Schmadeke, Ralph W., 1919-2000
SCHMADEKE, BUHR, THORNE, SHEFFNER, ERICKSON, WHITCOMB
Posted By: Bruce Kuennen (email)
Date: 2/17/2017 at 19:47:38
Ralph W. Schmadeke, 80, died Monday, May 1 at Sunrise Guest Home in Fredericksbutg of natural causes.
Funeral services were 10 a.m. Thursday, May 4 at St. Peter Lutheran Church/Richfield, rural Sumner, with Pastor Milton D. Johnson officiating. Eva Mae Niewoehner was organist and Gene Niewoehner was vocalist.
Interment was in Rose Hill Cemetery, Fredericksburg, with Mark Schmadeke, Tom Schmadeke, Nicole Schmadeke Becker, Brent Schmadeke, Jay Sheffner and Jill Sheffner Johnson as casket bearers.
Visitation was from 4-8 p.m. Wednesday, May 3 at Chenoweth & Son Funeral Home in Fredericksburg and one hour prior to services Thursday at the church.
Ralph William Schmadeke was born June 10,1919 on a farm in Bremer County, the son of Louis and Christina (Buhr) Schmadeke. He was baptized July 6, 1919 at St. Mathew Lutheran Church, Readlvn, and confirmed April 9, 1933 at St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, Sumner. Ralph graduated from Sumner High School in 1937. From 1937 until enlisting in the U. S. Navy in 1942 he worked as a farmhand and with the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the Decorah and Strawberry Point areas. He was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1948.
On June 10, 1945, Ralph was united in marriage witn Rose Marie Thorne at St. John Lutheran Church, Sumner. They farmed the Whitcomb Farm east of Fredericksburg from 1948-1965 where they were Grade A dairy producers. In 1965 Ralph became a quality fieldman for Meinerz Creameries until retiring in 1978. Ralph was a member of St. Peter Lutheran Church/ Richfield, Chickasaw County Farm Bureau, AmVet Post 90 of Fredericksburg, a past board member of the Chickasaw County Extension Service, an honorary Chapter Farmer of the FredericKsburg FFA and in 1986 was named the Grand Dairyman at the Fredericksburg Dairy Days.
Surviving are his wife. Rose; two sons and their spouses, Robert and Nancy, Grundy Center, Richard and Kathy, Fredericksburg; a daughter and her husband, Ruth Ann and Jim Sheffner, rural Sumner; six grandchildren; one great-grandson; four step-great-grandsons; a sister, Lena Erickson, Winterset; a brother, Louis, Montrose; many nieces and nephews.
Preceding him in death were his parents; two brothers, John and LaVeme; a sister, Ellen Whitcomb.
Memorials may be directed to the family.
Source: New Hampton Tribune May 5, 2000 from the Elma library collection assembled by Marian (Marr) McGee
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Chickasaw Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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