Photo courtesy of Finch Funeral Home - DeKalb
DE KALB, Illinois
Mar 30, 1942 – Feb 12, 2025
John Dennis Schaeffer
Born March 30, 1942, in St. Louis, Mo. Died Feb. 12, 2025, in DeKalb, Il.
John D. Schaeffer, Ph.D., passed away at Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital after several months of declining health. He is survived by his wife Laura Bird, his daughter Lucy G'Fellers (Christopher), his son John Thomas Schaeffer (Dalmy Bolivar), and grandchildren Lila and Wallace G'Fellers and Maximino Schaeffer. He was a professor of English at Northern Illinois University from 1990 until his retirement in 2016. Prior to coming to DeKalb, he taught English at the University of Missouri at St. Louis; Maryville College in St. Louis; Maple Park Community College in Kansas City; Marymount College in Salina, Kansas; and Columbus College (now University) in Columbus, Georgia. His academic specialties were Renaissance Literature and the History of Rhetoric. He authored three books on the writings of Giambattista Vico and over fifty articles and reviews on a variety of subjects. After retirement, he volunteered as a newsreader for local public radio station WNIU/WNIJ. He loved chess, opera, British mysteries, the St. Louis Cardinals, and learning languages. He was preceded in death by his sister, Diana Adorjan, and his parents, John and Josephine Schaeffer, all of St. Louis. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the St. Vincent de Paul Society or the charity of your choice. Visitation will be held Tuesday, Feb. 18, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Finch Funeral Home in DeKalb. The funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 19, at St. Mary Catholic Church in DeKalb. Arrangements were entrusted to Finch Funeral Home 310 Oak St. DeKalb, IL 60115 815-758-3841.
Read MoreJohn was my closest friend when I I taught at NIU. Also, I knew him when we both lived in Salina, Kansas. I remember sitting with him at the dinner celebrating James Murphy's contribution to rhetoric at the Peabody library in Baltimore during an ISHR conference. Most of the spontaneous tributes were in Latin. John would chuckle from time to time, and I, like a foreigner, would lean over and whisper, "What did s/he say?"
Dale Sullivan
March 06, 2025 | Work
I am so sorry. Professor Schaeffer was kind and friendly in all my interactions with him in the department. I still remember a great conversation I had with him about Thomas Moore. I'm sorry to hear he is gone.
Mark Hedborn
February 22, 2025
I always enjoyed Dr. Schaeffer's classes and academic advise. He was so good to put up with my offbeat take on things.
Robin Andersen
February 14, 2025 | Peoria, IL | Student
