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| John Kammerer | |
| June 26, 1928 - February 05, 2012 | |
| of Lake Forest, Illinois | |
| Visitation: 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Friday, February 10, 2012 at Wenban Funeral Home 320 E. Vine Ave Lake Forest, IL, 60045 | |
| Mass of Christian Burial: 11:00 a.m. Saturday February 11, 2012 at St. Patrick Church 991 S. Waukegan Road Lake Forest, IL 60045 | |
| John Roy Kammerer, Age 83, passed away peacefully on February 5, 2012, after a brave battle against colon cancer. Born June 26, 1928 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Sarah and Roy Kammerer, he attended Ascension Elementary, De La Salle High School and graduated from St. Thomas College, St. Paul, MN in 1952. President of his class, he played on the football, basketball and baseball teams throughout high school and college. In 1946 and 1947 he served in the U.S. Army as part of General Douglas McArthur’s Allied Occupation Forces in Tokyo, Japan.
He started his business career with Marathon Corporation where he served as district sales manager, food packaging. In 1960 he joined the H.C. Christians Company in Chicago, a large regional dairy products group, serving as General Manager until its acquisition by Land O’ Lakes Corporation. He founded a food brokerage business and developed markets for a wide range of products including ready-to-serve yogurt, working closely with Dr. Steve Gaymont, one of the early pioneers of the yogurt business in the US. He bought a seat on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange where he operated as a trader. He spent the last several decades of his career with Great Lakes Cheese, one of the nation’s premier private label cheese companies, where he worked with a wonderful group of professionals.
He gave back to his communities as President of LFHS School Board District 115, member of the boards of Boy Scout Troops 46 and 48, as head of the lectors program and member of the choir of St. Patrick Church, Lake Forest. He enjoyed competing in sports including basketball, handball, squash and tennis. He loved to hunt ducks with his pals and relatives in Wisconsin and make the occasional trip to the Florida Keys for bonefish. In later life his passion became golf, which he loved to play with family and friends. He travelled widely with his wife of 56 years, Patricia McDermott Kammerer. He enjoyed attending the Lyric Opera in Chicago. Long time season ticket holder and supporter of Chicago Bears, he was also a fan of the Chicago White Sox.
He is survived by wife Patricia, brothers James and Robert, sister Mary Ann Dietrich, sons Mark, Mike and Thomas, daughters Maureen Proctor, Alexandra McNett, Annie Butrus, and 13 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by son, Dennis Kammerer. He valued personal and professional relationships highly, and took great pride in his family.
Visitation 5pm to 8 pm Friday, Feb. 10, 2012 at Wenban Funeral Home, 320 E. Vine Ave., Lake Forest, IL.Funeral 11AM, Sat., Feb 11, 2012 at St. Patrick Church, 991 S. Waukegan Rd., Lake Forest. Interment Lake Forest Cemetary. Reception for all family and friends from 1PM to 4PM at Onwentsia Club, Lake Forest. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to Catholic Bishop of Northern Alaska, 1312 Peger Rd., Fairbanks, Alaska 99709 (907/374-9500) (www.dioceseoffairbanks.org) or Lumen Christi Institute, C/O Therese Junker, Director of Development, 1220 E. 58th St., Chicago, IL 60637 (www.tjunker@lumenchristi.org) | |
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