Mayor Schapekahm dies

By Journal Staff

NEW ULM -- Bert Schapekahm, the veteran New Ulm Police sergeant who walked from the police beat into the mayor's office, died Thursday at Methodist Hospital in Rochester after a half-year-long battle with cancer.

Schapekahm will be remembered as a New Ulm native who loved his city and who threw himself enthusiastically into the job of representing and promoting the city, say those who knew him and worked with him.

Schapekahm retired from the police department in 1993 after 35 years of service. He was elected to the mayor's office by an overwhelming majority in 1994.

Over the years Schapekahm represented the city on a number of regional boards, and he was active in pushing for Highway 14 improvements between Mankato and New Ulm.

But his strength was his concern and care for the people of New Ulm.

City Council President Dan Beranek said Schapekahm was "one of the best loved mayors this city ever had," when Schapekahm was presented with the New Ulm Sertoma Club's Service To Mankind Award on May 8.

Beranek, who had known Schapekahm for 20 years, said Thursday, "It's just a very sad day. We express our sympathy to Bert's immediate family and to the community. We've known he's been sick for some time, but we hoped he would pull through it ... The end seemed to come quickly. It's a huge loss for the community and the New Ulm area."

Schapekahm really loved being mayor, Beranek said.

"It's not a job everyone can handle. Bert just reveled in it, and he did such a good job at it," said Beranek, "After meetings you could tell he was in bliss with the job. He enjoyed every aspect of it. He was the right guy for the position."

Beranek said he knew Schapekahm as a "fun fellow with a great sense of humor."

"His immediate family was important to him and his bigger family was this community, " said Beranek.

Schapekahm succeeded Carl "Red" Wyczawski as mayor. Wyczawski knew Schapekahm for the past 40 years.

"I'm terribly sorry and deeply saddened by my friend Bert's passing," said Wyczawski. "Mayor Schapekahm was a special individual and a dear friend."

Wyczawski said when he was mayor of New Ulm he would call on Schapekahm to assist him on various occasions.

"His presence always impressed foreign visitors," said Wyczawski, "He demonstrated his love of this town."

When Schapekahm worked as a law enforcement officer, he had the ability to diffuse any possible hostile situation, said Wyczawski.

"He knew how to handle people," said Wyczawski. "He was a great ambassador of the city. We're going to miss Bert. He did a great job for our community."

Schapekahm took pride in his German heritage. On one trip to Germany he visited with police officials in the city of Bersenbruck. His visit developed into an exchange program between the departments in New Ulm and Bersenbruck, with law enforcement officers exchanging visits every two years.

City Councilor Denny Warta knew Schapekahm almost his whole life.

"New Ulm lost a great, great mayor and a great, great representative," said Warta, "He was doing a great job at it. I lost a very close personal friend. We're going to miss him very much for the great job he did for this city for many years even before he became mayor, as a New Ulm policeman."