Richard Albert Adler

Richard A. Adler, 100, of Evanston, IL, formerly of Chicago and Couderay, WI, passed away Wednesday, December 4, at his home in Evanston surrounded by his family. Loving uncle to Robert S. Babecki (Lorraine Vinci and the late Lise Sasseville), Susan E. (Richard) Becker, Eva Adler, and Lorica (Mark Sidoryk) Adler; devoted grand-uncle of the late David, Charles (Émilie Gosselin), and Geneviève Babecki, Alexandra and Jason (Megan) Becker, and Nikita Sidoryk; loving great-uncle to Clara and Victoria Babecki and Bernadette Becker; devoted brother-in-law to the late Robert J. Babecki and the late Naomi (Cochran) Adler; beloved son of the late Albert and Elsie (Sherwood) Adler; and dear brother of the late Carl Adler, the late Esther “Betty” Babecki, and the late Paul Arthur Adler.

Richard was a World War II Navy veteran who served in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters as a Signalman 2nd Class aboard convoy ships, including the S.S. Gilbert Stuart which was hit by a Japanese suicide plane near Tacloban in the Philippines on November 17, 1944. After the war ended, Richard served in the Shore Patrol in Houston and New Orleans. He continued his service to his country as a member of the Naval Reserve until 1955.

Richard earned an Associate’s degree from Chicago City Colleges in 1949. He bought a home on Winona Street in 1950 where he lived with his mother and brother, Paul, on the second floor and his sister, Betty, and her husband Bob and their family on the first. He enjoyed that home for 72 years as a gathering place for many holidays and family birthday celebrations until 2022.

One day in the 1950s, Betty’s brother-in-law, Steve, gave Richard a set of paints and brushes and a couple of canvases and said, “Here, see what you can do with these.” Thus began Richard’s development as a self-taught artist. His works ranged from family portraits to ships plying the ocean at full sail to the fish and birds of the north woods as well as Chicago landmarks. His mural of a Parisian street scene graced the wall of the entrance to Betty and Bob’s apartment for more than five decades.

Richard worked for many years at Paymaster Corporation where he scheduled the factory and earned the respect of both the management and the piece part workers for his ability to keep things running smoothly. After his retirement he joined Betty and Bob at their cabin on Blueberry Lake in Wisconsin during the months of May to October where they enjoyed fishing and gardening for almost 20 years.

Visitation will be held from 10 to 11 AM on Tuesday, December 10, 2024 at Drake & Son Funeral Home, 5303 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL 60625. A funeral service will take place at the Hennig Chapel at Rosehill Cemetery, 5800 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60660. Military honors will be rendered at the conclusion of the service. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, a donation to Richard’s favorite charity, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, would be appreciated.