William Donald Schaefer Dies at Age 89

William Donald Schaefer , former governor of Maryland died on Monday, April 18, 2011. Schaefer was the governor of Maryland from 1987 to 1995. Prior to that, he spent 15 years as mayor of Baltimore. Schaefer served as state comptroller from 1999 to 2007. He served a total of 31 years before retiring. Schaefer was 89 years old. He passed away in bed at a Catonsville nursing home around 6:30 PM.

Schaefer had been ill earlier in the month and required a 5-day stay in the hospital for pneumonia. Current Governor O'Malley has ordered flags to be flown at half-mast. It is a sad day for Maryland. Schaefer was a controversial soul at times, but he was also well loved in the state of Maryland.

Former governor Schaefer headed up the efforts to change the inner harbor to what it is today in the city of Baltimore. The project started in the late seventies. Today, people come to Baltimore specifically to visit the inner harbor. Harborplace was not the only project on his mind. Schaefer also had other plans for the city. These projects included the National Aquarium, the convention center and Camden Yards. He kept himself and everyone else in the city of Baltimore busy.

Schaefer made himself part of the scheme of Baltimore and the state of Maryland. He is widely known and he had an attitude of getting it done now. He graduated from Baltimore City College in 1939. He was a Free Mason and a member of Order of DeMolay. He also graduated from University of Maryland School of Law in 1942 with an LL. B. and in 1954 with an LL. M. He was a democrat who will be sorely missed by the people of the state of Maryland. He goes down as one of the most influential and important figures in Baltimore history and the history of Maryland.

A statue of Schaefer was dedicated to him on his 88th birthday. It was a tribute to a man that gave his all. He will be a part of the Baltimore scenery forever not because of the statue though, but because he cared. In an interview he said, "The real legacy was when we saved the neighborhoods." He was speaking of the rebuilding and rebirth of the city of Baltimore that had lost pride in itself and the people seemed to be giving up.

The times weren't all good though. A gunmen, bent on finding the then mayor Schaefer, entered the building angry about an eviction. Schaefer was not in his office at the time. A city councilman was killed and three other people were wounded. He was mayor of Baltimore when the Baltimore Colts snuck out of the city in the middle of the night in 1984.

In another interview , Schaefer said, "I really mean this, on my tombstone, on my tombstone, I want the words he cared. That means a lot to me, because I did and I do. I care about the poor, uh, I've seen the poor people on the streets. I've seen drunks and drug addicts. I've seen elderly, older citizens who are so afraid, they're so insecure, I worry about them. Those things really affect me. Now, people laugh at me and they think that's politics. I've tried to build housing. I've tried to help the elderly and that's all, that's what I would like to be known as. He cared." He certainly did and he won't be soon forgotten for that. Rest in peace William Donald Schaefer. Thank you for caring. There is a memorial page for Schaefer on Facebook for anyone that cares to join it.