Wilmer J.E. Sauerbrey

On October 3, 2025, Wilmer J.E. Sauerbrey (Wil) passed away peacefully in Towson, MD. He is the beloved husband of Ellen R. Sauerbrey (nee Richmond); dear brother of the late Fred Sauerbrey and his surviving wife Ann Sauerbrey; cherished uncle of David Sauerbrey, Karl Sauerbrey, and Jonathan Sauerbrey. Wilmer is also survived by many other loving family and friends.

The family will receive friends at the Ruck Funeral Home, Inc. in Towson located at 1050 York Road (Beltway Exit 26), on Friday, October 10, 2025, from 2-4 & 6-8pm. The Funeral Ceremony will be held at Chestnut Grove Presbyterian Church, 3701 Sweet Air Rd, Phoenix, MD, 21131on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at 1 pm.

Wil was born on March 3,1935 and recently celebrated his 90th birthday. He was a first-generation American, son of German parents. His Mother came to the U.S. as a cook and worked for Dr. Wilmer of the Wilmer eye clinic. She named her first born after Dr. Wilmer.

He started at Baynesville school, a one room schoolhouse, graduated from the Polytechnic Institute, earned an engineering degree from Lehigh University, and received his JD from the University of Baltimore School of Law.

Wil traded his car for a motorcycle to travel to Lehigh where he joined the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. He quickly found there was student interest in inexpensive box lunches and built up his business to such a size that the University shut him down because he was putting the dining hall out of business.

Wil was ambitious from a young age, managing a large newspaper route where he met Ellen who lived along the route. After dating through high school and college, they married in 1959 and recently celebrated 66 years together.

After spending a summer with relatives in a Germany divided by a wall, Wil became a strong advocate for American freedoms and served several years in the Maryland National Guard.

He began his professional career as a design engineer, first at Black and Decker and then at the former AAI in Cockeysville Maryland. He moved into sales engineering of very heavy equipment which required a lot of international travel. After a distinguished career Wil continued to remain active, serving on the board of the Genesee Valley Outdoor Learning Center, the Greater Jacksonville Association and pursued interest in real estate with Long and Foster.

Wil and Ellen purchased their Baltimore County pre-civil war home in 1971 undertaking a major restoration project with Wil doing everything from wiring and plumbing to sanding floors and hanging drywall, His knowledge and love of engineering showed as he could fix anything, including his cars. Over the years he took pride in raising and training six German Shepards who were dearly loved family members.

Though always ready to share his staunch conservative views, Wil supported Ellen throughout her political career. He was a faithful and devoted husband until death us do part.