Adalbert Pleshar Obituary

Adalbert J. Pleshar, Jr.
Born: August 26, 1943 in Hinsdale, IL
Died: March 13, 2024 in Phoenix, AZ
Adalbert J. Pleshar, Jr. died peacefully on Wednesday, March 13, 2024 in Phoenix, AZ at the age of 80. Al (or "Butch", as he was known by his family) is survived by his children, Mark and Stephanie Beale (Tim); three grandchildren, Ava, Zander and Logan; siblings Eunice, Sam (Patti), Nadine Herion, Darice Carlstrom and Xaverie; and numerous nieces, nephews, friends, business partners and colleagues. He was preceded in death by his parents Adalbert Sr. and Margaret (nee Petrick), as well as two siblings, Darlene Murphy (John) and Robert (Jean).
Al was born on August 26, 1943 and raised in a family of eight children in Westmont, IL. He attended Holy Trinity School in Westmont with the Class of 1957 and St. Procopius Academy in Lisle, IL where he played on the St. Procopius golf team, graduating in June 1961. After graduation Al enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he served as a military police officer, stationed in Grand Forks, ND and in Guam.
Upon discharge from the Air Force, Al returned to Westmont to work with his parents at the family-owned Pleshar's Pharmacy at 2 N Cass Avenue, where he handled all advertising and marketing for the pharmacy and gift shop, while also attending Bryant & Stratton Business College in Chicago. It was at the college that he met his first wife Patricia (nee Andrzejewski). They married in November 1967, and soon after, Al received his degree and started his own business as an accountant and tax practitioner. "Pleshar & Associates" was born in 1968 in a small one-room office connected to Al's brother's photography studio at 110 S Cass Avenue in Westmont.
While continuing to build his part-time practice, Al continued his work at the pharmacy which eventually led to his being recruited as Sales Manager for the advertising newspaper known as The Hi-Liter in Downers Grove. He left the Hi-Liter in 1982 to concentrate on his growing accounting practice. As the business grew, the need for more space led to multiple moves in Westmont, and eventually to an office in Darien, IL where the business remained until his retirement in 2015.
Al was passionate about his business, and took great pride in building close relationships with his clients, spending as much one-on-one time with them as possible. He was also passionate about baseball, and served as Coach & Manager for his son Mark's baseball teams in both Woodridge and Westmont for over nine years. He was a die-hard Cubs fan with season tickets for over 20 years, and enjoyed attending Cubs home games with family and friends; he even kept a TV in his office to ensure he never missed a game.
He enjoyed cooking - especially his infamous chili, and mastering some favorite recipes of foods he enjoyed in his childhood. He loved spending time with family and enjoyed when the house was filled with sounds of laughter from family and friends; especially on Christmas Eve, when Al "secretly" played Santa Claus to his nieces, nephews and friends' children. It was always a highlight of the evening and hard to tell who had more fun....Al or the children!
Upon his retirement, Al permanently relocated to his home in Scottsdale, AZ where he lived until his move in January 2022 to a residential care home in Phoenix. Under the guardianship of his children, Al enjoyed his peaceful surroundings, visits with his family, and the dedicated care staff until his death.
Al will be remembered as a fun-loving and generous man. His work ethic was unmatched, as evidenced by 47 years in business serving the Westmont/Darien communities and beyond. As a member of the Westmont Chamber of Commerce, he organized and served in numerous fundraisers throughout the years. He was also a member and director of the National Association of Tax Practioners (NATP)-Illinois Chapter. He will be greatly missed, but anyone who knew him was blessed to have had him in their lives. May he rest in peace.
Plans for a memorial gathering to honor Al's life are forthcoming and will be communicated at a later date.