Wilfrid Hardy Schlee^[1]

1897 - 1983  (86 years)

• Name	Wilfrid Hardy Schlee
  Born	21 Mar 1897	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
  Gender	Male
  FindAGrave	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/147961938
  Invention	Wil-Tel Automatic Oil Signal  [8]
  	Wilfrid H. Schlee invented the signal light on a car's instrument panel that warns of low oil pressure. It is now standard on all cars. Waterloo Region Museum Display 2011
  		Wil-Tel Automatic Oil Signal image from Waterloo Region Museum
  Occupation	1911	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Student, Public School
  Residence	1911	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Methodist
  Occupation	1921	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	Accountant, Button Factory
  Residence	1921	26 Hohner St., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  Residence	1921	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	Methodist
  Residence	1945	133 Claremont Ave., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  Eby ID Number	00048-3621.5
  Died	23 Aug 1983	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3, 7]
  Buried	Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3, 7]
  Person ID	I6536	Generations
  Last Modified	9 Jun 2025

  
  

  Father	George Johann Schlee,   b. 4 Jun 1858, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 31 Oct 1944, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 86 years)
  Mother	Eva Hallman,   b. 18 Aug 1863, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 11 Dec 1944, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 81 years)
  Married	29 Nov 1882
  Family ID	F1958	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Cora Marie Idella Huehnergard,   b. 21 Nov 1898, Heidelberg, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 7 Jan 1994, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 95 years)
  Married	23 Jun 1920	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  Children	1. Wilfred Hardy Schlee,   b. 10 Mar 1924, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 23 Apr 1995, Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island, United States  (Age 71 years)   2. Carol Eva Schlee,   b. 5 Oct 1930,   d. 2007  (Age 76 years)
  Last Modified	10 Jun 2025
  Family ID	F9014	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  SCHLEE, Wilfrid H. - At K-W Hospital, on Tuesday, Aug. 23, 1983, following a brief illness, Wilfrid H. Schlee, of 1061 Queens Blvd., aged 85 years. Mr. Schlee was a lifelong resident of Kitchener and a son of the late George Schlee and the former Eva Hallman; a member of Trinity United Church and formerly president of the Kitchener Button Industries. Beloved husband of Cora I. Huehnegard, whom he married in Kitchener, June 23, 1920; dear father of Carol (Mrs. George Schwindt) and John G. Schlee, both of Kitchener and Wilfrid H.Schlee of Rhode Island; brother of Edon of Toronto. Fondly remembered by his 14 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his daughter, Mrs. Betty Smith in 1982; by his son-in-law, George Schwindt in 1981; by two brothers, Walter and Irvin and a sister, Lillie. Friends may call at the RatzBechtel Funeral Home, 621 King St W., Kitchener after 7 p.m. tonight. Funeral and committal service in the chapel, Friday at 2 p.m. with Dr. E.E. Kent officiating. Interment Mount Hope cemetery, Kitchener. Donations to the Trinity United Church Memorial Fund or the Ontario Heart Foundation will be gratefully acknowledged. The family will be in attendance at the funeral home from 7 p.m. tonight and on Thursday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Kitchener-Waterloo Record, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada Wed, Aug 24, 1983 Page 46 __________________ Inventor of oil light, Wilfrid Schlee dies Wilfrid H. Schlee of 1061 Queen's Blvd., Kitchener, an inventor and former president of the Kitchener Button Works, died Tuesday at Kitchener-Waterloo Hospital after a brief illness. He was 85. Schlee invented the automatic oil signal, which he called the Wil-Tel oil and ignition switch signal, in 1924 after he borrowed his father's Cadillac for a run around town one day and noticed on his return that he had run out of oil. He and the late W. O. Knechtel designed and manufactured the device and later sold it to Motor Meter Co. Inc. of New York. The sale he made front page news in The Record in 1928. A modern version of his invention is found in almost every car on the road today. Insurance man Irvin Erb, 87, of Waterloo, remembers helping to Schlee's invention in the promote late 1920s, by advertising it on a float he installed on his 1922 aircooled Franklin car. Although the device prevented burned out bearings, Erb , ended up burning out a bearing in his car because the float prevented air from getting into his air-cooled engine. Schlee five years ago recalled in an interview that he was paid two cents a unit in royalties for 10 years, plus an annual sum from the New York company to which he sold the invention. The company didn't start mass producing the device until shortly before the royalty period expired in 1938. But Schlee was better known as the president of Kitchener Button Industries Ltd. on Victoria Street North (formerly the Kitchener Button Works), and as a manufacturer and promotor of yo-yos in Canada and England from 1931 to 1950. As a promotor of yo-yos, which his button company made, he crossed the Atlantic six times in the 1930s and even had famous people, such as the then Prince of Wales and entertainer Gracie Fields, intrigued with them. Their pictures appeared in London newspapers playing with the Kitchener-made toys. Schlee had been a member of the Kitchener Chamber of Commerce and about 30 years ago was chairman of a committee to bring in sub-post offices in Kitchener. A life-long resident of Kitchener, Schlee is survived by his wife, the former Cora Huehnergard, two sons, John G. of Kitchener, Wilfred H. of Rhode Island, N.Y., and a daughter, Mrs. George (Carol) Schwindt of Kitchener. He is also survived by a brother, 14 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren. He was a member of Trinity United Church. The funeral will be held Friday at 2 p.m. in the chapel of Ratz-Bechtel Funeral Home, 621 King St. W. Wilfrid Schlee. Kitchener-Waterloo Record, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada Wed, Aug 24, 1983 Page 46

  
  

• Sources

  [S3] Book - Vol I A Biographical History of Waterloo Township and other townships of the county : being a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin..., 770. [S4] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration. Wilfred Hardy Schlee Born: Kitchener Age: 22 Father: George Schlee Mother: Eva Hallman Born: abt 1898 Spouse: Cora Marie Huehnergard Age: 21 born: Heidlaburg Ont Father: John Huehnergard Mother: Caroline Hahn married 23 Jun 1920 [S166] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Mount Hope CC#4508 Internet Link . East: Our loved one/ Walter C.C./ son of/ George & Eva/ Schlee/ Died Nov 29, 1893/ aged/ 1 year, 3 mos, 13 dys/ C.Ervin Schlee/ Died April 27 1956/ aged 72 yrs, 4 mos, 8 dys/ Wilfred Schlee/ 1898-1983/ Schlee/ South: Edon Hallman/ Schlee/ 1894-1985/ (A) Edon [S137] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1901, Berlin (Town/Ville) A-4 Page 10. [S340] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1911, Div. 34 Page 2. [S2264] Census - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - 1921, Sub Dist. 30 Page 19. [S3231] Find A Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/147961938/wilfred-hardy-schlee. [S1662] Waterloo Region Museum Waterloo Region Museum.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 21 Mar 1897 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Student, Public School - 1911 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Methodist - 1911 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Married - 23 Jun 1920 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Accountant, Button Factory - 1921 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Methodist - 1921 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 23 Aug 1983 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - Mount Hope Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth