Charles Sauber

Date of Birth

Apr 16,1920

Date of Death

Sep 13,2016

Charles “Chuck” Sauber Sr., age 96, of Virgil, claimed the promise of his Savior on Tuesday, September 13, 2016 at Oak Crest Retirement Center, where he had made his home in recent years.

He was born on April 16, 1920 in Sycamore, IL, the son of P. Paul and Adeline (Welter) Sauber.

Chuck or Charlie, depending on what name he went by at the time, grew up in Virgil and attended S.S. Peter & Paul grade school..

Chuck attended what is now known as Marmion Military Academy during his high school years and graduated with the class of 1938.

On December 26, 1940, Lorraine and Charles J. Sauber were united in marriage and made their home in Hampshire where their first son, Chuck Jr. was born. In 1944, they moved to St. Charles and made their home there until Chuck was drafted into the U.S. Army. While he was away, Lorraine and their three children, Chuck, Susan and “Lorrie”, made their home in Virgil near Chuck’s parents. Chuck returned in 1946 and they continued to live in their little two bedroom house in Virgil. Their family grew with the births of Sandy, Mary who died in infancy, Paul, John, Mike, Chris, Jan and Jean. In 1955 they moved to their present home where their children, Mary, Anne, Jim, Sara and Tom made their family complete.

Chuck entered the working world at age fifteen, and drove a horse-drawn mower that mowed the grass along the highway. As you can imagine, some harrowing tales ensued, making his first job, one of the most memorable. Following graduation, Chuck worked at DuPage Boiler Works where he worked on the line and wore through a pair Sears Sturdy Oak work gloves every single day. Chuck always had an eye on advancement and if there was an opportunity to further his career, he jumped at the chance. The number of jobs he held during those early years could fill several pages. Chuck was a salesman for Schuh Grain Elevator for many years. In 1964, he worked as a utility specialist for Platt Incorporated who sold truck equipment. Later, he took a job with Astoria Fibra-Steel, where he sold fiberglass truck bodies. His tenure with Astoria was tenuous at times, but Chuck eventually established his own distributorship, which ultimately turned into Sauber Manufacturing in 1968. As time went on, Sauber Manufacturing grew into different areas of utility needs, and followed Chuck’s ambitions and imagination making a name for itself in innovation and collaboration. It may have begun when he was a young man of 10 years old. Chuck fixed a piece of farm machinery, an Oat Binder, which instilled in him a fever to make things work better and more efficiently. Upon that foundation, Chuck would add 49 industrial patents including his first invention, the “Snap-e”, a snap fastener repair tool. Lorraine’s frustration with the constantly failing snaps on her children’s clothing was the inspiration for that tool. (Chuck got the patent on the “Snap-e” but Lorraine should have gotten the credit!) Retirement was a dirty word to Chuck and never entered into his vocabulary, mostly because his mind never stopped thinking. Even into his last days, he had dreams and aspirations to make life easier for future patients and nurses. In fact, he wanted to live three more years in order to make some of the dreams a reality, but he has forgone the limited potential of the earthly and is now reveling in his Heavenly workshop where nothing is impossible.

Chuck was a faithful member of S.S. Peter & Paul Church where he served as a CCD teacher and was a member of their men’s group, the Holy Name Society. Chuck was a proud member and past commander of the Maple Park American Legion #312.

On Saturdays, when the children came down the stairs, each one had to take a turn helping to churn bread dough (those who slept in found themselves with thicker dough and much harder time). That dough would be transformed into countless delicious loaves of bread that found its way not always to the family table, but to the neighbors along with pilfered jars of homemade jam, much to Lorraine’s chagrin. German Egg Pancakes were a famous staple that should only be eaten with sugar and butter according to “Chuck’s Law”. Lorraine had every Sunday “off” and it was up to Chuck and the kids to provide all the meals. On any given day, however, Chuck was liable to bring home to dinner a car load of “new friends” that might have newly settled in the neighborhood or even just passing through. His family was so large and Virgil so small, Chuck was known to say with pride that he fathered 10% of the population!

