Longtime Chicago bartender William Gary passed away. Known to friends and patrons as “Feathers,” Gary was 74.
As of this story’s deadline, the details of Gary’s passing are still unknown. James Henritze, a friend of Gary, told Windy City Times he had recently been in the hospital for bypass heart surgery, and suffered from liver problems.
Gary tended bar for many years, notably at Bulldog Road and Buddies Restaurant and Bar, which was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in 2003.
“He was one of a kind, and always had a crowd and a party going on,” friend and former co-worker Arturo Schultz told Windy City Times.
“Feathers was a larger than life figure in the community, known for his antics and specialty customer service, he leaves a memorable legacy,” Heartland Health Outreach Food Program Coordinator Lori Cannon told Windy City Times.
A memorial service is scheduled on Tuesday, Nov. 26, at Barr Funeral Home, 6222 N. Broadway. A time has not yet been set, but the funeral home can be reached at 773-743-4034.
Also, friends will celebrate his life with a BB-Q at the Driftwood, 1021 Montrose Ave., on Sat. Jan. 18, 2014, at 5 p.m.