Donald E. Schlegel

Donald E. Schlegel

August 29, 1937- November 7, 2022

Don was born on August 29, 1937, in Chicago, Illinois. He was the first child of Edward and Katherine Schlegel; about nine years later, he was joined by his younger brother, James P. Schlegel. They lived in a 3 bedroom/1 bath home in Mt. Greenwood. While we would like to list his many accomplishments as a youngster and teenager, this would be a challenge, as Don was quite the troublemaker. He went to military school for a few years and barely managed to graduate from Morgan Park High School. He told us stories of “borrowing” cars, smoking cigarettes, and having his own lawyer on retainer. His family did spend many summers at Wooster Lake, where he enjoyed swimming and being outdoors. One positive attribute he displayed while young was his work ethic. His first job was at the age of 6, parking cars for ten cents at the Sparta Stadium for the Chicago soccer team. He also worked at a local gas station filling the gas and checking oil for the patrons, and he soon recognized every single make and model of the cars that pulled into the lot. One of his favorite jobs was at Prince Castle. He loved the food and reported that he consumed a milk shake upon his arrival each day and another one when he departed. He felt that it was part of his overall compensation package. He also enjoyed eating at White Castle. For the rest of his days, his favorite meal was a slider with double pickles.

Don made two very important and wise decisions during his early adulthood. The first decision was to join the Navy. Here he claimed to have learned discipline and patience. During the Cold War, he was based out of Norfolk, Virginia. His submarine, the Cubera, would head out of Norfolk for two weeks before returning. For two full weeks, no one showered on board or had their clothes washed. Later, our mom said that she would make Don strip naked outside before coming into the house because the stench was so strong. He often told stories that he fed 80 men on board. This confused his kids as we later found out that he was not the cook or chef on the submarine, and he never cooked at home. Don’s only regret with the Navy was that he did not accept any opportunities to be promoted.

The other decision that put Don on the right track was marrying Janet. They were high school sweethearts, although some would question what exactly Janet, the smart, goody-two-shoes beauty, saw in Don. They first met when Janet was

working in the principal’s office at the high school, and Don was brought in for skipping school. Don made up an elaborate story about how he and his friend were captured by aliens, which prevented him from going to school that day. While he didn’t avoid punishment from the school, his creative story caught the attention of Janet, and she fell for him quickly. Their relationship blossomed and when he took a leave from the Navy in late December of 1957, they had a small evening wedding back in Chicago with a church basement reception. The two of them had a whirlwind honeymoon to exciting Wisconsin Dells before heading to New York City and then back to Norfolk.

Don finished his Navy career and they both returned to the Chicago area. Back in 1955, his parents had purchased about six acres in the very rural town of Mokena. Everyone called it “The Farm.” It was complete with two barns, a rabbit hutch, small pond, and land for a large garden. Over the years, hundreds of trees were planted including apple, pear, and cherry trees. There were also grape vines along with blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries. The garden was full of corn, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and carrots. It was a far cry from city life amid the trains, automobiles and street cars. In 1960, the semi-newlyweds were given 2/3 acre of this land, and they built a three bedroom/1.5 bath house. They grew a family as the small town of Mokena grew along with them. Soon after they moved into the new house, their first daughter, Lynn, was born. Don, and his brother, Jim, built a full-size playhouse in the back and soon had an in-ground pool installed along with a swing set. Within a few years, their other daughter, Jill, was born. By this time, the land in Mokena was an idyllic setting to raise two daughters.

After leaving the Navy, Don found a job at American Brakeshoe. Soon after, he started at Johnson & Johnson, where he spent most of his career. It did not take long for him to realize that he would benefit from earning a college degree (or two). So, while working full time and raising a family, Don proudly earned his bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and his master’s degree from Loyola University. Still, despite holding degrees in the straight-as-an-arrow fields of accounting and business, Don was definitely a creative thinker. He could wire a house, patch drywall, and fix virtually anything. Plus, he had a way with words (and a knack for coining new ones) that kept the family amused and informed. Many times over the years, his grandchildren discovered that a phrase they had used their entire life had actually been invented by Don—and none of their friends

understood what it meant. When asked how he liked a movie, for example, you’d likely hear Don reply “about a 4.” The entire family knew exactly what that meant.

With his degrees in hand, Don rose quickly at Johnson & Johnson, eventually becoming the comptroller at the firm’s plant in Matteson. When J & J wanted him to move to New Jersey, Don decided that he had worked enough, so he retired at the age of 43. But retiring didn’t mean playing golf and cards with friends. Instead, he entered into numerous business ventures, including owning apartment buildings, flipping houses, and starting up a savings and loan. Don may have retired, but he never stopped working.

Despite being extremely busy with his work, family and school, Don was always looking for an adventure. Early on, he made his own scuba diving equipment so he could practice. He was a founding member of the Mokena High Adventure Club. Family vacations often involved canoeing, mountain hiking or sailing. One of his earliest sailing ventures was to rent a sailboat at the Polynesian Resort at Walt Disney World. While the trip started out fine, his family members recall being stranded on an island in the Seven Seas Lagoon and requiring rescue. Despite the first shaky sailing experience, Don would go on to own many boats, including a 34-foot sailboat and a large catamaran. He surprised everyone by learning how to sailboard. He also taught underwater photography to many scuba diving students. While he had been skiing for years, at about the age of 50 he learned how to snow board and earned the name “Papa Shred.” His goal was to be old enough to get a free ski pass. Unfortunately, the ski resorts continued to raise the age to ski for free and despite skiing until age 80, he never reached his goal.

Don loved to travel. He and Janet vacationed all over the world. From Europe to the Middle East; from South America to Canada; and from the Far East to Australia. There were few places they missed.

More recently, Don joined a local chapter of U.S. Navy submarine veterans who frequently got together to talk about their experiences. They also did charity work and were successful in raising a significant amount of money to honor fellow submariners and to keep the history of these vessels at the forefront.

Don was proud of his girls and adored his wife, Janet. It was evident how much he loved and appreciated her. He knew that she was the reason for all his success.

Some of his last words were how much he loved her and how lucky he was that she married him all those years ago.

Don is survived by his wife of almost 65 years, Janet, as well as his daughters, Jill (Clayton) Baker and Lynn (David) Niemi. He is also survived by his brother, James (Kathy) Schlegel and two nephews, J.T. Schlegel and John Schlegel. He is further survived by his grandchildren, Matthew and Samiyah Niemi, Lauren and David Dreiser, Jenna Niemi, Justin Baker and Hannah Baker. His adorable great-granddaughters are Ematullah and Mumina.

Don requested not to have a formal funeral. Instead, we think he would prefer that all his friends and loved ones do something special in his honor, such as go on a hike, pick up some litter (at least ten pieces!), or go on an adventure.

Interment will be private at Abraham Lincoln Cemetery. The family will host a memorial picnic at “The Farm” in Mokena next spring/summer to celebrate Don’s life.

In lieu of flowers, any donations would be greatly appreciated by Don’s Submariner Veterans Group https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause_pdetails/MTQwMDQ5 or Lightways Hospice, https://lightways.org/donate/