Joseph A. Schaul 1919-2008

STEFFEN, SCHAUL, LUCAS, SIGWORTH, HERMSEN, MEYER, HOEGER

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 5/14/2008 at 13:40:46

Joseph A. Schaul

DYERSVILLE, Iowa -- Joseph A. Schaul, 88, of 1319 4th St. SW, Dyersville, and formerly of Bankston, died at 3:09 a.m. Tuesday, March 18, 2008, at Mercy Medical Center-Dubuque.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 24, at St. Francis Xavier Basilica, Dyersville, with the Rev. Phillip F. Kruse officiating. Burial will be in St. Francis Cemetery, Dyersville. Friends may call from

2 to 8 p.m. Sunday, March 23, at Reiff Funeral Home, Dyersville, where there will be a wake service at 4 p.m. and a Knights of Columbus rosary at 7 p.m.

He was born July 12, 1919, in Luxemburg, son of Adolph and Mathilda (Steffen) Schaul. He received his education in the Holy Trinity School in Luxembug.

He married Rita Mae Lucas on Nov. 10, 1942, at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Holy Cross. The couple celebrated their golden anniversary in 1992, their 60th in 2002, and their 65th in 2007.

Joe farmed in the rural Bankston area until his retirement.

He loved hunting, fishing, golf and bowling, but his greatest love was farming.

Joe was a member of the St. Francis Xavier Parish, and he served as a lay minister at 6:30 Mass. He was a former member of the St. Clement's, Bankston, church community for many years. He founded the Bankston 4-H club and was its president for 10 years. He was a trustee for Iowa Township and served on the Dubuque County Adjusting Board for 20 years.

Joe was instrumental in establishing the Dyersville Community Hospital and served as one of its directors for the first six years and also has served as a volunteer since 1980. He was also a member of the Farley Knights of Columbus-Council 2001.

Surviving are the love of his life, his wife, Rita Mae Schaul, of Dyersville; two children, Ronald (Sharon) Schaul, of Farley and Laura Ann Schaul (Michael Schultz), of Dubuque; seven grandchildren, Brad Schaul (Tammy Engelken), of Marion, Heather Schaul, of Farley, Jeremy (Stacey) Wernimont, of Dubuque, April Schaul, of Farley, Jarrod Wernimont (fiance, Bobby Werner), of Galena, Ill., Jay Schaul (friend, Cheryl Cramer), of Lemont, Ill., and Alicia Schaul (friend, Jimmie Roberts), of Farley; a great-grandson, Colton Schaul, of Farley; a brother, Ambrose (Rose) Schaul, of Manchester; a sister, Marie Sigworth, of Marion; and a sister-in-law, Pearl Schaul, of Manchester.

He is preceded in death by three infant daughters; two infant sons; his parents, Adolph and Mathilda Schaul; three sisters, Olive (Frank) Hermsen, Margaret (Albert) Meyer and Theckla (Gregory) Hoeger; two brothers, Al (Viola) Schaul, and Victor Schaul; and a brother-in-law, Ewald Sigworth.

Copyright (c) Woodward Communications, Inc. 2008, All Rights Reserved. Dubuque Telegraph Herald, Saturday, March 22, 2008