James Snitker 1931-2002

SNITKER, BYRNES, TRENKAMP

Posted By: SGF (email)
Date: 9/12/2002 at 15:07:20

James R,. Snitker, 70, of Waukon, died Wednesday, August 21, 2002, at his home in rural Waukon following a lengthy illness. Funeral services were held Saturday, August 24, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Waukon, with Father Joseph Schneider officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary's Hanover Cemetery rural Waukon. Martin Funeral Home in Waukon assisted with arrangements. James Ronald Snitker was born on September 15, 1931, on the rural Waukon farm of his parents, Ronald and Lorrayne (Byrnes) Snitker. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Pius Cherry Mound Catholic Church rural Harpers Ferry and attended country schools in Hanover Township. James helped his father and other area farmers on the farm and also traveled to other states where he had various jobs. He served in the U.S. Army from 1952 to 1954 as a Paratrooper with the 101st Airborne. On June 16, 1956, he married Donna J. Trenkamp at St Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyersville. James and Donna farmed in West Ridge in Union Prairie Township for 44 years. He was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church and a former member of the National Farmers Organization. James enjoyed fishing and also experimenting with several different ideas on inventions. (He had made several tin men out of tin cans.) James is preceded in death by his parents; a grandson, Jeremy Bissell; and two brothers, Irvin and Allan Snitker. Survivors include his wife, Donna; two sons, Michael (Julie) and Marc (Erica Thompson) of Waukon; eight daughters, Sheila (Doug) McKee of St. Paul, Minn., Diane (Don Blume) Bissell of Guttenberg, Linda (Rick) Ricketts of Borden, Ind., Bonnie (Dean) Brink of Mabel, Minn., Peggy (Greg) Sass of Harris, Minn., Susie (Jamie Branigan) Snitker of Tacoma, Wash., Sandra (Paul) Leska of Inver Grove Heights, Minn., and Marcia Snitker of Mason City; 14 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; five step-grandchildren; two step-great-grandchildren; his step-mother, Leota Snitker of Waukon; three brothers, Chuck (Sharon) of Solon, Iowa, Kenneth (Theresa) of Van Horne, Iowa, and Ronnie (Cathy) of Ft. Meyers, Fla.; and a sister, Mary Kaye (Tony) Ernst of Linden, Tenn. Casketbearers are Michael, Marc, and Kenneth Snitker; Max and Shevek McKee; and Matt Trenkamp.

©Waukon Standard 2002
- source: Waukon Standard, August 28, 2002