There is no easy way to share this news…

Two weeks ago tonight, on Thursday, July 1, 2021, my beloved dad, Kevin Howard Axe, died unexpectedly.

Dad was supposed to have an angiogram the next morning, in preparation for a TAVR procedure later this month, to replace a valve in his heart. He had aortic valve stenosis/congestive heart failure.

However, he had trouble breathing in the early evening that night, which escalated quickly and his heart failed. The paramedics were called, they were unable to revive him, they took him to the hospital, where they worked on him more to no avail.

We know we are still somewhat in shock and that at 80 he lived a full and wonderful life, not without many challenges and hardships, and we are feeling both sad and peaceful.

It was bittersweet and a great honor for me to write his obituary, with feedback and suggested edits from my mom, sister Meg, husband Bob and dear family friend Sheila. Dad spent most of his professional life as a journalist and editor, so it was especially important to our family that his obituary capture his story and essence, as he did for so many others through his own writing and publishing career.

This was first shared on the Donnellan Family Funeral Services website, which is the funeral home that we chose to help us navigate the early days after dad’s death, including planning his wake/visitation and funeral. I will likely share more about those events here, including the eulogy that I gave at my dad’s funeral, as I know how much writing and sharing helps me to process grief and loss.

Kevin Howard Axe

January 20, 1941 – July 1, 2021

Kevin Howard Axe, age 80, of Evanston, Illinois, died on Thursday, July 1, 2021, from congestive heart failure. Beloved best friend and husband of Jacquie Axe (nee Beisler) for 55 years; loving father of Meg (Bill) Kenning and Kathy (Bob) Benson; proud grandfather of Sean, the late Molly, Abby, Cora and Dean; dear son of the late Bob and Helen (nee Dowler) Axe; fond brother of Greg (Mary) Axe, Sheila (Pat) Quinn, Colleen Axe and Denny Kline; fun uncle of many nieces and nephews, and cherished friend of many.

He was born on January 20, 1941, and raised in Marion, Ohio, where he met his future wife, Jacquie. Kevin attended the Pontifical College Josephinum seminary in Columbus, Ohio from his freshmen year of high school through one year of graduate school, leaving one year shy of being ordained a priest. From there he finished his Master’s degree in Journalism at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Kevin and Jacquie married on December 28, 1965.

Kevin and Jacquie moved to Evanston, Illinois, which they chose in part for its diversity, in 1966, after he took a job as an editor with Claretian Publications in Chicago, best known for U.S. Catholic magazine. Soon after, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam for a year, beginning in September 1967. While in Vietnam, Kevin worked in the personnel office at Dong Ha, which was less than 10 miles from the DMZ, where he was in charge of writing casualty reports. He received an Army Commendation Medal for creating a standard operating procedures manual for the office. During that time Kevin came to the conclusion that war often isn’t the answer, particularly in the case of Vietnam. He was also politically active throughout his life, working one summer with Saul Alinsky in Chicago’s Lawndale neighborhood, volunteering for campaigns, participating in peaceful protests and marching with civil rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Chicago.

After Kevin came home from Vietnam in 1968, he and Jacquie moved back to Evanston and Kevin returned to his job at Claretian Publications. He worked there for the next 18 years, ascending to the role of Executive Editor. During this time, Kevin was variously a board member of the Catholic Press Association, the Associated Church Press, Interchurch Features, and The Religious Public Relations Council. He also served on the Board of Trustees of the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, one of the country’s leading Roman Catholic schools of theology and ministry. Kevin then moved on to the National Safety Council, where he spent 10 years as Publisher. Kevin’s published work includes many articles and editorials in U.S. Catholic and Salt magazines, as well as co-authoring Soldiering Today, a book about his experience with the U.S. Army and serving in Vietnam. As Kevin’s career wound down, he did some freelance writing, consulting and served as a substitute teacher at Evanston Township High School. Shortly after retiring, Kevin wrote another book, Reflections for Retired People: Beginning Anew.

Anyone who ever met Kevin heard him tell at least one joke and likely many more. If you were around him regularly you would get to hear the same jokes over and over again. He struck up conversations with strangers everywhere he went. Kevin loved to share his sense of humor, play games (especially cards), watch movies, listen to music (especially The Beatles), sing (he had a beautiful voice), play his guitar and attend live theater performances (from Broadway shows to being a Steppenwolf Theatre subscriber). He watched and cheered for the Chicago Cubs religiously on TV. When the Cubs weren’t playing, he could often be found watching the Weather Channel, Golf Channel or CNN (usually with the captions on and the sound off). He had a thing for clocks (owning a ridiculous number and mostly digital ones) and was a stickler for good manners, not to mention grammar. Kevin also had really cool handwriting.

In his more active days, Kevin enjoyed golfing, playing tennis, frisbee, going for bike rides, catching waves in the ocean on a raft or bodysurfing and rollercoasters at Great America. He loved philosophy, deep conversations and J.R.R. Tolkien. Kevin walked with many on their recovery journeys, including his older daughter Meg. Kevin also got a kick out of practical jokes, which led to many of years of April Fool’s shenanigans with his younger daughter Kathy. He adored his family, especially his wife, daughters and grandchildren, all of whom he loved to brag about. Kevin also had many friends that he was grateful for.

It is somewhat fitting that Kevin died on July 1st, as were it not for COVID, he still would’ve made sure our family’s chairs were set out on Central Street that morning for the Evanston 4th of July parade. It was one of his favorite holidays, from marching with the Lawndale Lawnmowers brigade in the parade or cheering with the crowd from the curb, grilling in our backyard for our Isabella Street Block Party and watching the Fireworks at Gilson Park on the 3rd and the Northwestern landfill on the 4th.

Visitation, Friday, July 9, 2021, 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at Donnellan Family Funeral Home, 10045 Skokie Boulevard at Old Orchard Road, Skokie, Illinois 60077.

Funeral Mass, Saturday, July 10, 2021, 10:00 a.m. at Saint Nicholas Parish, 806 Ridge Avenue, Evanston, Illinois 60602.

For Kevin’s three grandchildren and others who are not able to be vaccinated yet, we request that everyone please wear a mask. We will have disposable masks available at the funeral home and church entrances.

To virtually attend the funeral Mass, CLICK HERE to access the live streaming.

Interment will be directly following the funeral at Memorial Park Cemetery, 9900 Gross Point Road, Skokie, Illinois 60076.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, https://www.heart.org/ or Three Crowns Park Foundation, 2323 McDaniel Avenue, Evanston, Illinois, 60201, (847) 328-8700, or https://threecrownspark.org/giving/.

Info: donnellanfuneral.com or (847) 675-1990