Dr. William Joseph Schirmer

1916 - 2006  (89 years)

• Name	William Joseph Schirmer
  Title	Dr.
  Born	15 Oct 1916	Newark, Essex, New Jersey, USA   [1, 2, 3]
  Gender	Male
  Residence	7 Jan 1920	98 - 11th Ave., Newark, Essex, New Jersey, USA   [4]
  Residence	5 Apr 1930	63 Crawford St., Newark, Essex, New Jersey, USA   [5]
  Graduation	1934	St. Benedict's Preparatory School, 520 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Newark, Essex, New Jersey, USA
  Occupation	Obstetrician
  Reference Number	PERS214
  Religion	Roman Catholic  [2]
  Residence	Elizabeth, Union, New Jersey, USA   [2]
  Residence	Elizabeth, Union, New Jersey, USA
  Died	23 Feb 2006	Seacrest Village Nursing Home, 1001 Center St., Little Egg Harbor, Ocean, New Jersey, USA   [6]
  Person ID	I212	Zellner Genealogy
  Last Modified	21 Oct 2020

  
  

  Father	August Henry Schirmer,   b. 17 Dec 1889, Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, USA ,   d. 19 Oct 1969, Hillside, Union, New Jersey, USA  (Age 79 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Mother	Mary Frances Mager,   b. 9 Mar 1889, Newark, Essex, New Jersey, USA ,   d. 24 Dec 1957, Hillside, Union, New Jersey, USA  (Age 68 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Married	20 Oct 1915	Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 528 Martin Luther King Blvd, Newark, Essex, New Jersey, USA   [1, 7]
  Reference Number	MARR760
  Documents		1920 U.S. Census NJ, Essex, Newark, Ward 6, ED157, P6-B, August Schirmer Family
  		1930 U.S. Census NJ, Essex, Newark, Ward 9, ED7-662, P9-B, August Schirmer Family
  Recordings		2009-08-13 "Story Corps" Interview with Sr. Loretta "Bernie" Schirmer
  Family ID	F76	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Jean Mary Bergen,   b. 1 Mar 1920, Norwood, St Lawrence, New York, USA ,   d. 21 Jun 2008, Forked River, Ocean, New Jersey, USA  (Age 88 years)
  Married	20 Jul 1944  [2]
  Reference Number	MARR1156
  Children	+ 1. Living + 2. Living + 3. Living + 4. Peter George Schirmer,   b. 16 Sep 1949, Elizabeth, Union, New Jersey, USA ,   d. 13 Mar 2001, 1068 Midwood Dr., Rahway, Union, New Jersey, USA  (Age 51 years)  [natural] + 5. Living + 6. Living + 7. Living + 8. Matthew William Schirmer,   b. 16 Feb 1960, Elizabeth, Union, New Jersey, USA ,   d. 28 Mar 2003, Mexia, Limestone, Texas, USA  (Age 43 years)  [natural] + 9. Living
  Last Modified	21 Oct 2020
  Family ID	F103	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map		Born - 15 Oct 1916 - Newark, Essex, New Jersey, USA Residence - 7 Jan 1920 - 98 - 11th Ave., Newark, Essex, New Jersey, USA Residence - 5 Apr 1930 - 63 Crawford St., Newark, Essex, New Jersey, USA Graduation - 1934 - St. Benedict's Preparatory School, 520 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Newark, Essex, New Jersey, USA Residence - - Elizabeth, Union, New Jersey, USA Residence - - Elizabeth, Union, New Jersey, USA Died - 23 Feb 2006 - Seacrest Village Nursing Home, 1001 Center St., Little Egg Harbor, Ocean, New Jersey, USA  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  		Anna Steets Mager with baby (William Schirmer?)
  		1944-07-20 Bill Schirmer - Jean Bergen Wedding

  
  

