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SCHALK, John 1903-1997

SCHALK, GREINER, TJADEN

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 4/26/2014 at 17:34:26

John Schalk Services Held

John E. Schalk, 94, of Davenport, passed away Monday, October 13, at Genesis Medical Center-East Campus, Davenport.

Funeral services were held on Thursday, October 16, at the First Presbyterian Church, Davenport. Burial was in Shiloh Cemetery, Wellsburg.

He was born September 1, 1903, in Washington, Iowa, to Louis and Caroline (Greiner) Schalk. He married Dorothy Tjaden on August 8, 1937, in Nashua. She died May 4, 1969.

John, his parents, two brothers and a sister moved to Iowa in 1908 where the family farmed. His high school graduation from Franklin Township High School was delayed until 1924, due to family obligations in rearing his younger siblings after his parents were severely injured in a railroad accident.

He graduated in 1927, from Iowa State Teachers College and commenced his teaching career in Little Sioux.

Future jobs took him to Finchford, Bristow and Hampton where he also coached basketball, baseball and track, collecting numerous state and district championships along with other coaching awards.

In 1937, he received a master's degree in elementary education from the University of Iowa. In 1943, John became principal of Field Stevenson and Betsey Ross elementary schools in Forest Park, Illinois and one year later commenced has career in Davenport as principal of Washington and McKinley elementary schools.

He retired from McKinley in 1969, and taught at Wilson Elementary School for three years. His recognitions include Davenport Board of Education certificate for commendable service, 1969; Davenport Education Association "Friend of Education" and certificate for outstanding contributions to education, 1975; AARP National Community Service Award and State of Iowa Governor's Volunteer Award, 1989.

In September 1989, John published a book titled, "John Schalk: My Memoirs" which began as reminiscences for his grandchildren. This book was edited by Marlys A. Svendsen, a Davenport historian, whose friendship with John began in 1982, when the John Littig House, 6035 Northwest Blvd., was given to the city of Davenport for use as a community center by John's family in his honor.

On his 90th birthday, he was honored at a reception at his beloved McKinley School, where the community room was renamed in his honor.

He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, Davenport, and Davenport Area Retired Teachers Association.

Memorials may be made to the Dorothy Schalk Scholarship Fund at Augustana College, Rock Island.

Survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, Stephen L. and Cynthia Schalk, Davenport; grandchildren, Jay, Scott and Jessica Schalk; and brothers, Roy Schalk, Rochester, Minnesota, and the Rev. Edward Schalk, Charlotte, North Carolina.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Caroline Wall.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 23 October 1997, pg 2


 

Grundy Obituaries maintained by Tammy D. Mount.
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