January 16, 1963 – August 4, 2020
Cameron Hach, 57, of Chicago, Illinois, died on August 4, 2020 of natural causes. Cam was a friend to everyone who crossed his path, and he will be missed by so many. Whether he was in your life for two days or twenty years, his kindness was of a rare caliber in this busy world of hurried interactions. Cam was never in a hurry when it came to those he loved-he was always there with sincerity, kindness, and his endlessly generous spirit.
Cam was born on January 16, 1963 in Elmhurst, Illinois to William and Jacqueline (Wood) Hach. He was a natural athlete from a young age and excelled in sports in high school, serving as captain of the lacrosse and football teams at Lake Forest Academy, as well as All School President. Cam embodied all of the attributes that earn high schoolers praise from their peers: athletic, good looking, funny, and smart. This made him popular, but popularity was never his priority. Instead, he was someone who people looked up to because he would never sacrifice kindness for coolness. Cam just made kindness cool. He fit in with every clique because he didn’t try to fit in with anyone. He was unapologetically himself; ever since adolescence, people loved him for that.
His parents exposed him to travel at a young age, and the bug bit hard. Cam loved to travel because it was a chance to meet new people and to become a part of their world, if only briefly.
For most years during childhood, Cam and his family would travel to San Andres, Colombia. The tiny island of white sand beaches was largely undeveloped back in the 70’s and early 80’s, and the three siblings remember it like their own Swiss Family Robinson adventure. Cam would swim and snorkel with his brother and sister. The long stretches of quiet coastline became the paradise of their childhood.
After attending Kendall College, Cam entered the family business and climbed the ranks until he was a leader in the concrete restoration industry. He became president of William Hach & Associates, Inc. in 1998. That level of authority never took away from his willingness to give the shirt off his back to anyone he worked with. Cam was the kind of boss who wouldn’t stop for a coffee without first finding out if anyone else wanted one, too-which meant he often showed up at job sites with trays full of Starbucks.
Football was a constant in Cam’s life. He was a loyal Oakland/Los Angeles/Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders fan, but his passion for the game ran deeper than teams. He’d watch any game, and he even managed to visit every single NFL stadium in the country.
His love of travel continued into adulthood. Cam embraced any opportunity to take a trip with friends or family.
Cam was unlike most people-even when he wasn’t in a foreign country. Perhaps that’s why he collected so many nicknames throughout life. People called him Shaft, Cammy, SFU, Brillo, Uncle Baby, Spammy, El Bote, and probably many more nicknames we’ll never know. A friendship with Cam always earned that kind of closeness; his collection of nicknames is a testament to the collection of loved ones he leaves behind.
He will be remembered as a delightfully eccentric uncle, a committed friend who could never hold a grudge, a lighthearted funny guy, and a fiercely kind and generous soul who put others before himself.
Cam is survived by his brother, William Hach, sister-in-Law, Ann (Dougherty) Hach; his sister, Dawn (Hach) Lawler, and brother-in-law, Tom Lawler; his nephew, William, and nieces, Ashley (Matt) Hach Midei, Claire Hach and Arden Lawler; his great-nephew, Henry Midei, and great-niece, Jacqueline Claire Midei.
He is predeceased by his parents, William and Jacqueline (Wood) Hach.
A socially-distanced service would not have been Cam’s style. His family plans to wait until 2021, when conditions allow for the kind of send-off Cam would have wanted, with hugs and laughter and the celebration of his life. A commemorative brick has been dedicated to Cam at the new Raiders stadium in Las Vegas; he’ll never miss a game.
Funeral Arrangements handled by JGeils Funeral Services, 630-247-6623
To all the families that have supported my father, Jim, throughout his 45 years as a funeral director, I hope you will continue to let me serve you moving forward.