Dennis D. "Bud" Iliff

Dennis D. "Bud" Iliff was a retired sheet metal worker from the Chicago area whose life was shaped by decades of union work, volunteer service to veterans, and close family ties. He died on October 2, 2026, in Schiller Park, Illinois, at the age of 88, according to an obituary published through Chicagoland Cremation Options of Schiller Park.

Iliff was born on December 7, 1937. He spent his working life as a sheet metal worker and was a longtime member of Sheet Metal Workers' Local 73 in Chicago, a trade union whose apprenticeship and journeyman ranks have supplied skilled workers to the region's construction and fabrication industry for generations. His obituary says that to him the union was far more than a profession, describing it as a brotherhood that provided lifelong friendships, endless stories, and a sense of purpose and pride that stayed with him throughout his life.

Beyond the trade, Iliff was known in his community as a devoted advocate for fellow veterans. His obituary notes that his dedication to veterans was a meaningful part of his life, and that he spent countless hours volunteering and supporting fellow veterans, forming bonds through shared experiences and giving back to a community he cared about deeply. Those who knew him describe a natural conversationalist: a natural talker who never met a stranger, who could strike up a conversation anywhere, with anyone, about just about anything, and who always had a story to tell. Family members have joked that he never met a stranger, and if he did, they usually were not strangers for long.

He is remembered first as a family man. He is survived by his wife, Myrtle Iliff, and by his children Kelly Walsh, Patricia Fela, and Brian Iliff, along with his grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son, Kevin Iliff, and his son-in-law, Marty Walsh. He was also a brother to Judy, and was preceded in death by siblings Marion, Jeanine, and James.

No cause of death has been made public. His obituary states that he passed away peacefully, without further medical detail. Funeral and cremation arrangements have been handled by Chicagoland Cremation Options of Schiller Park, Illinois. As is common with private family obituaries, public tributes so far have come mainly through the funeral home's online guestbook rather than from public figures or institutions, reflecting a life whose impact was felt most deeply within his family, his union, and his local community rather than on a national stage.