Lambert “Bert” Schaer, 81, died peacefully on April 23, 2018 at his home in River Forest with his family at his side after a battle with cancer. Born in Chicago in 1936 to Agnes and Albert Schmuttenmaer, but thought his name was too long, so he took out the middle part and saved his kids many hours signing their names.
He attended Weber High, Loyola and DePaul, served a short period in the Army, and played French horn in the Chicago Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps where he met his wife Katharine (Jackson). They raised five children as he worked at Illinois Bell Telephone and as a photographer. He passed on his loves of market trading and building things to his son Brian (Meredith), carpentry to David, photography and puns to Rachel (John) Teske, and sports and humor to Matthew (Lisa). After caring for Katharine for years during her illness and sharing countless hours of music, family vacations, and remodeling with her, she died in 2000.
In 2007 he married Marie (Beulig), who taught Bert to sail. He was greatly loved by his five grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, his sister Cecilia (Thomas) Murphy and those who preceded him in death: his parents; son Gregory; wife Katharine; brothers Norbert (Annabell), Adalbert, Robert, Gilbert (Phyllis), Hubert (Mary), and sister Agnes (Michael) Horvath.
The family deeply appreciates the help of Elmhurst Hospital, Dr. Laurie Bachrach, Dr. Colleen Weiler, Vitas Hospice, and especially Jim Connery, who has been Bert’s caregiver and friend the past five months.
Memorial visitation will be held on Monday May 7 from 9 a.m. until time of service, 11 a.m. at Drechsler, Brown & Williams Funeral Home, 203 S. Marion St., Oak Park. Interment private.
