WICKER PARK — William "Billy" Bumgardner, a bartender at Wicker Park's Flat Iron bar and a talented drummer who was a fixture in Chicago's heavy metal music community, has died. He was 35.
Bumgardner, a resident of Ukrainian Village, was known as Billy and Bill. He died in his home around 6:27 p.m. Sunday, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.
The examiner's office ruled the death a suicide.
Bumgardner was born on Aug. 22, 1981 in Joliet and graduated from Coal City High School in 2000, according to Bumgardner's longtime girlfriend, Jennifer Ko.
After moving to Chicago at age 18 to pursue a career in music, Bumgarder most notably played with the bands Indian and Lord Mantis.
Ed Sanders, a bartender at Flat Iron, said Bumgardner joined the bar about 10 years ago and was one of the veteran staffers. "We are all in disbelief. He was just so well loved," Sanders said.
Initially a bouncer who worked security at the bar's door, Bumgardner recently served as a bartender and barback at Flat Iron, Sanders said.
"He was a fixture at the bar and one of the funniest people, always in a good mood and always had something funny to say. He was a good worker and one of the greatest drummers I have ever known," Sanders said.
Sanders said that Bumgardner became connected to the bar at 1565 N. Milwaukee Ave. through Ronnie DeFries the bar's general manager at the time. DeFries was the bass player for Indian, which the Reader said released "five unrelentingly misanthropic albums, combining doom, noise, sludge, and black metal."
Since its formation in 2005, Bumgardner served as a drummer for another metal band, Lord Mantis.
Ko, who began dating Bumgardner in 2006, said that bartending offered her boyfriend a flexible schedule, so he could continue touring with Lord Mantis.
Erin Page, a local artist who knew Bumgardner through the bartending and music community, described him as "a kind and thoughtful friend, a phenomenal drummer and a true anomaly in the image of a musician in his main genre."
"I have never heard anyone say an ill word about him — he was loved by his community and will be greatly missed," Page said.
Doug Brownfield, a former doorman at Double Door and a piercing artist, said that his friendship with Bumgardner started in 2003 or 2004 when he pierced Bumgardner's lower lip.
"He was my drum teacher for two years. He never let me pay a dime for teaching me how to play drums. He was willing to pay it forward because he loved music. He felt the need to teach me because I had the desire to learn. I cherish his friendship... this is all very sad and upsetting," Brownfield said.
Evan Moore, who worked with Bumgardner for 11 years, said that he last saw his friend and former coworker a few weeks ago.
"I planned to invite him to skate with the beer league hockey team I play on. Billy will be missed. He was one of the funniest people I've ever met," Moore said.
Moore is also a freelance reporter whose work regularly appears at DNAinfo.
Ko described Bumgardner as selfless and hard working, with a constant desire to "bring up everyone's day with a sense of humor."
“If it wasn’t fart noises or toilet humor, it was impeccable timing. He would drive up and down Milwaukee Avenue and blast his fart app through his car speakers... We spent so many summer nights riding up and down Milwaukee Avenue," Ko said.
In addition to Ko, Bumgardner is survived by his mother, Phylis Poole and stepfather Steve Poole of Paducah, Kentucky; his father Charles Baumgarder of Coal City; a brother, John Olson; a sister, Jamie Haas; and nephews and nieces Danny, Sammy, Kiala and Aly.
A funeral service for Bumgardner is scheduled for Thursday at Ferrari Funeral Home in Coal City.
The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. It is available 24 hours a day.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here.
