Celebrating 21 Years as Barrington’s Signature Magazine
Celebrating 21 Years as Barrington’s Signature Magazine
Long before Chuck Thyfault built a life in Barrington, his parents met here as young guidance counselors at Barrington High School.
His father, John, and his mother, Lois, were both guidance counselors at Barrington when fate intervened at a railroad crossing near downtown. Her car became caught behind a stuck, lowered gate, and John, who was stopped behind her, came to the rescue. He lifted the gate. Then asked her out for a date.
Years later, Chuck found himself sharing this story at my office on Lageschulte, a block from this crossing where his parents’ fate was secured.
His parents were transplants—his father a small-town Kansas native and his mother a city girl from Detroit—but Barrington became home.
John eventually served as an assistant principal at Barrington High School, and Chuck grew up on Prairie Avenue and later Cumnor Avenue, attending Grove Avenue School, Lines, Station Middle School, and Barrington High School along with his brother Greg and sister Ellice.
Some of his most enduring memories are quintessentially small-town American: Little League baseball games that friends still talk about decades later, summers playing in the halls and gym at Barrington High School while his father worked, and eventually golf, a sport that became a major part of his youth.
Golf took Thyfault to the University of Arkansas on scholarship, although a coaching change ultimately sent him on a winding collegiate journey through Harper College, College of Lake County, and eventually the University of Kansas, where he earned a business degree and later an MBA.
That meandering route may have prepared him well for entrepreneurship.
After graduate school Thyfault returned to Barrington and briefly worked writing mortgages before he and his brother, Greg, started Midwest Financial in the early 1990s. Their office was in a small house on West Main Street in downtown Barrington.
Chuck remembers the business with a comparison.
He and Greg, he says, were a little like George Bailey and the Bailey Brothers Building and Loan in the classic movie “It’s a Wonderful Life”—a small, local family company trying to provide value while competing against much larger financial institutions.
Self-employment brought inevitable ups and downs, but the business succeeded. Today, Thyfault remains involved in the mortgage industry, although his professional schedule allows him more time for something that has become equally important: community service.
That instinct goes back decades.
Thyfault joined the Barrington Lions Club in 1994 and has served twice as president, as well as treasurer and secretary, while participating in numerous club projects and fundraisers. He later became active with the Barrington High School Alumni Association, eventually serving as its president.
His volunteer résumé extends well beyond committee meetings.
For years, Thyfault coached Barrington children in baseball, basketball, football, and even soccer—although he readily admits his soccer team failed to win a game. He served on the baseball board and spent six years as Pony League Commissioner.
The wins and losses were never really the point.
“I’ve received more pleasure from helping someone than from getting something,” he says.
That philosophy also shapes how he thinks people should approach volunteerism. Too often, he believes, people hesitate to become involved because they assume an organization will demand more time than they can give.
Thyfault’s response is simple: do what you can.
“If you can even make one event or meeting, I’m happy,” he says. “We don’t expect perfection. We just want you to be available on occasion and be willing to try.”
That lack of judging or criticizing others is something he learned from his father.
John Thyfault, Chuck remembers, was not particularly interested in metrics or evaluating people. He wanted to know them, understand them, and be a good person to those around him. Chuck has tried to follow the same rule.
Whenever he finds himself judging someone, he reminds himself that he rarely knows everything happening in that person’s life.
The same values carried into his own family. Chuck and his wife, Mary Sue, whom he met while they were students at the University of Kansas, raised three children—Brad, Brian, and Annie—in Barrington.
He has encouraged them to work hard, be responsible, treat people kindly, and not define themselves by financial success alone. Money can provide comfort and opportunity, he believes, but it does not determine whether someone has a meaningful life.
In many ways, Thyfault’s life has remained remarkably rooted in the community where it began.
The boy who played Little League and ran around the high school hallways as a child became the businessman working from a little house on Main Street, the coach standing beside local playing fields, the Lions Club volunteer, the alumni leader, husband, and father.
And he is not finished.
He hopes to continue finding ways to make an impact in Barrington, while watching his children build lives of their own. He would also like to make one special pilgrimage—to St. Andrews in Scotland to play golf.
But ask Thyfault what has mattered most, and the answer keeps returning to people.
Helping them.
Coaching them.
