Walter Michael Mueller

HEBRON – Walter Michael Mueller, 90, of Hebron and formerly of Arlington Heights, passed away peacefully under the wonderful care provided by Hospice and the Springs of Crystal Lake.

He was born July 24, 1920, in Chicago, to John and Margaret Mueller. Having lived in Chicago during the Great Depression, he became very industrious at an early age, working at a fish store at age 9. He found the early rewards of hard work.

He attended Arlington High School before enlisting in the Army Air Corps before World War II. He served in active duty with the 82nd and 101st Airborne on the front lines in Germany as a paratrooper.

After the war, he was in need of a job. While walking through a railroad yard on a hot summer day in Chicago, he volunteered to unload a shipment of Cork. His enthusiastic approach to hard labor landed him a full-time job with United Cork Co. Years later, the company was bought, and he went from lead carpenter to vice president of construction.

Because of his strong work ethic, he became one of the leading authorities on freezer and refrigerated warehouse construction. He supervised the construction of the U.S. cold storage facility, which was more than 1 million cubic feet, making it the largest freezer in the world. Ford Motor Co. brought him in as a consultant while designing the Ford test tunnel.

He spent most of his life creating devices to make life easier, building greenhouses, tending to his vegetable garden, feeding his fish in his pond, and driving his John Deere Gator while listening to his favorite music on his iPod.

Survivors include his three sons, Kurt (Vivienne) of Cary, Blake (Candy) of Woodstock and Eric (Linda) of Cary; and his grandchildren, Andy, Vaughn, Stefen, Heather and Kati; and his older brother, Hanz (Kay) of Skokie.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Johanna; and his brothers, Frank, Steve and George.

Family and friends will gather to celebrate his life from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 5. For information or questions concerning the celebration, call Blake at 815-338-8317.

He has donated his body to the Anatomical Gift Society of Illinois.

In his memory, donations would be appreciated to Hospice Foundation of Northeastern Illinois, 405 Lake Zurich Road, Barrington, IL 60010.

For information, call the funeral home at 815-338-1710.