Karl Scham

Karl Scham, 86, of the Lake Geneva area died at his home on July 26th, 2018.

Born Karl Scham to the late Otto and Amalie (Burst) Scham on October 30, 1931. Karl came to America in 1955. Soon after arriving Karl was drafted into the United States Army, serving on a US Army base in Germany. While in the service, Karl had reached out for a pen-pal to keep him company. On March 14th, 1958, Karl was united through marriage to his pen pal, Waltraud Kirschke, in Germany.

Throughout his life, Karl continually sought to be creative and to make things. He was an electrician by trade, and started his own electrical company in Illinois. He and his wife lived in an old farm house in Barrington, which they remodelled twice before eventually moving to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, in 1975. There, in Lake Geneva, Karl and his family purchased the Godfrey Motel on Wells Street, which they renamed the Ambassador Motel. The Scham family worked countless hours revamping the motel, hoping to make it better then it had ever been. Karl also served as a member of the Lions Club of Lake Geneva. As sight Chairman, Karl helped to start the town’s first yearly Oktoberfest. He also redesigned the eyeglass collection boxes used by the Lions Club, one of which can still be found in the Town Bank entry. Of the many different things that Karl achieved, the accomplishment of which he was most proud was the building of Paradise Golf Park. The mini golf course is still open and run by family over thirty years later.

Karl is survived by his wife of 60 years, Waltraud, his 2 daughters Tordis (Manfred) Gehrlein and Ursula (Johann) Botsch, his 4 grandchildren Siegfried and Thomas Gehrlein, Johann and Gretel Botsch, and his two sisters Laura Maier of Arizona and Lydia Schuhardt of Germany.

Services for Karl will be held on Thursday, August 9th, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. in the main chapel of Derrick Funeral Home. Visitation will be held on Thursday, August 9th, 2018, from 2:00 p.m. till the time of the service.

In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, Karl’s family has asked that you make a donation in his name to either the American Cancer Society or to Aurora at Home Hospice. Links have been provided.

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Derrick Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Lake Geneva are more than honored to be assisting Karl’s family in their time of need.

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