Giving them the benefit of the doubt.
Showing up when he can.
George Bailey eventually discovers in “It’s a Wonderful Life” that wealth can be measured in ways that have little to do with a bank account. Chuck Thyfault seems to have figured out much the same thing. For him, a life well lived is not necessarily defined by what you accumulate. It is defined by what you give away.
The Adler Family moved to Barrington in 2004, and when our oldest hit youth baseball age, he was assigned a random team, and that’s when we met Coach Chuck. One of the happiest guys I know and always looking on the bright side of things, he rarely said a discouraging word about anyone. My son’s team could be behind 15-5 and Chuckie would grin and say, ‘Hey, the kids are playing well and it’s a beautiful day and at least it’s not raining,” (and suddenly it would start misting); then ‘Ha, at least there’s no lightning,’ (at which time the lightning detector of course goes off), and finally, ‘Well, at least there’s no tornado’ (causing us to look around with some trepidation before saying ‘You’re right!’ while sprinting for cover…).
After a few years of co-coaching Barrington Youth Baseball and Barrington Youth Football teams, Chuck mentioned to me one day that the Barrington Lions Club was hosting the annual Brat Tent event downtown and ‘Why don’t you come by and help us out, it’ll be really fun?’ I did, and spent the next six hours blissfully flipping burgers and brats in the hot July sun while Tom Sawyer, I mean, Chuck, proceeded to vanish after about an hour, whispering something about ‘teatime,’ which I thought was odd until I realized he meant he was leaving me to go golfing. I later joined the Lion’s Club anyway.
Now, as a fellow officer in the Lions Club and its sister Foundation, I can see how generous my friend Chuck is with his time in service to the community and that he does it not for self-glory, but for the greater good. The club is one of his biggest passions, next to his family, golf, the Kansas Jayhawks, golf, baseball, golf, and perhaps donuts and, um, golf. He has a knack for recruiting new people. And he leads by example, attending as many club service events as possible and joyfully putting the work in. Great job, Chuck!
Chuck and I both grew up in the village, a block apart, and played games with other neighborhood kids during the long days of summer. We were on the same Little League team one year. As the middle child of three
siblings, I think Chuck was a good listener and negotiator. His family moved across town, and I was a year older, so we didn’t cross paths much at BHS or afterward. When I needed to refinance my mortgage several times, Chuck reentered my life as a trusted friend.
We both worked in town and eventually moved back to Barrington to raise our families. About 10 years ago, Chuck asked me to join him in the Lions Club. I wish I’d done so sooner! Chuck seems to know so many more people than I do because of his mortgage clients, business contacts, and
frequent outings on area golf courses. He equally enjoys meeting new people and visiting with old friends—and maybe they need a loan, too.
I’m sure Chuck took on a leadership role in the Alumni Association for the same reason. He seeks ideas from others to help promote Barrington, his bank, or the Lions Club, and he understands that someone needs to take those ideas and put them to work. Chuck is a great example of someone in our community who engages with current and former residents to make our town a better place to live.
The Thyfault name was well known at Barrington High School as far back as 1970. With Chuck’s father in administration and the Thyfault children active in golf and tennis, the name was one we all knew. As the Barrington community continues to welcome alumni back, it was wonderful to see Chuck back at BHS when our children attended.
When I began planning my 40th reunion, I joined the BHS Alumni Association to better understand how our committee could create a meaningful Homecoming experience for my classmates. Luckily, Chuck was the president of the association at the time. Now, nearly 10 years later, we are still working together to plan Homecoming celebrations for generations of BHS alumni.
Chuck has a relentless commitment to community and leads with enthusiasm, joy, and an endless supply of ideas. His energy has helped turn great ideas into reality—from Homecoming parades to musical presentations at BHS celebrating Alumni Legends.
Chuck has also been there for my family. Most recently, he helped my daughter with her mortgage and caddied for my husband John as he worked to qualify for the U.S. Amateur. Chuck was arguably overqualified as a caddie! His expertise, confidence, and encouragement helped John to qualify.
I am grateful for Chuck’s friendship and for the opportunity to work alongside him. Most of all, I am thankful that someone who grew up in our community continues to give so much back to it. The Barrington community is fortunate to have Chuck Thyfault as one of its own.
