George C. Cinert, Jr.

George C. Cinert, Jr., age 81, of Winfield, Illinois, passed away on Sunday, March 8, 2026. Born on August 25, 1944, in Berwyn, Illinois, to George C. Sr. and Florence (née Schmidt) Cinert, he spent his early years in Cicero with his brothers Chuck and Rich before the family moved to Lisle in 1954. There, George developed a deep love for the outdoors, spending countless hours hiking and biking through what is now the Morton Arboretum, fishing at Herrick’s Lake, and watching the construction of the East-West Tollway.

George attended Lisle High School, where he played football and participated in track, later graduating from Lockport Township High School in 1963. His passions for hunting, fishing, and cars were lifelong. He cherished the time spent helping his father at the Oakwyn Tire Shop in Oak Park and later racing at the Oswego Raceway. In 1967 he met Karen, whom he married on August 9, 1969. The couple lived in North Aurora and Glen Ellyn before settling in Winfield in 1972, where they raised their children, Beth and Gregory.

George worked at Foote-Jones Illinois Gear until his retirement in 2010. He shared his enthusiasm for the outdoors with his family through trips to Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and Wyoming, and later encouraged Gregory’s interest in hunting during family visits to Mississippi and along the Kankakee River. Father and son also bonded over demolition racing, with George always making time to help prepare the cars. In retirement, he enjoyed long drives along the Fox River and to Starved Rock State Park, where he loved watching the barge traffic. He took great pleasure in tending his yard, keeping bird feeders filled, and eagerly anticipating the return of Baltimore orioles, hummingbirds, and the seasonal migrations of sandhill cranes, often calling his family inside to watch them.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Karen; his children, Beth Cinert and Gregory Cinert; and his brother, Charles (Pearl) Cinert. He was preceded in death by his brother, Richard Cinert, and his parents.