Tinley Park biker lives on through the story of his kindness, unique funeral

OFF THE WIRE
By Ashley Rueff Tinley Park Tribune reporter
Tinley Park resident Gerald "Jerry Mack" McElligott died Oct. 9, but the stories of his funeral are already the stuff of local legend. (Photo courtesy of Craig Boat)

Less than a week after his funeral, the story of Gerald “Jerry Mack” McElligott is already being weaved into legend.

After passing away Oct. 9 at age 52 of liver disease, his family and friends held a day of remembrance for the Tinley Park man that turned into a tall-tale about McElligott’s whereabouts that day.

Tom Eiler, McElligott’s brother-in-law and life-long friend, said nothing could be more fitting for the big-hearted biker who never met a stranger in his life.

“He’s kind of like a legend, kind of like Paul Bunyan,” Eiler said.

He already knew McElligott would be remembered as larger-than-life because of the kind of person he was, but Eiler said the events of his funeral day and the rumors that followed are adding to the story.

The funeral itself was day-long celebration that started with a funeral procession of more than 100 motorcycles that brought Jerry’s casket in a Harley-Davidson styled hearse from Sheehy John & Sons Funeral Home in Palos Heights to St. George Church in Tinley Park.

After mass, Eiler said McElligott was taken to two of his favorite places in town where he was known to everyone as family. The first stop was Tinley Park Bowling Lanes and the second stop was Cuzin’s Neighborhood Pub and Eatery.

That’s where the legend begins.

Deanna Schmidt had plans to meet a friend at Cuzin’s on Friday. The Plainfield woman said she had never been to the bar before, so when she walked in and saw a casket on the bar her first thought was that it was an elaborate Halloween decoration.

“I thought it was a Halloween joke or prank or decoration, and then I realized it was not,” Schmidt said. “As a first time patron, can you imagine walking into a bar and seeing a casket?”

Schmidt said when she walked closer to the bar, she saw it was open and there was a real body inside.

“I was like, ‘Oh my God, I’m getting out of here,’” she said.

She left immediately and didn’t talk to anyone. After going home and considering what she saw, Schmidt said she decided to call the police.

“I don’t’ know if it’s illegal or not,” she said. “I just thought it was pretty weird.”

According to a Tinley Park police report, officers went to Cuzin’s at about 7:15 p.m. and talked to a group of motorcycle riders who were outside the bar. They said their friend McElligott had died and they brought him to the bar for a last drink.

They didn’t want to give their names to police, but they did say McElligott’s casket was inside on the bar for a while earlier in the afternoon. A bartender also told the officers the casket was inside from 2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Police said no one gave information about who was transporting the casket or where it went afterward.

Other employees and patrons at Cuzin’s said they were friends with McElligott and called him a kind-hearted teddy-bear. Each of them had their own story to tell about his kindness and friendship, but no one wanted to talk about if McElligott’s casket was on the bar Friday.

Eiler said he has heard rumors since the funeral that range from McElligott sitting in a chair at the bar to Schmidt actually being part of the funeral procession. He didn’t comment on whether or not the casket was actually in the bar, but he did say the whole day was handled very respectfully.

“It was an amazing day, an amazing send-off for this guy that so many people loved and cared about,” he said. “I don’t think he could have written down any better what he would have liked to have done for his own funeral.”

Tinley Park Police Cmdr. Pat McCain said the department reviewed the incident after Schmidt’s call, but didn’t have any reason to investigate it further.