Fred Scheidt, of Park Ridge IL, age 82 passed away on Monday, March 27, 2023 at his home. Fred was born in Sakule, Yugoslavia, in 1940, and moved to Germany as a child. As a young adult, Fred worked for Mercedes-Benz, played semi-professional soccer, and enjoyed riding his motorcycle. He lost half of his big toe in a motorcycle accident, and fortunately spent the summer recovering at his brother's house where he met his lifelong love, Helene. After several weeks of getting to know each other, Fred and Helene began a multi-year international courtship. Eventually, Fred asked Helene to marry him via a letter. They were married on May 15, 1964 in Rastatt, Germany, and moved to Chicago soon thereafter where they welcomed their daughter, Christine.

Fred and Helene loved to travel. They maintained relationships with friends throughout the world, and visited them in places such as Germany, Austria, and Argentina. They had a sense of adventure, and enjoyed exploring sunny destinations such as the Canary Islands, Hawaii, and Mexico. They fell in love with Fort Myers, Florida, and made many trips to stay at their favorite hotel, the Gulf View Manor. They also hosted many friends and relatives from all over the country and the world. Fred was a fierce competitor and particularly enjoyed entertaining his guests with his basketball hoop, ping pong table, and bocce ball set.

Fred was a talented and hard worker who excelled at a variety of jobs throughout his career. He was formally trained as a carpenter in Germany and went on to become a highly skilled computer numerically controlled (CNC) technician. He was very proud of his work in prototyping the Cosgrove Flex Clamp, which continues to help save lives today. Towards the end of his career, he worked at the same company as his daughter in the Baxter model shop, and enjoyed co-hosting his grandchildren for Bring Your Children to Work Day.

Fred also used his CNC skills and exceptional work ethic at home. Damaged toys were no match for Fred, who replaced damaged plastic parts with precisely milled stainless steel. He was a true perfectionist at heart, and carefully read (and highlighted) all of the manuals for his cars and home appliances. He enjoyed running errands with Helene, and relished in finding the perfect gadget for himself or others. He was a lifelong reader and learner, and loved to share helpful newspaper clippings with his family and friends. Fred taught himself about the stock market, and loved to research and select interesting companies for his portfolio.

One of Fred's greatest passions was sports. Soccer was always his favorite sport, but he happily picked up many additional teams and sports along the way. He especially enjoyed helping his daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren with their athletic pursuits, particularly youth soccer. Fred was a prominent fixture at almost every game, as well as the occasional practice. He was eager to teach the perfect technique, and occasionally needed to be reminded to keep his technical feedback to himself at the kindergarten soccer games. He was a long-time supporter of the Maine South Hawks, and kept tabs on the various teams long after his daughter and grandchildren graduated.

Above all else, Fred loved his wife, family, and friends. We will miss his passion and zest for life, and take comfort that he is reunited with his beloved Helene.

Visitation will be held on Friday from 10:00 a.m. until time of Mass at 11:00 a.m. at Mary Seat of Wisdom Catholic Church located at 920 Granville Ave. in Park Ridge. A livestream of Mass can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/@MarySeat Interment private. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Fred would be graciously accepted to https://www.misericordia.com/giving , https://www.chicagofirefc.com/foundation , or https://anticruelty.org/donate .

For information please call 847-685-1002 or visit www.cooneyfuneralhome.com

Misericordia Home
6300 N. Ridge Ave., Chicago IL 60660
Tel: 1-773-273-2038
Web: http://www.misericordia.com

Chicago Fire Foundation
Chicago IL
Web: https://www.chicagofirefc.com/foundation/

The Anti-Cruelty Society
510 N LaSalle Dr, Chicago IL 60654
Web: http://www.anticruelty.org