John Dennis Schaeffer

Born March 30, 1942, in St. Louis, Mo. Died Feb. 12, 2025, in DeKalb, Il.

John D. Schaeffer, Ph.D., passed away at Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital after several months of declining health.  He is survived by his wife Laura Bird, his daughter Lucy G'Fellers (Christopher), his son John Thomas Schaeffer (Dalmy Bolivar), and grandchildren Lila and Wallace G'Fellers and Maximino Schaeffer. He was a professor of English at Northern Illinois University from 1990 until his retirement in 2016.  Prior to coming to DeKalb, he taught English at the University of Missouri at St. Louis; Maryville College in St. Louis; Maple Park Community College in Kansas City; Marymount College in Salina, Kansas; and Columbus College (now University) in Columbus, Georgia. His academic specialties were Renaissance Literature and the History of Rhetoric.  He authored three books on the writings of Giambattista Vico and over fifty articles and reviews on a variety of subjects. After retirement, he volunteered as a newsreader for local public radio station WNIU/WNIJ. He loved chess, opera, British mysteries, the St. Louis Cardinals, and learning languages.  He was preceded in death by his sister, Diana Adorjan, and his parents, John and Josephine Schaeffer, all of St. Louis. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the St. Vincent de Paul Society or the charity of your choice.  Visitation will be held Tuesday, Feb. 18, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Finch Funeral Home in DeKalb.  The funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 19, at St. Mary Catholic Church in DeKalb. Arrangements were entrusted to Finch Funeral Home 310 Oak St. DeKalb, IL 60115 815-758-3841.