Josef Maurer's Obituary
CHARLESTON, IL - Josef Maurer, age 85, passed away Saturday, May 7, 2011 at Gowin Parc in Mattoon, Illinois, two days prior to his 86th birthday. Mr. Maurer was a long time resident of Peoria and Springfield before moving to Charleston in September of 2007. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, 921 Madison Avenue in Charleston, Illinois with Father John Titus presiding. Burial will follow at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Resurrection Cemetery in Peoria, Illinois. Visitation for family and friends will be held at St. Charles on Wednesday morning beginning at 9:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts in his honor be made to the Alzheimer's Foundation to assist in finding a cure for this horrific disease. Gifts may be left on the memorial table at the Visitation or Funeral Mass or mailed to Adams Funeral Chapel, 2330 Shawnee Drive, Charleston, IL 61920. Born May 9, 1925 to Stefan and Katarina (Nagy) Maurer in Bukin, Yugoslavia, Mr. Maurer married Edith Weitzer on July 15, 1948 in Graz, Austria. He is survived by Edith, his wife of sixty-three years; four sons, Michael (Caroline) Maurer of Charleston, Stefan (Karen) Maurer of Morton, Illinois, Joseph (Melody) Maurer of Oxford, New Jersey, John (Karen) Maurer of San Antonio, Texas; a daughter, Kathreen (John) Ryan of Charleston; six grandchildren, Kumiko, John, Joseph, Christine, Sabrina and Seth; two great-grandchildren, Kirsten and Nikki; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Eve Eppli and Catherine Herman. Mr. Maurer earned a degree in architectural engineering from Graz University in 1947. In October of 1951 he immigrated to the United States, arriving in Boston Harbor with his wife and two small sons in tow. The ship's passage was a long one and as displaced persons after the war, their only possessions were a couple of steamer trunks, a boatload of optimism, and roughly $20 in cash. Mr. Maurer was able to quickly find employment in jobs where English skills were not a requirement. Learning English quickly, he first worked for Caterpillar, Inc. before establishing a 35 year career with the Illinois Department of Transportation in 1955. His work legacy crisscrosses the state. He would proudly point out the bridges and ribbons of road that he took from drawing board to survey team to construction. His public service provided for a family of five children, spouse and his own displaced parents. His parents had owned a store and vineyards in Bukin, but forfeited all property to the new post-war Communist regime. Mr. Maurer's love of dancing and music were passions that would sustain him throughout his life. A dedicated violinist, he played in the Decatur Symphony Orchestra until a stroke robbed him of motor skills in his late 70's. He was also a beekeeper, sailor, gardener, meticulous stamp collector and craftsman. He was most proud of his professional engineer designation. He was a member of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, the Association of Professional Engineers as well as the Beekeeper's Association.
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