What matters to Chuck is service—to friends (and friends of friends), the Barrington Lions Club, and to his community. I had never met Chuck when I called on a friend’s advice because I needed a mortgage pre-approval. He was on vacation with his family. By the end of the call he had completed my application, calmed my worries, and recommended an attorney and home inspector. No sooner than I’d settled into my new home, Chuck invited me to my first Lions Club meeting.
Having grown up in Barrington, Chuck is a second-generation Lion. The importance of the Lions Club to Chuck is the commitment to service. He’s served the Barrington Lions multiple times as its president. Believing strongly that diversity is the key to serving the community better, his recent focus has been on growing membership in both numbers and diversity. During his tenure, the number of women members has doubled, and the Club was able to add an additional scholarship for a deserving Barrington High School Senior.
You may have met Chuck at the Lions-sponsored Brat Tent. It’s a July 4th Barrington tradition. Bringing people together through service is what Chuck does so well.
I have watched Chuck Thyfault grow from a seventh grader into a service-minded community leader. Chuck is truly a builder of community. He and his brother, Greg, built a thriving local financial business that has helped many people.
Chuck has spent much of his adult life serving others, his family, and his community. Most recently, he completed his second term as president of the Barrington Lions Club, where he recruited several new members. His genuine concern for others and wonderful sense of humor bring comfort and confidence to those around him.
Chuck also served as president of the Barrington High School Alumni Association, working with the Barrington 220 Educational Foundation to enhance the Alumni Legends fundraising program. He remains on the Board, helping new officers and members plan for the future.
If you have enjoyed a brat at the Lions Club Family Brat Tent during the annual Fourth of July celebration, Chuck and fellow Lion Brian Cecola help make it happen. Chuck has also played an important role in the BHS Homecoming Parade, making certain class floats are positioned and the 50th Reunion Class is featured at the head of the parade.
I am a big fan of Chuck, having been his middle school principal and long-time friend.
I have known and been friends with Chuck for over 26 years. He and Sue were two of the first people we met when we moved to the Barrington area. We met through our respective sons and then began to coach youth sports together. I’ve learned as much about coaching kids, dealing with obstinate parents, and respecting others from him as any person I know. His willingness to give his time and to help others is continually inspiring. In the past, every time I talked to Chuck he was either coming from or going to coach a game, fulfill his role as a commissioner in Barrington Youth Baseball, help out at his kids grade school, lead a Lions Club meeting, or event or do a favor for a friend.
When I think of Chuck I am always reminded of his sense of fairness and his optimism. Whether it was youth baseball and making sure everything and everyone got a fair opportunity or giving someone the benefit of the doubt and a second chance, he is aways fair in his actions. Our best discussions are because he always sees the good in people, something I’m still learning from him. The Barrington area, heck everyone, could use a few more Chuck Thyfaults in their lives. If you don’t have a friend as good as Chuck, go find one.
I grew up with Chuck in Barrington and have been best friends since kindergarten. We have shared many school classes together in elementary, middle, and high school. Even though we attended different colleges, we re-united back in Barrington and have been next door neighbors for the past 26 years.
Chuck is truly dedicated to his family. Chuck has been a baseball, soccer, flag football, and basketball coach to his two sons. He also helped with Boy Scouts with the boys and Indian Guides and volleyball with Annie.
Chuck is an active member of the Barrington Chapter of the Lions Club. He has served as treasurer (4 years), secretary (1 year), and president (3 years). Chuck is a member of Barrington 220 Alumni Association where he helps organize class reunions.
Chuck’s work life is also grounded in Barrington. Chuck and his brother Greg began a successful mortgage business (Midwest Financial) that was in downtown Barrington for years, eventually merging with a bank in Palatine.
At the age of 16, Chuck was club champion at Thunderbird Country Club in Barrington (now Makray Memorial Golf Club), and he defended his championship the next year. At Barrington High School, Chuck was a key member of the Broncos varsity golf team. In his senior year, he was a sectional medalist and finished fourth in State. Chuck went on to play at the collegiate level at Arkansas and Kansas. Through the years, Chuck and I have attended many PGA events.
Finally, I will mention that Chuck and his friend, photographer Gary Suson, who created the 911 Memorial Exhibit, were instrumental in bringing this historic exhibit to Barrington High School in 2022.
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