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Bill Rizek obit
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Rebecca Tung
1/15/2026 9:01 PM

I was alerted by Cindy Martin that Bill Rizek, who was active in EBC for many years, passed away on January 12 this year, at age 82. Here’s a link to his obituary.


https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/william-bill-rizek-obituary?id=60539969


I have attached my entry in the guest book below. Bill stopped responding to phone call or email, and sort of disappeared from the club for a number of years now, I often wondered what happened to him. I’m sure many of the old timers in the club remember Bill well.

Alvin Spector
1/16/2026 7:21 AM
This is very sad news, indeed. Bill was a quiet gentle soul, always a good guy to ride with. He quietly stopped riding with us many years ago. 


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David Barish
1/16/2026 9:24 AM
I am so sorry to hear about Bill's passing. I went on many rides with him over the years. I was not on the ride  to the south side of the city where Bill was alleged to have eaten six Krispy Kreme donuts. Bill was a strong rider with a quiet demeanor who I really enjoyed sharing the road with. 

Donna Fritz
1/16/2026 3:10 PM
You have to ask Rebecca  for details about the Krispy Kremes & Bill. It is another good Bill story. 

When I asked him years ago what he eats for his long rides, Bill answered " Whatever is available."  So, I guess he really  did.

Our remembrances show how sad we all  are that our friend, Bill, has passed. 

Donna 


On Fri, Jan 16, 2026 at 9:25 AM David Barish (dbarish1957@gmail.com) <Social@evanstonbikeclub.org> wrote:
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I am so sorry to hear about Bill's passing. I went on many rides with him over the years. I was not on the ride  to the south side of the city where Bill was alleged to have eaten six Krispy Kreme donuts. Bill was a strong rider with a quiet demeanor who I really enjoyed sharing the road with. 

Neal Ney
1/17/2026 8:42 PM

Bill was a fixture on Club rides when I first joined and for many years thereafter. I had heard that he often did long rides by himself, but I didn’t understand exactly what that meant until one July afternoon many years after I had joined the club. I was in Racine hanging out with a bunch of Buddhists on retreat. In the afternoon of the second day, I needed a break from all of that earnestness. Since I was sans bicycle, I elected to go for a walk on the neighborhood streets. A familiar figure pulled up alongside me and came to a stop. It was Bill. We spoke only briefly. I never did learn how far north he had ridden, but he was on his way back to Chicago. It was around 2:30 or 3:00 in the afternoon, and he had at least 65 or 70 miles to go. It amazed me then, and it amazes me still.

 


On Fri, Jan 16, 2026 at 3:10 PM Donna Fritz (bikesfritz@gmail.com) <Social@evanstonbikeclub.org> wrote:
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You have to ask Rebecca  for details about the Krispy Kremes & Bill. It is another good Bill story. 

When I asked him years ago what he eats for his long rides, Bill answered " Whatever is available."  So, I guess he really  did.

Our remembrances show how sad we all  are that our friend, Bill, has passed. 

Donna 




--
Neal J. Ney
224 Grey Ave.
Evanston, IL 60202

847-274-6480
Christopher Wilson
1/17/2026 11:49 PM
Neal,
 
It is likely that Bill arrived in Milwaukee that day after having already completed an EBC ride that morning.  Bill would often add on many more miles after his ride with EBC.
 
I will miss him.  I plan to add a short essay to Bill's funeral home's memory book.
 
Chris
- - - - - - - - - -
A(rthur) Christopher “Chris” Wilson
cell: 1.773.793.4655
(landline no longer exists)
ACWilson99@comcast.net
6448 N Talman Ave.,  W Rogers Park, Chicago, IL, 60645, USA
--------------------------------
Rebecca Tung
1/18/2026 12:09 AM
My guess as to how far north Bill went, the day Neal spotted him in Racine, would be Milwaukee as well.  We used to do a South Milwaukee ride, 147 miles from Chandler and back.

He also liked to ride along Route 50 by Kenosha by himself, I’ve spotted him on that stretch (while driving in a car) more than once.

Rebecca 
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Thomas Witt
1/16/2026 10:12 AM
Indeed he was - and a very skilled rider too. He used to put his half consumed to-go coffee cup from Bluffington’s in his water bottle cage and finish it by the time we got south to Ft Sheridan. Always cracked me up - and impressed me as well. 

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Cindy Martin
1/16/2026 10:18 AM

I was really sad when I saw this in my Google Alerts. He was very helpful to me as a newbie club member 20+ years ago as I transitioned from a step-through hybrid to my first road bike. Quiet demeanor, but very knowledgeable. I also remember hearing something about him riding to/from EBC rides, even though he lived in the far northwest part of Chicago -- near Oak Park as I recall.

Jo Gayle
1/16/2026 10:26 AM
I only did a couple of rides with Bill because he was a much faster rider than I was, but he joined a small group of EBCers who played Mexican Train way back when. I always enjoyed his company. He will be missed.

Jo

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Hank Scheff
1/16/2026 11:08 AM
Bill was active with EBC in 1993 when I joined, he was a very frequent rider who knew how to bundle up so he could ride year round.  I rode with him frequently. Very quiet, kind of a loner.  I used to see him riding on his own, clearly cycling is what kept him going.  I think EBC was welcoming to him but I am guessing he was a lonely person, maybe that was his preference?

Hank

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Jay Twery
1/16/2026 11:50 AM
I am sadden to hear of Bill's passing. I remember many rides back from Bluffingtons with him sipping his cup of coffee and then blasting past me at highland Park high school. 
I also spent a really nice day with with him riding the hilly hundred in Indiana. He was stronger, but  never minded waiting for me to catch up. 
Jay


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James Heller
1/16/2026 12:50 PM
I have some of the same memories as Jay.  Bill loved to ride and I loved riding with him.  Every Wed. we would ride home on Sheridan road and at Tower road we would "race" down Sheridan.  Bill bought a Specialized (I think) bike whose frame was guaranteed for life.  Bill put so man;y miles on the bike that the frame failed. The company gave  Bill a new bike!  

Jim

On Fri, Jan 16, 2026 at 11:51 AM Jay Twery (jaytwery@gmail.com) <Social@evanstonbikeclub.org> wrote:
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I am sadden to hear of Bill's passing. I remember many rides back from Bluffingtons with him sipping his cup of coffee and then blasting past me at highland Park high school. 
I also spent a really nice day with with him riding the hilly hundred in Indiana. He was stronger, but  never minded waiting for me to catch up. 
Jay


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Daniel Litoff
1/21/2026 8:46 PM

I am sad to hear of Bill's passing. He was a very skilled rider and would participate in whatever crazy rides I would lead. He rode on my Dunkin Donuts Century and even the January Century of the Month Ride in 1995. He was a quiet person who didn't speak about his military service that I can remember.

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