Stanley Grosshandler, 80, of Highland Park, a real estate attorney, died of complications from pancreatic cancer Thursday, Jan. 16, at a hospice in Skokie. Born and raised in Cleveland, Mr. Grosshandler was an Army veteran of World War II, serving in Europe from 1943 to 1946. When he returned home, he spent several years writing non-fiction in New Orleans before he decided to pursue a law career in Chicago, said his daughter-in-law Beth Grosshandler. Before he began undergraduate studies at Roosevelt University, his sister introduced him to Ann Sklar of Chicago, and the two began dating. They were married in 1951. Mr. Grosshandler graduated from Northwestern School of Law in 1954 and joined attorney Thomas Compere as co-counsel representing Highland Park, where he lived for most of his life. Mr. Grosshandler specialized in real estate law, eventually leaving his practice to work for several real estate firms. “He had a really sharp intellectual curiosity and a fascination for the art of the deal,” his daughter-in-law said. Mr. Grosshandler also was on the Lake County Zoning Commission and the Forest Preserve District. Survivors include his wife; four sons, Robert, Seth, Dean and John; a brother, Jerry; a sister, Renee Baum; and five grandchildren. Services have been held.
