St. Pat's cemetery is in Wapella!

Anonymous said...

After a day of harvest/remembering the great one, I don't recall having as many cell phone conversations with family/friends of WHT. Perhaps Francis/Big P put it the best- "He was classic and among an elite group from Hog City" Most of our Hughey commentary/quotes can't be published online but those close to the great one/TRUTH can understand. RJT as he called me.

Anonymous said...

Having only met Hugh a couple of times over the course of my life, and it was on the order of 14 or 15 years ago....I do remember that he was indeed a very nice fella, and people seemed to congregate around him. I remember being introduced to him by his brother and my former basketball coach Dennis. My deepest condolences to the entire Toohill family.

Anonymous said...

RIP Hughey. Your legacy will continue throughout Hog City.

Anon said...

Although I am not a "member" of the Toohill family anymore, WHT will be greatly missed. He know how to make people laugh. My 2 kids adored him. My daughter was very close to him. They could talk about anything! She was so grateful that he & Cathie showed up at her gradutation party. It was VERY important to her. Thanks you two!

Condolences to you Cathie. You are a blessing to the family. My kids adore you too. :)

Hughie will be greatly missed by both my kids & I.

Anonymous said...

RIP, Cousin. You're the true epitome of what a Toohill is & should be.

Anonymous said...

I think I only met Hugie twice. Not nearly enough, cousin, not enough. May the wind be always at your back now.
Cousin Mark (as he called me)

Anonymous said...

It is summer, July 2008, I still think about Hughie almost everyday. I knew him from the day
he was born until the day he died. He always wrote me letters and I still read those letters.
Hughie alway made a day memorable
if you ran into him. I wish I could run into him today!

Clement Toohill

Anonymous said...

AMEN Uncle Clem AMEN!

Anonymous said...

I was passing by Phoenix towers in Bloomington yesterday and had seen that they had replaced their sign for the second time in the last five years, anyway Hughie had painted the orginal one back in the 1990's (at least that's what he told me- haha) and I thought to myself that times fly and people are sometimes easily forgotten. My unlce Hughie would be an exception for many of reasons and I love him still for all of them. Every single time I make someone laugh with a quick witted response, I think of Hughie ( he was the best). Every time I talk History with someone I think of Hughie (he knew his stuff). Every time I play wiffle ball or basketball with the Toohill's I think of Hughie(he was better than everyone else). Every Beatles song, seed corn field, dirty joke, PBR can, and Winston cigarette( I still smoke em)that I encounter I think of my uncle Hugh. Every time a Powers boy calls me Barkley, I think of Hughie. Hughie had a smile for the ages, along with grandma Helen, and my own mother, it's easily top three in my book. In his own words he was a "keeper". I just saw that sign yesterday and started to think about the one man that had a more profound effect on me than anyone else whom I ever had the pleasure to meet. My mother wanted to name me after Hughie, but he wouldn't have it. He knew then, that there was, and always will be, only one "HUGHIE".


Barkley, Chuckles, nephew and Dickhead :) (as he called me)

Blog Archive