Louis C. Sudler Jr.

Louis C. Sudler, Jr., beloved husband of 51 years to the late Laura Fairbank Sudler, passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 6, 2025, at the age of 94.
Born and raised in Chicago, Louis was the only child of Louis C. Sudler Sr. and Mary Ludington Barnes. His father was a respected Chicago realtor, longtime president and chairman of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, gifted baritone, and a passionate patron of the arts.
Louis spent his childhood on Chicago's Near North Side and summered in Harbor Springs, Michigan. He attended the Latin School of Chicago, the Putney School, and Yale University (Class of 1953). He pursued graduate studies at the University of Chicago School of Business and the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.
Over the course of his long and distinguished life, Louis enjoyed three distinct careers. After college, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and the Cold War. Commissioned as an Ensign in 1954, he served overseas in Puerto Rico and Bremerhaven, Germany, engaging in early forms of what is now known as cyber intelligence. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant before returning to civilian life.
Back in Chicago, Louis began working in new product development at Motorola before joining Sudler & Company, the real estate firm founded by his father and uncle. He devoted 30 years to property management, continuing the family legacy.
Alongside his civilian career, Louis maintained his service in the Navy Reserve. He commanded several Reserve units and advanced quickly through the ranks, ultimately achieving the rank of Navy Captain. He served in the Pentagon under Admiral James Stockdale in the Strategic Plans and Policies Department and was a member of President Reagan's transition team. Louis considered his Naval career one of his proudest accomplishments and retired from the Reserve at age 60.
In his third and most adventurous chapter, Louis and his wife Laura spent over 25 years organizing and leading small group tours around the world. Fueled by their shared love of learning, they explored remote and unfamiliar destinations, believing that travel was the most powerful form of education. Louis had a gift for languages-speaking at least a bit of dozens -and his ease with communication ensured a warm welcome wherever they went.
Beyond his love for travel, Louis was deeply passionate about genealogy, science, and the arts. Among friends and family, he was cherished for his clever puns and encyclopedic knowledge of little-known facts-always shared with a twinkle in his eye. A true gentleman in every sense, Louis loved nothing more than spinning Laura around the dance floor and never turned down a bowl of vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce.
Louis sang with the Great Lakes Dredge and Philharmonic Society for 57 years and was a Life Trustee of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He was also a member and former Governor of the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Illinois.
He was the proud father of eight children: four from a previous marriage, a son with Laura, and three stepdaughters he helped raise from a young age. He cherished his role in Laura's extended family and considered her five siblings his "adopted" brothers and sisters. He is survived by his sons David Sudler (Sandra), John Sudler (Karolyn), and Zack Sudler (Violet), and by his stepdaughters Jennifer Ames Lazarre (Paul), Mary Ames Kivell (Tom), and Nathalie Ames. He also leaves behind ten grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
A funeral will be held on Tuesday, April 15, at 4:00 PM at St. Chrysostom's Church, 1424 N. Dearborn Parkway, Chicago, with a reception to follow.
Please visit LOUIS C. SUDLER JR. book of memories. To express your thoughts or memories in the online guest book, visit http://WWW.CHAPELC.COM. For information 773-581-9000.