Victor von Schlegell Jr.

LEXINGTON — Victor von Schlegell Jr., 85, of Orleans, Naples, Fla., and Aurora, Ill., passed away in peace on Easter Sunday, March 23, 2008.

Victor was born in New York City on March 20, 1923, the son of Victor von Schlegell Sr. and Eleanor Shotter. He graduated from The Hotchkiss School in 1940 and from Yale University in 1944, and served as a lieutenant with the Navy in the Pacific during World War II.

In 1946, Victor married Rosemary Evans, whom he met at Yale. They moved to Aurora, where he served as president of 48 Insulations Inc. and as an early member of the Young Presidents Organization. They retired to Orleans and Naples in 1979.

Victor had a generous spirit and dedicated himself to the arts, the environment and the less fortunate during his working life and after retirement. He worked tirelessly on behalf of the environment and the arts and found great pleasure in preserving land on Cape Cod.

He served as president of the board of the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra; incorporator and first president of Hospice of Cape Cod, and a director of Nauset Inc. and the Meetinghouse Chamber Music Festival.

In 2002, he received the Joshua A. Nickerson Award, which recognizes individuals who have given of themselves and their substance to the well-being and welfare of the people of Cape Cod. He also loved the outdoors and wildlife, waterfowl, sailing and open spaces. He was active with the Nature Conservancy in Naples, Ducks Unlimited and the Orleans Conservation Trust.

Victor was preceded in death by his parents and by Rosemary. He is survived by his children, Victor III of Traverse City, Mich., Derrick of Philadelphia, John of Portland, Ore., and Catherine Ahlgren of Wellesley; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at the Church of the Holy Spirit, 204 Monument Road, Orleans, on May 9, 2008, at 11 a.m.; the Rev. Dr. David Angelica will preside.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in honor of Victor's commitment to community service to a charity of one's choice, or to The Cape Cod Foundation, 259 Willow St., Yarmouthport, MA 02675.