Obituary of John W. Schaller

Dr. John "Jack" Schaller, age 87, of Wisconsin Rapids, passed away on Sunday, March 2, 2014 at Riverview Hospital in Wisconsin Rapids. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, March 8th at First Congregational-United Church of Christ. Reverend Paul Veldman will officiate. The family will be greeting friends and relatives from 9:00 A.M. until the time of services. Jack was born in Berwyn, IL on February 6, 1927 to William F. and Ella Marie (Williams) Schaller. He married Jean Millard on July 16, 1950 in Western Springs, IL. She passed away on April 23, 2013. Jack earned his medical degree at the University of Illinois (Champaign), prior to serving two years in the US Air Force from 1952-1954. He enlisted in the US Army Infantry where he studied electrical engineering at Virginia Polytech. While returning from military service in South Dakota, Jack and Jean were so impressed with the Wisconsin River that they decided to settle in the area. Jack worked as a family practice physician from 1954 until 1988, delivering over 6,000 babies and an unknown number of cows and horses. He was a founding partner of The Doctors' Clinic in Wisconsin Rapids. Jack supported health education through a nursing scholarship named for his wife. His philanthropy extended to cultural, educational, and health related interests. Jack was a member of Rotary International, receiving several Paul Harris Fellowship awards. He was a member of First Congregational Church-UCC, where he sang in the choir and served on numerous boards and committees. Jack's passion for improving family health and education inspired the founding of the Central Wisconsin Planned Parenthood program. He was an avid reader, enjoyed classical music, dominating the chess and cribbage table, and flying his Piper airplane. He also was an avid outdoorsman who loved his deer cabin west of Wisconsin Rapids. Jack is survived by his brother Laird (Nancy) Schaller of Plano, TX; sons: William (JaNeille) Schaller of Rochester, MN; Thomas (Judy) Schaller of Naperville, IL; and daughter Wendy (Peter) Crawford, of Waukesha, WI; seven grandsons and four great-grandsons. He was preceded in death by his wife Jean, and a daughter, Cindy (to whom he had donated a kidney). Jack was passionate about supporting the health initiatives of Rotary International, specifically Polio Plus, a program to eradicate polio throughout the world. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to the Wisconsin Rapids Rotary Foundation, 400 Daly Ave., Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494, to support the health programs of Rotary International. Herman-Taylor Funeral Home and Cremation Center is assisting the family with arrangements.