William Donald Schaefer

The days after William Donald Schaefer's death were filled with pomp and circumstance — a long farewell that culminated with hundreds packing a downtown Baltimore church to memorialize one of Maryland's larger-than-life figures. Sunday, an Ellicott City church offered a smaller, yet perhaps more fitting memorial to the late governor, comptroller and Baltimore mayor. The Gary Memorial United Methodist Church recognized Schaefer, a one-time member, with a roughly hour-long service and a small gold plaque.

A tiny church tucked inside Patapsco Valley State Park dedicates a pew Sunday to one of its most famous former congregants, the late William Donald Schaefer. Gary Memorial United Methodist Church has just 80 worshipers most Sundays, but for many years, one of them was the former mayor, governor and comptroller. Schaefer found his way to the stone church in the woods when the pastor was Luther Starnes, his former secretary of human resources. He left Gary Memorial $10,000 in his will.

I read Eileen's Sunday column about how former Gov. William Donald Schaefer amassed millions with interest. It's clear that the former mayor, governor and comptroller enjoyed some perks --- eight years of free housing in the governor's mansion, for example --- that most public employees do not. And Schaefer received a pension for his public service, something many of the newest entrants into today's job market won't have. But Eileen shows that Schaefer also made choices that worked in his financial favor.

A reader posed this question about the late William Donald Schaefer: How could a man who worked all his adult life in state and local government die rich? At the time of his death in April at age 89, the former Baltimore mayor, Maryland governor and comptroller had an estate worth nearly $2.5 million. Frankly, given Schaefer's long career and modest lifestyle, accumulating millions would be easy. Schaefer had a good salary, generous pensions and worked up until age 85 — a couple of decades longer than most people.

For a man said to have been married to the city of Baltimore, William Donald Schaefer had a lot of women fighting over him. His longtime companion, Hilda Mae Snoops, didn't get along with Lainy LeBow-Sachs, an aide since his days in City Hall. The rivalry simmered even after LeBow-Sachs married Baltimore developer Leonard Sachs in 1993. Snoops did not allow LeBow-Sachs into the governor’s mansion, so the latter resorted to sneaking in for her first tour as Schaefer was wrapping up his second term as governor, former Sun reporter C. Fraser Smith wrote in his biography of Schaefer.

William Donald Schaefer wasn't always easy to read. That goes double for his wills. And yes, that's wills , plural. In a will signed in 2009 and made public May 17, the late Baltimore mayor, Maryland governor and state comptroller left an amount that could approach $1 million to longtime aide Lainy LeBow-Sachs. Jeanne Bell — a friend for decades, someone to whom he gave his power of attorney just three years ago — received only his stamp and plate collections. In a will signed in 2005, LeBow-Sachs made out about the same as in the current will.

Though he never made a big deal of the connection during his lifetime, former Gov. William Donald Schaefer acknowledged the importance of his years as a parishioner at the Gary Memorial United Methodist Church in Ellicott City by leaving $10,000 to the church in his final will. Schaefer also left $5,000 to the Rev. Luther Starnes, of Columbia, who worked under Schaefer for years in various government positions and was pastor of Gary Memorial during the years Schaefer attended services there — and the former governor's personal minister until the time of his death.

William Donald Schaefer remembered many people in his will, but only one mermaid. Karen Blair , a longtime aide who received $10,000 in the will made public last week, was a City Hall secretary in August 1978 when the city was about to break ground for the aquarium. A model had been hired to appear as a mermaid, but she showed up that day without the requisite fresh-from-the-sea look. “She came in and she had all this make-up on and her hair was all piled up high,” Blair said.

Regarding letter writer John Fuller's question relative to how Gov. William Donald Schaefer accumulated an estate of $2.5 million ("How did Schaefer get so rich? May 22), the answer is simple: He was single. Deal Allen, Forest Hill

John Fuller asks the wrong question about William Donald Schaefer's estate ("How did Schaefer get so rich?" May 22)). The questions should be: What made Mr. Schaefer prefer serving people over spending his ample public salaries on expensive homes, fancy cars and exotic vacations? Why did he roam the streets and alleys of Baltimore over the weekends to get potholes fixed and trash removed rather than play 18-holes of golf at a country club? And how long will it take before another public servant like Mr. Schaefer comes along?