Cook County IL Archives Biographies.....Kaess, Gerd Edwin Paul January 9, 1947 - October 20, 1972 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Brian Paul Kaess bkaess@outlook.com April 23, 2018, 1:01 pm Source: Kaess Family from the Neckar Valley Author: Brian Paul Kaess Gerd Edwin Paul Kaess or Käs or Käss (aka Gert Edwin Kaess in America), b. Jan 9 1947 in Heutingsheim, Germany, Baptized Catholic on Feb 2 1947, d. Oct 20 1972 in Chicago, Illinois, of an accidental alcohol/drug overdose (a combination of alcohol and aspirin was noted on the death certificate) , m. Marie Ellen Dawson on abt Sep 30 1967 in Chicago, Son of Paul Ernst Kaess (Käss) and Dorothea Dorschke. Two identical twin sons: Brian Paul Kaess and Garret Thomas Kaess. He was confirmed in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Heutingsheim on Mar 26 1961. He probably switched to Lutheran because his Catholic Mother Dorothea Dorschke had died in 1951 when he was young, and his new family (Paul and Hildegard) wanted the family to be Lutheran. As a teenager, Gerd studied at the Ludwigsburg Gymnasium. Emigrated to the USA in 1965, per Claudia Blumhardt. He may have come at roughly the same era as his Kulhanek Cousins, Elsa, Roland, and Willi, who came to the USA as early or earlier than 1960. Gerd studied at Loyola University Chicago. Printer. Social security number 323-44-5594 (indicating Illinois).Most likely a U.S. Legal Resident. There was some friction between him and his step mother Hildegard Golz, which may have caused him to emigrate. He thought Austria was the most beautiful country on Earth. Gerd and Marie met at a party. They were both typical hippies of that time period. Rumors circulated among the Kulhanek Cousins (living in Oak Lawn, IL) that Gerd and Marie were doing a lot of drugs in the city. Brian remembers being at a party with Gerd and his Hippie friends and recalls lots of marijuana smoke in the air. Garret Kaess was at this party too. Gerd may also have had an American girlfriend in addition to his wife Marie. Despite his obvious drug problems and tragic death, his children Brian and Garret always respected their dad for having a strong work ethic and being sort of ‘normal.’ At least he tried to provide for his family. They say, at one point, he worked three jobs to support his family. His death was tragic because he drank too much, came home to his apt. in Chicago, and compounded the problem by taking aspirin afterwards. Screaming could be heard from his apartment, probably due to the painful mixture. It was said he was dead three days before he was found. His sisters in Germany were very upset about the way he died (i.e. alone). His last residence was in an Apt. in Uptown, Chicago. This may have been where he died. Buried in Oakridge Cemetery, Hillside, Illinois. Brian Paul Kaess' Father Additional Comments: After Gerd died, the Kaess' in Chicago lost contact with the Kaess' in Germany and the Kulhanek's in America. Letters were exchanged and meetings were arranged in 1989/1990 when the family once again learned of each other's wherabouts. Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/cook/photos/bios/kaess1830gbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/cook/bios/kaess1830gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ilfiles/ File size: 3.5 Kb