Brian Gilboy, 48, of Lake Zurich, passed away at his home on Monday, August 31, 2020. Born in Euclid, Ohio on April 28, 1972, he is the son of Gary Gilboy and Charleen (Wheeler) Gray. He attended Joliet Catholic High School and received his Bachelors degree from Bradley University in Peoria, IL, where he made lifelong friends and met his best friend, Melissa (Vagnoni) Gilboy.
Brian and Melissa were married in October of 1996 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Kenosha, WI. Brian began his career in the Staffing Industry at Aerotek and later started his own specialty tax services consulting company, Bearing Strategies.
Brian was an athlete and continued to play soccer as an adult, even making a brief come-back after several rounds of chemo. Whether he was actively playing or not, Brian’s soccer buddies were an important part of his life. Brian also developed deep friendships through his beloved Lake Zurich Euchre Club as well as through his network of Ela Soccer and Lake Zurich Cross Country families. Brian’s friends describe him as genuine, generous, and full of energy.
Brian was an amazing husband and father and was extremely proud of his family. He was a “doer” – never wasting a day. He gave generously of his time and was always looking for ways to care for his family, friends, and community. He trained for and competed in many races, including the Northshore Half-Marathon, the Milwaukee Marathon, and the Chicago Marathon. His running was a huge inspiration to his two boys, who are both accomplished runners.
Brian partnered with Ela Soccer to found Kick It Forward (www.elasoccer.com/kickitforward) with a goal to recycle gently used soccer gear locally and to share outdated uniforms with children from impoverished communities in other countries. To date, we have distributed over 1500 items and outfitted 10 teams all over the world! In February, Brian took a trip to Costa Rica to deliver donations. It became one of his last wishes to request donations, in lieu of flowers, to assist one of the families there with their dream of owning their own home. To learn more about the family and to make a donation, please visit our Go Fund Me page (details below).
Brian is survived by his wife, Melissa (Vagnoni) Gilboy; his two sons, Kyle and Jack; his siblings Sean Gilboy and Colleen (Gilboy) Brunner; and his parents, Gary Gilboy and Charleen (Wheeler) Gray.
A visitation and remembrance honoring Brian’s life will be held on Friday, September 4 from 3-7PM at Ahlgrim Funeral Home in Lake Zurich. Due to current restrictions, only 50 people will be allowed in at one time (masks required). Brian was sensitive to people’s individual situations and would not have wanted anyone to feel obligated to attend if uncomfortable.
In lieu of flowers, please visit our Go Fund Me page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/brian-gilboy?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1
To share pictures and funny stories, please visit: https://www.gatheringus.com/memorial/brian-thomas-gilboy/4937
Ahlgrim Funeral Home
415 S Buesching Rd
Lake Zurich, IL 60047
847-540-8871