William George "Bill" Schabacker 1911-2012

SCHABACKER, FELGENHAUER, LINCOLN, FINCK, COURTNEY, BROOME, THOMPSON, HALSNE

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes
Date: 10/1/2017 at 18:03:06

The Oelwein Daily Register
Aug. 18, 2012

WILLIAM GEORGE "BILL" SCHABACKER

SHELL ROCK - William George "Bill" Schabacker died Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012, at the Shell Rock Healthcare Center in Shell Rock.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 20, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Aurora with the Rev. Ron Spears officiating. Burial will be in Floral Hills Memorial gardens, rural Hazelton with military honors conducted by the Oelwein American Legion Ross Reid Post 9 Honor Guard.

Friends may call from 407 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19, at the Geilenfeld Funeral Home in Oelwein.

Bill was born Dec. 4, 1911 to Adolph and Ida (Felgenhauer) Schabacker at Mallard, Iowa. On March 1, 1912, the family moved to Rochelle, Ill. Bill attended parochial school in Illinois until 1924, when the family moved to Stanley, Iowa. He continued his education at the Stanley School and later worked for various farmers in the area.

In 1940, Bill went to Rochelle, Ill., where he worked for a bleach and dye manufacturer. Bill enlisted in the United States Army in 1942. He served in the 2nd Armored Division in Africa, the European Theater, was in the Battle of the Bulge and received numerous service ribbons. Upon his honorable discharge in 1945, Bill moved to Manchester, where he worked in the Fred Haug Garage for over 20 years. Bill then worked for Henderson Manufacturing Company for 12 years, and then the Manchester Press for 10 years.

On Nov. 25, 1955, Bill was united in marriage with Frances Lincoln at Austin, Minn. They made their home in Manchester. Frances passed away Nov. 17, 1986.

In 1989, Bill moved to Winthrop. He lived there until 1996, when he married Ruth Finck on May 11 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Aurora. They had lived in Waverly from that time until 6 months ago, when they moved to the Meadows in Shell Rock.

Bill was an avid longtime Chicago Cubs fan (since the 1920s). He enjoyed word search puzzles, as well as riding his stationary bike - working towards 100,000 miles. Most of all, Bill loved to visit with friends and family, telling his stories. He will be greatly missed by all who knew, and continued to love him.

Bill is survived by his wife Ruth; his sisters, Dorothy Courtney of Waterloo and Georgia Broome of Rochelle, Ill.; his brother Norman (Pearl) Schabacker of Winthrop; his sisters-in-law, Marcella Schabacker of Austin, Minn., and Lyle Schabacker of Prairie Du Sac, Wis.; numerous nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.

Bill was preceded in death by his first wife Frances; his parents; his brothers Fred, George, Adolph, Clarence and Albert Schabacker; and his sisters Esther Thompson and Marie Halsne.