Mr. Edward Henry Schlegel Jr.

Schlegel, Edward Henry, passed away quietly in his sleep on January 13, 2018 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was 96 years old. Edward was born on Christmas day in 1921 at his grandparents’ home on Lilly Street in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the son of Dr. Edward H. Schlegel ; a surgeon in Fort Wayne, and Mrs. Marguerite Marie (née Parsons) Schlegel of Ann Arbor, MI. At age 6 Edward moved from his grandparents’ home to a home his father built on Anthony Street in Fort Wayne. Edward had a sister, Virginia who died in infancy and younger brother, Robert John Schlegel, MD who died. He was a 1940 graduate from Northside High School in Fort Wayne, where he enjoyed track and field, and physics and chemistry. After graduation Edward attended the University of Chicago until he enlisted in the Army Air Corps during WWII and he was transferred to Europe. After the war ended in 1945 he remained in Europe for a year and traveled through France and Germany visiting all of the historic sites and museums. Upon Edwards’s honorable discharge from the armed services he returned to Indiana, and then attended Northwestern University in IL earning a Bachelor of Science degree in biology. For a short period of time, Ed worked as an exterminator in St. Lucie, FL where his parents owned a small orange grove. Ed then went back to Chicago and worked at Western Electric as a quality control specialist from 1951 to 1956. After the death of his father in February of 1956 Edward left the Chicago that he loved and moved with his mother to her home town of Ann Arbor, where her family went back several generations. Edward cared for his mother until her passing in 1988. Ed remained in Ann Arbor until his death. He was an active member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. He was mild mannered, yet he loved University of Michigan and Detroit Lions football. When he was younger he loved to garden and his backyard was a technicolor testament to his passion and ability. Edward loved children. He loved to watch their joy of life. He loved to tell his nieces scary stories of becoming a “wolf man” during a full moon. He loved music of all types, and he loved planning right down to the minute detail trips following the battle routs of the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Edward gave up many of the things he loved in life to take care of his strong willed mother after his father passed away. He was a gentle soul who will be sorely missed by friends and family. He truly lived his faith, which was strong. Edward is survived by his nephew Robert J. Schlegel Jr., MD (Gita Moorthy) and his nieces Allison Schlegel Topik (Christopher) and Tracy Schlegel (Nicholas Cullander). He is also survived by his three great nieces: Kira Topik, Brynn Cullander, and Camryn Cullander, and his great nephew Alexander Topik. In lieu of flowers please make any donations to the Ann Arbor St. Francis of Assisi church ‘Witness to Hope’ fund.