Date of Birth
April 10, 1951
Date of Death
December 7, 2021
John Joseph Tarmichael, age 70, of Sycamore, passed away the evening of December 7, 2021, and leaves a legacy of loving memories for his family to treasure.
He was born on April 10, 1951, in Akron, OH, to proud and loving parents, Arthur and Beatrice (Adams) Tarmichael.
John grew up in Akron for a time before the family moved to Glen Ellyn and attended local schools. He graduated in 1969 from Glenbard West High School. Before graduating, John made a name for himself on the gridiron as a member of the State Champion Hilltoppers. Not to be outdone, he also was a top-notch wrestler and a threw shot with the track and field team.
Following graduation, he attended the College of DuPage where he received an associates of arts with an emphasis in Business. He jumped into the working world in high school when he worked at a local grocery store but eventually began a career in sales. First up was Rainbow bread, but he quickly moved on to soft drinks and eventually became sales manager until his retirement in 2016.
John met the love of his life at rival school, Glenbard East, but he never held it against Rosemarie Ditter. The high school romance bloomed into a lifelong love on February 20, 1969, at the St. Louis Cathedral in St. Louis, MO. They began their life together in West Chicago before moving to St. Charles, and Genoa before settling in Sycamore in 2018.
He was a proud member of the Knights of Columbus in Genoa.
John was the king of corny dad jokes. If you didn’t groan, he wasn’t working hard enough. Fishing gave him a sense of peace (as long as the line ended in a bobber), and he loved taking his kids to Herrick’s Lake in Winfield. John loved his kids and was their biggest fan, cheering the loudest at every game. No matter what they loved, he loved it too and supported them 100%. You never left his home hungry and all were welcome at his dinner table. Mostaccioli was cooked by the “vat” and generously shared with the dinner table and the neighborhood at large. He was larger than life and his generous heart was full of love for everyone. He will never be forgotten.
He is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Rosemarie Tarmichael; six children: Susan LaSalle, Cathy (Brian) King, John (Caroline) Tarmichael, Gregory Tarmichael, Stephen (David DuVerney) Tarmichael, and Christopher Tarmichael; eight grandchildren: Dominic and Parker LaSalle, Zach, Aidan, and Connor King, Olivia Wray, Maxwell Wray, and Jaxson Tarmichael; six siblings: Art Tarmichael, Ellen Tarmichael, Elizabeth (George Vann) Tarmichael, James (Linda) Tarmichael, Mary (Larry) McManus, and Timothy (Sheila) Tarmichael; many nieces, nephews, and a community of friends.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Arthur and Beatrice Tarmichael and two siblings in infancy.
Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m., Friday, December 17, 2021, at Conley Funeral Home, 116 W. Pierce St., Elburn, IL. A memorial Mass to celebrate his faith will be at 10:30 a.m., on Saturday, December 18, at St. Mary Catholic Church, 244 Waterman St., Sycamore, IL 60178. Private family burial will follow cremation at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the charity of your choice. Tributes and memories may be left on the Conley Funeral Home Facebook Page, or at www.conleycare.com.
Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m., Friday, December 17, 2021, at Conley Funeral Home, 116 W. Pierce St., Elburn, IL. A memorial Mass to celebrate his faith will be at 10:30 a.m., on Saturday, December 18, at St. Mary Catholic Church, 244 Waterman St., Sycamore, IL 60178. Private family burial will follow cremation at a later date.