'Lake Zurich Lost a Great Guy'

Long after he retired as an educator, Spencer Loomis often visited the school named after him, eager to spend time with students.

"He loved coming here to the school," said Grant Seaholm, principal of . "He liked to meet the students. It was obvious that meant the most to him."

Seaholm added that when Loomis walked through the school, students would rush to him, eager to shake his hand or say hello. Loomis would tell the students about his experiences in World War II and of serving as a principal in Africa.

Seaholm was charged with the task of telling students Monday that Loomis had passed away. According to an obituary written by his daughter, Nancy Loomis Schroeder, the man known as Spence passed away at his home in Lake Zurich on April 21. He was 90.

"He was very pleasant to have around. He's going to be missed," said Mayor Suzanne Branding.

Loomis was born in Barrington on Aug. 23, 1921. He graduated from Ela Township High School in 1939 and the Northern Illinois State Teacher's College in 1943. He then enlisted in the U.S. Army the same year and was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge in 1945. Schroeder wrote in her father's obituary that he "was awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Good Conduct, American Campaign, European-African-Middle Eastern with three battle stars, WWII Victory, Expert Infantry and the Combat Infantry badge."

Following his honorable discharge from the Army in January 1946, Loomis married Amy Woodridge 10 days later.

Loomis then set out to continue his education to become a teacher. After receiving a master's degree from the University of Wisconsin, Loomis taught in Wisconsin for two years. In 1950, he "returned to his beloved Lake Zurich to teach history, geography and health at ," Schroeder wrote. Loomis taught sixth, seventh and eighth grades. 

His teaching career included becoming principal of May Whitney in 1960, serving as principal of the Oil Companies School in Libya and then returning to May Whitney to serve again as principal. He ultimately stepped down as principal to teach history and geography.

Dennis Hennessy said Loomis instilled in him a love of history. Loomis was Hennessy's eighth-grade history teacher.

"At that time, you're not really interested in history," said Hennessy. But with Loomis, history was "not about dates — it's about people. He made it interesting."

That influence led Hennessy to be a self-proclaimed history buff who enjoys watching the History channel and reading history-related books.

Hennessy said he loved listening to Loomis' stories about World War II or his experiences living in Wauconda as a child. Hennessy said Loomis told him that when he was a child, his family lived above a bar in Wauconda, and Loomis would sit outside and listen to the men talk — that is, until his mom caught him.

"He was just a funny guy," said Hennessy. "Lake Zurich lost a great guy."

Branding said Loomis had a big impact on the community.

After he retired from teaching in 1982, Loomis focused his attention on many local organizations. Schroeder wrote that her father delivered Meals on Wheels to seniors, volunteered during the night shift at Public Action to Deliver Shelter, served as president of the Lions Club, was active with St. Peter United Church of Christ and served on the Lake Zurich Bicentennial Committee.

Loomis also wrote a number of books, including A Pictorial History of Ela Township and One Hundred Years in the Life of St. Peter.

In 2002, Loomis was awarded the Studs Terkel Humanities Service Award by the Illinois Humanities Council. The Council said of Loomis at the time: "The village of Lake Zurich's preeminent local historian, Spencer Loomis is honored for his efforts to preserve and record his community's local heritage."

Loomis — along with some of his family members — once served as president of the , said President Dolores Mark.

"He was certainly instrumental in helping the (historical society) get started," said Mark. "It was kind of a club. It was sort of a personal adventure in the family."

"He was just a very good man," Mark added.

Branding agreed.

"There was something about Spencer Loomis that was just dependable," she said. "There are certain people you can always count on, and he was one of those people. He was always a nice person to be around. "

Seaholm said he got to know Loomis very well, before his namesake school opened nine years ago and in the years that followed. Seaholm said he used to take his son to Loomis' house to fish off of his pier.

"He and I had a wonderful relationship," said Seaholm. "I got a sense that it was one of mutual respect."

Seaholm and the students of Spencer Loomis Elementary are paying tribute to Loomis this week as they collect books for Bernie's Book Bank, a North Shore organization that redistributes books to people in need. The book drive is being dedicated in the memory of Loomis "because he was all about education." Seaholm said the goal is to surpass Bernie's Books' all-time record of collecting 11,375 books through a single book drive. He said residents are welcome to drop off books — primarily for students in sixth grade or younger — at the school through April 27.

A visitation for Loomis will be held from 3 to 9 p.m. April 25 at St. Peter United Church of Christ, with the funeral service scheduled for 11 a.m. April 26 at the church.

Read Loomis' full obituary — along with comments from friends and former students — on the Ela Historical Society Facebook page.

What are your memories of Spencer Loomis? Share them in the comments.