• Notes

  Dr. William Schirmer, obstetrician 40 years, decorated WWII officer Friday, February 24, 2006 Dr. William J. Schirmer, 89, of Little Egg Harbor, a physician and decorated World War II veteran, died yesterday in the Seacrest Village Nursing Home, Little Egg Harbor. A Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday in St. Marys Church, Newark. An obstetrician in Elizabeth for more than 40 years, Dr. Schirmer delivered his 11,000th baby on his 75th birthday. He also served as a physician at the Union County jail for 20 years. Dr. Schirmer was graduated from Fordham University in 1938 and Columbia University Medical School in 1943. An Army veteran of World War II, Dr. Schirmer was a battlefield doctor in the European Theater and was awarded the Bronze Star for valor for actions in the Battle of the Bulge. He achieved the rank of major. Born in Newark, he lived in Elizabeth for many years before moving to Little Egg Harbor. Surviving are Jean, his wife of 61 years; daughters, Karen Coon and Ellen Schirmer; sons, Tom, Mike, Chris, Joe and Paul; sisters, Mary Agnes Schoenberger, Sister Loretta Schirmer, Terese Piccoli, Anne Marie Cuff and Margie Conlin; 29 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. --------------------------------------------- William Schirmer, delivered kindness Sunday, February 26, 2006 BY CAROL ANN CAMPBELL Star-Ledger Staff Thomas Schirmer remembers talking to his 75-year-old father after the longtime obstetrician delivered his 11,000th baby. "I said, 'Dad, you have been doing this so long. Does it lose its touch?'" Far from it, the son recalls his father, Dr. William J. Schirmer, responding. "He told me, 'When you use your two hands to bring a life into the world, it is the most exciting thing you can experience,'" Schirmer recalled. Surrounded by his family at Seacrest Village Nursing Home in Little Egg Harbor, Dr. Schirmer died Thursday. The decorated World War II veteran was 89. Dr. Schirmer was born in Newark and lived for many years in Elizabeth and in Hillside. He practiced at what were then St. Elizabeth's Hospital and Elizabeth General Hospital. He was known for quietly helping those in need, often refusing to accept pay from patients. He made house calls and was among the first obstetricians to allow husbands into the delivery room. Dr. Schirmer rarely mentioned his acts of generosity, though stories emerged through the years. Joe Schirmer, one of Dr. Schirmer's nine children -- the family made a baseball team, they often joked -- remembers when he and his wife, Susan, moved to a new home. A neighbor recognized their name. "She said, 'Oh, Dr. Schirmer was my doctor.' Then she told me when she was pregnant with twins her husband left her," the son recalled. "When she got the hospital bill and the doctor bill, both were stamped, 'Paid in full.' My father did things like that all the time." Joe Schirmer remembers as a child complaining that their neighbors all drove luxury cars. "My father told me, 'I won't drive a nicer car than my patients,'" he said. Dr. Schirmer, who practiced obstetrics for 40 years, could be a practical joker, too. Once at the maternity ward he filled urine collection jars with apple juice and, while the nurses looked on in horror, professed his thirst and took a swig. A story now part of family lore has him riding his motor scooter with a woman in the midst of labor into the hospital, onto the elevator and straight to the delivery room. Dr. Schirmer graduated from Fordham University in 1938 and Columbia University Medical School in 1943. He also was a graduate of St. Benedict's Prep in Newark and remained a lifelong supporter of the school, where several of his children also attended. "He was a terrific person and a fabulous family man, a dyed-in-the-wool St. Benedict's guy," said Paul Thornton, vice president of development at the school. When Thornton's wife was pregnant in 1973, Dr. Schirmer told them not to worry about the bill. He knew they were a young couple devoted to the religious school and not earning a big paycheck. "When my wife went into labor, he said, 'I'll meet you in the parking lot. If you can hang on there until midnight, you can save (the bill for a day in the hospital)," Thornton recalled. After his retirement at the age of 75, Dr. Schirmer volunteered to bathe AIDS babies at Elizabeth General Hospital. His family said the doctor has continued his generosity after death by donating his body to the UMDNJ -- New Jersey Medical School for research. After two years, the family will receive his ashes. An Army veteran of World War II, Dr. Schirmer was a battlefield doctor in the European Theater and was awarded the Bronze Star for valor for actions in the Battle of the Bulge. He achieved the rank of major. Dr. Schirmer was predeceased by two children, Matthew and Peter. In addition to his sons Thomas and Joe, he is survived by his wife of 61 years, Jean; three other sons, Mike, Chris and Paul; two daughters, Karen Coon and Ellen Schirmer; five sisters, Mary Agnes Schoenberger, Sister Loretta Schirmer, Terese Piccoli, Anne Marie Cuff and Margie Conlin; 29 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. A Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow in St. Mary's Church, Newark. ------------------------------------------------------ Dr. William J. Schirmer SCHIRMER - Dr. William J. Schirmer (1916-2006) passed away Thursday, Feb. 23, at age 89. Bill graduated from St. Benedict's Preparatory School (1934), Fordham University (1938) and Columbia University Medical School (1943). He served in the United States Army during World War II as a battlefield doctor in the European Theater from 1944 to 1946. He was honorably discharged with the rank of major. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his actions in the Battle of the Bulge. He served as a Union County jail physician for more than 20 years. Dr. Schirmer practiced medicine in Elizabeth, N.J., for more than 40 years as an obstetrician. At age 75, he delivered his 11,000th baby of his career. Dr. Schirmer is survived by his wife of 61 years, Jean Schirmer. He came from a family of nine children. He was the only boy. He is survived by five of his sisters, Mary Agnes Schoenberger, Sister Loretta Schirmer, Terese Piccoli, Anne Marie Cuff and Margie Conlin. Three of his sisters, Catherine Schirmer, Bettie Burke and Sister Mary Austin Schirmer, are deceased. Dr. and Mrs. Schirmer had nine children, Karen Coon, Tom Schirmer, Mike Schirmer, Peter Schirmer, Chris Schirmer, Joe Schirmer, Ellen Schirmer, Matt Schirmer and Paul Schirmer. Peter and Matt are deceased. They have 29 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2-5 p.m. at St. Benedict's Prep. School located at 520 Martin Luther King Boulevard, Newark, N.J. 07102 (973-792-5744). A Memorial Mass will be offered on Monday, Feb. 27, at St. Mary's Church (adjacent to St. Benedict's) at 10:30 a.m. in the morning. In lieu of flowers, donations are being accepted payable to Dr. William J. Schirmer Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o St. Benedict's Preparatory School at the above address. Published in the Star-Ledger from 2/24/2006 - 2/26/2006.

  
  

• Sources

  [S56] Das Mager-Buch: Geschichte einer Familie aus vier Jahrhunderten (Erganzungsband zum "Mager-Buch" 1935), Dr. Edwart Mager, (Name: Freiburg im Breisgau, 1972;), 81. [S204] Vincent Burke. [S511] Terese Schirmer Piccoli. [S14] 1920 U.S. Census, Population Schedule; NARA Microfilm Publication T625, NJ, Essex, Newark, Ward 6, ED157, P6-B. [S15] 1930 U.S. Census, Population Schedule; NARA Microfilm Publication T626, NJ, Essex, Newark, Ward 9. ED7-662, P9-B. [S150] Obituary. [S168] Parish Register of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Newark, New Jersey.