Longtime Elgin educator saw best in students

A 33-year veteran of Elgin Area School District U-46 who was an active member of the Elgin community died Wednesday.

Wayne E. Block, 85, began his career in the Elgin public school system as a social studies teacher, physical education instructor and football coach at Abbott Middle School.

He was promoted to assistant principal at the Elgin school and served in that capacity until his daughter enrolled there.

To give the teenager some space, Block moved to Kimball Middle School, where he served as assistant principal until he retired in the mid-1980s.

After retiring, he served as football and baseball coach at Valley Lutheran High School in St. Charles.

Block's style was to look for -- and bring out -- the best in his students, said his daughter, Bonnie Sternberg.

"He always tried to give the kids he was working with a positive goal," Sternberg said. "In his coaching, he always encouraged good sportsmanship and fair play."

Before his coaching days, Block was a gridiron star at Northern Illinois University, where he earned a degree in education, Sternberg said.

He enrolled at NIU after serving in World War II from 1942 to 1945 in the Army Air Corps.

Block was active in the Elgin community, as a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Elgin, the National Education Association, the Illinois Education Association, the Elgin Golden "K" Kiwanis Club and American Legion Post 57.

A passionate golfer and fisherman, Block was most passionate about his family, Sternberg said.

"He took an interest in all of us," Sternberg said. "He was very proud of his family, and he was a very ardent family man."

Survivors include his wife, Lois Block, whom he married on Aug. 9, 1946; a daughter, Bonnie Sternberg of Elgin; a son, Charles Block of Honolulu; a grandchild, Courtney Sternberg; a brother, Sievert Block; and a sister, Janice Block.

Visitation will be 1 p.m. until the time of the memorial service at 2 p.m. Sunday at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1111 Van Buren St., Elgin. Interment will be private in Huntley Cemetery.

The omission of flowers is requested with memorials made to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church or school.