Edward B. Schulmeister

Edward B. Schulmeister, 87, of Crystal Lake, IL passed away on November 5, 2025. He was born on January 15, 1938, in Chicago, IL and was the older brother to sisters, Carol and Susan. As a young boy, he lived for several years in an orphanage in Des Plaines with Carol. His Aunt Marge and Uncle Herb Pump played a lasting role in shaping his life. At age 12, Ed was welcomed by loving and supportive foster parents, Clifford and Alice Rahn and foster siblings, Marilyn Yerkey and Lennie Cloud in Geneseo, IL, and his lifelong family evolved. In addition to working on the family farm, Ed excelled at football, track and field, played the tuba, and was crowned Homecoming King. Stories of farm life that included a pet skunk named Hermann, reflect his lighthearted and curious spirit.

Ed married his high school sweetheart, Lois Almquist, in 1958 in Moline, IL. They shared 65 wonderful years together, raising 3 children and sharing many travel adventures before her passing in 2023. He graduated from Augustana College with a business degree and served a few years in the Army Reserves. The family moved to Crystal Lake, IL in 1973. Ed’s career spanned 37 years in the insurance industry, eventually retiring from Safeco Insurance. After retirement, he enjoyed working on his yard to a level of perfection rivaled by the finest of professional landscapers. He also worked part-time at Redtail Golf Course and The Pit Stop, delivering auto parts.

A quiet and charming man with a great sense of humor, he loved spending time with family and friends. Faith was an important part of Ed’s life, and he was a longtime member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Crystal Lake. Ed loved participating in sports and coaching Little League and was an avid Chicago Bears, Cubs, and Kansas Jayhawks fan. He enjoyed golf, gardening and landscaping, and loved to travel. Favorite travel adventures included an Alpine Tour through Switzerland and Germany, trips to Egypt and Thailand, a cruise to Alaska, and attending spring training baseball in Arizona, as well as regular trips to Lake Geneva, WI.

He leaves behind his loving children, Marcia (Melinda Flohr), Janis (Gerald) Rohrer, and Steven (Christine) Schulmeister; and his beloved granddaughter, Kellie Rohrer. He is also survived by his sister, Carol Glenn, and his foster siblings Marilyn Yerkey and Lennie Cloud. His granddaughter, Kellie, was truly the apple of his eye. As his only grandchild, she held a special place in his heart and they enjoyed numerous unforgettable adventures together. Each Christmas, he delighted in reading T’was The Night Before Christmas to her and her cousins, creating a treasured family tradition that will long be remembered and greatly missed.

A visitation will be held on Wednesday, November 12, from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Davenport Family Funeral Home, 419 E. Terra Cotta Ave., Crystal Lake. The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, November 13, at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 932 McHenry Ave., Crystal Lake, preceded by a 10 a.m. visitation period. 

On Friday, November 14, a 10 a.m. visitation at Van Hoe Funeral Home in East Moline, IL will take place, followed by a graveside service and burial at Riverside Cemetery in Moline at 12 p.m.