Barrington native, teacher, historian, coach and trustee Tim Dunn dies at 72

Barrington native and historian Tim Dunn, who encouraged students and athletes at Barrington High School and served the community as a village trustee, died Thursday at the age of 72.

Dunn was the retired head of the social studies department and a longtime football and wrestling coach at Barrington High.

During his two terms on the village board, from 1995 to 2003, he demonstrated a skill for delivering words that went to the heart of any issue when smaller details threatened to obscure it.

"He was sort of a man of the town," said Barrington Village President Karen Darch, who began her service on the board the same year as Dunn.

"Someone called him a gentle giant," she added. "He was just a good human being. Strong when he needed to be."

Dunn's roots in the community ran deep. He was the great nephew of Arnett C. Lines, who was the grandson of Barrington's first elected mayor as well as a school board member and historian for whom one of Barrington Unit District 220's elementary schools is named.

Dunn attended St. Anne Catholic School in Barrington and then received a football scholarship to Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein, where he met his wife of more than 50 years, Chris. He went on to earn a bachelor's degree at St. Thomas University and a master's degree from Northwestern University.

His love of fishing led to the establishment of the Barrington Anglers Club, which provided fellow teachers and their students with the chance to fish together locally, regionally and as far away as Canada.

Dunn's faith inspired a lifelong involvement with St. Anne Parish and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He earned a certificate of Basic Bible Studies from Loyola University.

In 2015, Dunn played a prominent role in the celebration of Barrington's sesquicentennial (150th anniversary), publicly reading the words of the 1776 Declaration of Independence during the village's July 4 observances.

Dunn is survived by his wife, daughters Erin and Emily, sons-in-law Ryan and Anton, and four grandchildren.

There will be visitations from 2 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, at Davenport Family Funeral Home, 941 S. Old Rand Road in Lake Zurich, and from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, at St. Anne Catholic Church, 120 Ela St. in Barrington.

A funeral Mass will immediately follow the second visitation at 11 a.m. Saturday, at St. Anne.