Claude M. Weil

Claude M. Weil, age 93, died in Chicago, Illinois, on September 11th. Beloved son of the late Herbert and Elly Weil (nee Weiss). Dear brother-in-law of Haydeh Weil. Loving uncle of Elika (Dr. James) Shapiro and Tanya Weil and great uncle of Naomi (Mark) Saunderson, Sarah Shapiro, Matthew (Chanel) Shapiro, Rachel (Mark) Schoenhofer, great-great uncle of Charlotte and Ellie.

Born near Hamburg, Germany, he emigrated to the United States in 1940. He was a resident of Chicago and Hyde Park for more than 55 years. He graduated from the Ray School, Hyde Park High School, Wilson Junior College and pursued graduate studies in the social sciences at the University of Chicago. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he returned to and was employed at the University in a variety of administrative and managerial capacities primarily at the Center for Continuing Education and International House. While at the University he served several years as President of the Staff Credit Union Board of Directors. He retired in 1996.

A passionate lover of opera and classical music, he served on Lyric Opera's Chapters Executive Board, the Operathon Organizing Committee and on the Board of the Wagner Society of America.

Mr. Weil's interests were varied: his worldwide travels took him to such exotic places as Machu Picchu, Angkor Wat, Petra, Pagan, Monte Alban, the Victoria and Iguazu Falls. He visited all fifty states and more than sixty countries. He enjoyed playing bridge, listening to music, photography, gourmet cooking, motorcycling and hiking. He collected art and handicrafts, particularly by the Inuit and Native Americans. He served for years on the Board of the Inuit Art Society. He read widely, primarily literature, history and biography. He greatly loved Chicago, and as a younger man, regularly walked from his home in Hyde Park along the lake to Downtown and beyond.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Lyric Opera of Chicago, 20 North Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606, www.lyricopera.org, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, 220 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60604, https://cso.org, or The Art Institute of Chicago, 111 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60603, www.artic.edu. Service Monday, 12:00 Noon at Chicago Jewish Funerals, 8851 Skokie Blvd., (at Niles Center Road) Skokie. Private interment at Westlawn. To attend the funeral livestream, please visit our website. Arrangements by Chicago Jewish Funerals - Skokie Chapel, 847.229.8822, www.cjfinfo.com.