He was the beloved husband of the late Lorraine Sauber; loving father of sixteen children: Chuck (Pat) Sauber, the late Susan (Jerry) Theisen, Lorraine “Lorrie” (Dennis) Bearrows, Sandy (Rich) Zang, the late Mary Sauber in infancy, the late Paul Sauber, John (Kathy) Sauber, Mike (Donna) Sauber, the late Christine Zang, Janet (Greg) Truhler, Jean Petesch, Mary (Jim) Ratos, Anne (Steve) Almburg, Jim (Karla) Sauber, Sara (Mike) Blaser, Tom (Patti) Sauber and one “adopted” son Mike (Donna) Zang; Doting grandfather to 49 grandchildren: Dan (Kristen) Sauber, Meg (Bob) Hemmrich; Mike (Janelle) Theisen; Christopher (Christine) Theisen, Regina (Ron) Nicholls, Elizabeth Miller, Amanda (David) Anderson, Stacey Lawson, Corey (Mike) McGee, Amy (Todd) Hartke, Rebecca (Thomas) Reynolds, Zachary Zang, Jessica (Richard) DiPaolo, Thomas (Dawn) Sauber, Lisa Welch; Stephanie (Shawn) Snell, Kimberly (Scott) Karr, Katie (John) Duraski,; Addie (Dustin) Storm, Michael Paul (Allison) Sauber, Ben (Nadya) Zang, Rachel (Eric) Rakey, Jon (Casey) Zang, Erin (Pedro) Espinosa Truhler; Jenn (Jon) Swanson, Adam (Maureen) Truhler; Abigal Truhler (Fiancee Alex Ash), Jeremy Farr, Joshua Farr, Justin (Tiffany) Farr; David Petesch, Nicole (Benjamin) Enerson; Peter (Nicole) Ratos; Jimmy (Jen) Ratos; Thomas Ratos, Andrew (Jessica) Almburg; Eric (Haley) Almburg; Adam Almburg, Jon (Rachel) Sauber, Cassandra (Justin) Hames, Allie (A.J.) Hofer, Will, Charlie and Emily Blaser, Anna (Greyson) Scott, Cody, Garrett, Samuel and Max Sauber; 79 great-grandchildren: Nathan and Morgan Sauber, Katy (Pat) Frega, Nate (Lynette) Hemmerich, Harry and Maddy Hemmerich; , Whitney and Jaesen Purvis, Izabelle Cross; Kaitlyn Wilson, Kaleigh Adkins, Ashley Wilson; Alex, Ellie and Jake Theisen, Jeffrey and Ben Nicholls, Taylor, Nathan, and Garrett Miller; Gabriel, Jonah, and Hannah Anderson; Rachel (Max) Henry, Adam Lawson; Jacob and Fiona McGee, Julianna, Dominic, Evalena, Augustine, Sebastian, Adeline Hartke; Henry, Rudolph and Elias Reynolds, Briana, Maddy, Lucas, Sophia, Ava, Amellia, Braydon,and Josilyn Welch; Quentin Snell; and Nathan Gravelle, Jack, Harlee, Harrison Duraski; Samantha and Ethan Storm; Lydia Sauber, Rosalee Zang, Tyler Rakey and Jack Meyers; Otto and Clyde Zang, Joaquin and Matias Truhler; Leighton Swanson; Eleanor and Clara Truhler, Sophie Farr; Alyssa and Jocelyn Farr; Landon, Avery and Hudson Farr, Henry Enerson; George and Greg Ratos; Gavin and Grace Ratos, Lincoln Almburg, Emmaline and Ruby Sauber; Norah Hames; Katharine Hofer, Taylon Blaser; and two great-great-grandchildren: Gabe and Maya Hemmrich; cherished brother to three siblings: the late Edward Sauber , the late Eleanor and Scott Firestone and the late Jean (Carl) Petit; in addition, a sister-in-law, Elizabeth Sauber; Therese Herrmann, who became an unofficial “sister” and grew up in the house from a young age after her mother died, helping both his parents, the late Adeline and Paul, in many ways; too many nieces and nephews to count, untold number of cousins and a countryside of friends who will never forget him.

Visitation will be from 2-5 p.m., with a rosary to begin at 5 p.m., at the S.S. Peter & Paul Parish Center, Virgil, on Sunday, September 18, 2016. There will be no additional visitation prior to Mass which begins at 10 a.m., at S.S. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, Virgil, on Monday, September 19. Overflow seating will be available at the parish center. Interment will immediately follow Mass at S.S. Peter & Paul Cemetery. Due to the large number of family, the burial will be limited to family members only.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that friends strongly consider memorial donations. Contributions may be made directly to Fox Valley Pregnancy Center, 101 E. State St, South Elgin, IL 60177 or Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, 305 S. Lake St., Aurora, IL 60506. Tributes and memories may also be forwarded to the family through the Conley Funeral Home Facebook Page and www.conleycare.com.

There will be no additional visitation prior to Mass which begins at 10 a.m., at S.S. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, Virgil, on Monday, September 19. Overflow seating will be available at the parish center.

Visitation will be from 2-5 p.m., with a rosary to begin at 5 p.m., at the S.S. Peter & Paul Parish Center, Virgil, on Sunday, September 18, 2016.

Interment will immediately follow Mass at S.S. Peter & Paul Cemetery. Due to the large number of family, the burial will be limited to family members only.

1 thought on “Charles Sauber

  1. Chuck Sauber is the last of a breed. A man who should be looked up to. My condolences to his plentiful family.

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