He’s Buried in Waldheim Cemetery… or is he?

A while back I downloaded the death certificate from the Cook County Genealogy Online website for a cousin whose name was Albert Schaaf. He died April 26, 1935 in Chicago. According to the Death Certificate he was buried in the Waldheim Cemetery in Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois – along with hundreds of thousands of other folks. Forest Park has far more dead residents than live ones. There are only about 15,000 live folks residing there. Waldheim Cemetery alone has over 175,000 very quiet folks who stick to themselves pretty much.

Yesterday, Jeff Bockman and I stopped by Waldeim Cemetery and asked about Albert Schaaf. They had no record of him – which explains why my previous requests for information had gone unanswered. I’d also questioned the record, as I had no idea that the family was Jewish – Waldheim Cemetery being a Jewish Cemetery. Upon looking at the death certificate copy that I carried, the secretary told me she thought that my guy was probably buried at Forest Home Cemetery – which used to be called Waldheim (Waldheim being the German word for Forest Home). It’s about a mile away. We called over there and they told us that they had a Albert Schaff buried there, but he died in 1898 – not 1935. We went to the cemetery and found that this Albert was the father of the Albert I was looking for, buried beside my cousin Magdalena Gfeller (d May 12, 1930), and Margaret E. Schaaf (d June 4, 1945) Magdalena and Margaret have no headstone, and Albert’s is almost illegible.

The photo (taken by Jeff) shows the Forest Home sign next to the gate. On the wall of the office in the background is a bronze plaque with the name Waldheim on it.

foresthomecemeteryWe never did come up with burial information on the Albert who is stated to be buried there. Forest Home requires information requests to be sent by
mail – along with $25 for the first person and $5 for each thereafter. So I’m planning to send $40 – and hope they find another body – that of Albert.

So – just keep in mind that your ancestor may have been buried officially in Waldheim, but Waldheim may have had a change in names, now being Forest Home – and you still may not find him… I’ll update this when Albert Jr. is located.

13 Replies to “He’s Buried in Waldheim Cemetery… or is he?”

  1. The Forest Home (Waldheim) records are on microfilm at the Newberry Library in Chicago.

  2. I follow exactly what you are saying. I have been called the wandering lady of Waldheim. It depends on how busy they are; if they want to charge you. I went to the office and asked 4 times where Freidrick Kautz was burried who d. in aprox 1898. After 3 trips to the wrong grave, I finally was sent to the right? area. At least she got the wife names and the d.d. right. It seems to me, when they moved the cemetery for the expressway in the 60’s, they moved some graves. It would seem to me if F. Kautz bought 2 family plots for 10 each he would of had enough $$ for 10 graves fro himself and headstones. I was sent to a vacant piece of property, next to the expressway, by the little DesP river, no head stone and was told that was the ‘ area’. Humm? Now I still wonder why? The folks at Waldheim aka Forest Home have always been helpful and nice. Its a very nice cemetery , quite beautiful. They even have a History Walk in the Fall , sponsor by OakPark Hist. Society. I would write a letter; maybe some kind sole will xerox the page for you. Good Luck in your search. Wandering lady of Waldheim Jody

  3. I would like to get in touch with the Linda Petrasek who has an ancestor from the village of Lohow Bohemia listed in the CSAGSI Surname Index from 2004. I have ancestors from the village of Lohov, now Hlohov, and it’s very possible the villages of Lohow and Lohov were one and the same. My Lohov is located about 9 miles south of Caslav. Maybe we can find some connections. Joe Zima, Tinley Park, IL.

  4. Keep looking folks….I had a very similar situation with Forest Home telling me my relatives were not buried there despite the death certificate. Ask them to try ALTERNATE spellings…that worked for me and they found them. The genealogy lady there is sweet, but not the most thorough. Also, she wasn’t able to send pictures because she only has a typewriter 😀 A dear soul from the area offered to track down the grave stones and take pictures for me…can’t wait to see those. Happy hunting!

  5. Are you talking about Albert Emanuel Schaaf B: 1835? Eslengen, Wertenberg, Germany – D: 1898?

    father of Albert Schaaf

    Husband of Magdalena Gfeller, married 10 Aug 1884, Chicago

    and son of Andraes Schaaf and Elizabeth?

  6. Albert Emanuel Schaaf is buried in Section G, Lot 55 of the German Waldheim Cemetary, Along with Magdalena Schaaf nee Gfeller.

  7. The ashes of Albert (the son) were supposed to be spread on his father’s and mother’s graves. However, they ended up in his wife’s (Mable) effects and both of their ashes spread on a mountainside near Pikes Peak in the 1970’s or 1980’s.

  8. Pikes Peak, as in the Pikes Peak in Kenosha, Wisconsin? Not family, just curious. I found this because my grandmother, her parents, and her brother are all buried at Waldheim (Jewish) Cemetery. She also has other family buried there. But, Waldheim is a huge cemetery, and is spread out all over, including across major roadways, I believe. Someday, I’ll plan to spend all day there, maybe bring a picnic lunch, and just explore and who knows whom else I’ll find there. If I lived closer, I’d probably become known as The Wandering Lady #2.

  9. Well, now I have my very own Waldheim Cemetery mystery. My great grand parents, John G Utting and Lizzie Utting (nee Phrang) were originally buried at Green Ridge Memorial Park (now known as Chapel Hill Garden West Cemetery and Funeral Home) John G Utting died November 29, 1932 and was disinterred on June 5, 1937. His remains were moved to Waldheim Cemetery.

    Chapel Hill checked the first time and said they would check and call back. after a few more calls they could not find either of them. They went in to the vault and found the disinterment papers from 1937 and the original invoice for the purchase of 6 plots.

    The Senior Family Service Counselor, Laurar Garciss was friendly and distressed about the lack of records as nothing has any signatures on it. She is checking further and offered to send me the papers and put a call in to Waldheim to let them know I would be calling.

    They are unclear if just my great grand dad was moved or other family members. So my journey starts tomorrow with Waldheim.

    Is Waldheim only for Jewish people or is it for Germans of any religious persuasion?

    Beth Walsh

  10. Hi Folks,
    If you need help locating loved ones at Forest Home please email me at Deborah.bluck@foresthomecemetery.net
    I will look into finding information for you. Please know that Forest Park has German Waldheim located at Forest Home Cemetery, and Jewish Waldheim is located south of Forest Home at DesPlaines Ave and Roosevelt.

  11. Hello:

    I’m trying to track down descendants of “Nash Didan” Jews who immigrated to the Chicago area from places like Urmia, Persia, Tabriz and to a smaller degree Tblisi, Georgia and Yeravan, Armenia, in the 1920’s. Many were members of the Iran (now Persian) Hebrew Congregation and many buried at Waldheim Cemetery, Forest Park – I believe in Menorah Gardens. If you are of this group or the facts sound similar, but you only know your ancestors came from Persia in the 1920’s, please contact me. THANKS! David

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