Andrew J. Zumer

Andy Zumer was very proud to live to his 85th birthday and passed away peacefully last week in in his own home in Park Ridge, Il.    Andy was the beloved husband of Sally (neé Overaker) Zumer celebrating 41 years of marriage, father of Johanna (neé Zumer) Leggett (husband James) and Asta (neé Zumer) Lorentz (husband Glenn), and grandfather ("Pop Andy") to Heidi Lorentz, Eli Leggett, and Caladesi Lorentz.  

The only son of Andrew Zumer and Mary (neé Rupar) Zumer, he was the dear brother of: Theresa Zumer (predeceased), Loretta (neé Zumer) Beinhoff (husband David),  JoAnne (neé Zumer) McCauley (husband Robert), and Dorothy Zumer.  Uncle Andy is also survived by 11 nieces and nephews and their many children and grandchildren.  

Andy studied architecture (and structural engineering) at U. of Illinois, at the Navy Pier Campus and also at Champaign/Urbana campus  and worked for 14 years at Republic Steel as an architectural draftsman and later at Hansen & Associates until retirement in 1996. He also served in the US Military in the Army.  He enjoyed  reading up and scanning the TV channels for the latest architectural, scientific, and political news.  He enjoyed art galleries, touring various Frank Lloyd Wright homes, including Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin,  Oak Street and Foster Avenue Beaches, camping trips when the girls were young, finding bargains at flea markets and garage sales, and doing various Handy Andy home projects, such as remodelling the kitchen, creating a small architect’s studio in the basement and other projects.  Andy was interested in the human brain, and studies about it, and ways to maximize the potential of our brains.  He was concerned about diseases such as Alzheimer’s, cancer and diabetes and interested in reading about research into what might prevent or cure such ailments.  He loved to find old picture frames and restore them to Art gallery quality with gold spray paint and then put in pictures of family members, to create an art gallery feeling in the home.  He was very proud of his daughters and their careers as well as their roles as mothers.  His oldest daughter studying brain research and brain imaging was a source of pride and interest to him, as was his youngest daughter who travelled around the world during college with Semester at Sea and who became a nurse.  Andy was also interested in astronomy and liked theories that there may be intelligent life on other planets or parts of the universe.  His mind was open to many ideas and he took great joy in his Slovenian-American family traditions, his sisters and their families, but also he continued to grow in new ways by following the travels and interests of his daughters and in recent years, their husbands and children.  He participated in many family gatherings throughout the years and often had good jokes and warm greetings for everyone there.  His nieces and nephews when they were young, used to call out, “Uncle Andy, Uncle Andy” when they saw him coming.

Visitation on Tuesday March 20, 4-8pm at Cooney Funeral Home (Park Ridge). Chapel service followed by entombment on Weds. March 21, 11am at Resurrection Cemetery (Justice, IL).

A Celebration of Life service will be held at South Park Church in Park Ridge, IL on Thursday April 12 at 11AM with a reception lunch immediately following.  ALL are welcome

Regarding flowers and gifts:   In lieu of flowers, gifts may be sent to:

https://www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation/ways-to-give  

https://www.atonementfriars.org/make-a-donation/

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