William Richard Schauer

William Richard (Bill) Schauer, 90 years of age, died November 26, 2024. Funeral services will be held at Elmwood Chapel, Elmwood Chapel directing, with burial in Elmwood Cemetery. A visitation will be on Saturday, December 7, 2024, from 11 am until noon, followed by a celebration of life in the chapel and graveside service.

Mr. Schauer was born December 4, 1933, in the family home in the West End section of Birmingham, Alabama. He was the 7th of nine children. He graduated from Blessed Sacrament Academy, John Carroll High School class of 1951, the first four-year graduating class, and Auburn University. He was a former member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church and Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church.

Mr. Schauer was a veteran of the U. S Army Signal Corps.

While completing military service during the years of 1954-1956, he attended the U.S. Army Signal School, completed high-speed Radio Operator’s School, and later attained the rank of Specialist 3rd Class (Technical). His meritorious service was recognized with a Sharpshooter’s Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, and an Honorable Discharge on September 13, 1956.

Mr. Schauer was a practicing architect in Birmingham and the South; and was owner/principal of the firm of William R. Schauer-Architect.

Mr. Schauer began his professional business career after graduating from the Auburn University School of Architecture & the Arts in 1958, with a Bachelor of Architecture Degree. He was an award-winning architect whose career spanned the years 1958 through 1998, employed by several professional architects, professional engineers, and the U.S. Government, working as an architect in offices in Florence, Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama, and Augusta, Georgia at Fort Gordon (now called Fort Eisenhower). During the years 1970-1998, he conducted his individually owned practice of architecture in Birmingham, Alabama, was registered by the state of Alabama Board for Registration of Architects, the Georgia State Board of Architects and was certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.

He had been a professional member of the Construction Specification Institute and an associate member of the A.I.A., Birmingham chapters. He was a former member of the East Lake Lions Club, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Auburn Alumni Association. He was recognized and listed by Who’s Who in the South and Southwest.

His highest professional recognition came when he was honored by the Department of the Army with an award for Excellence in Architectural Design for the design of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Medical Center at Fort Gordon, Ga. for the windows and entryway design work of the hospital.

His architectural work can still be seen in Florence, Al, Birmingham, Al, Prattville, Al, and Fort Gordon, Ga.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Matthias and Agnes Schauer, Hampton and Leonora Swygert; his parents, John Schauer, Sr and Mary Schauer; brothers, John Schauer, Jr. and Hampton Schauer; sisters, Carroll Karch and Leonora Jones.

Survivors are two sons, Thomas W. Schauer (Angela) and James R. Schauer (Juli); granddaughter, Bella Mary Frances Schauer; sisters, Alicia Wall, and Juanita Keenum, all of Birmingham, Alabama; Joanne Mazurette of Pomona, California; and Jane Reedy of Medina, Ohio; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.