Schumacher, Dr. Peter F. 1924-2004

SCHUMACHER, THOMPSON

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 2/28/2009 at 16:11:46

LE MARS, Iowa -- Dr. Peter F. Schumacher, 80, of Le Mars and West Des Moines died Sunday, Nov. 21, 2004, at his residence in West Des Moines of congestive heart failure.

Services will be 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in West Des Moines. Graveside services will be 3 p.m. Saturday in St. Joseph's Cemetery, Casey, Iowa. Visitation will be 10 a.m. until service time Saturday at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Brooks Funeral Home in Clive, Iowa.

Peter was born Jan. 2, 1924, in Alton, Iowa, to Mary and Nic Schumacher. While growing up, he and his four brothers spent many hours in his father's blacksmith shop. He graduated from St. Mary's Academy in Alton. He served in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1946. He served in communications with the 69th Infantry Division in Europe. He attended Drake University before and after his military service. After the war, he worked for the Iowa State Police Radio.

He married Eleanor Thompson at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Casey, Iowa, on June 2, 1949. He graduated from the Northern Illinois College of Optometry in 1954. He practiced for two years in Des Moines. In 1956, he moved to Le Mars, where he practiced optometry until retiring in 1989.

He was a member 50-year member of Iowa Optometric Association and the American Optometric Association. He belonged to the Knights of Columbus and American Legion Wasmer post 241 in Le Mars. He also belonged to the Lions and Elks Clubs.

He is survived by his wife, Eleanor; a daughter, Mary Alice (Ron Ostrow) Schumacher of Minneapolis; a son, James (Somwang) Schumacher of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; two granddaughters, Supinya (James) Conder of Des Moines and Diana Schumacher of Kuala Lumpur; a great-granddaughter, Niki Conder of Des Moines; a brother, the Rev. Tony Schumacher of Madison, Wis.; sisters-in-law, Florence Schumacher of Washington, Iowa, and Josephine Miller of Chesterton, Ind.; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Madeline; and brothers, George, Leo and Oscar.

In lieu of flowers, it was his request that memorial contribution be made to Sacred Heart Catholic Church in West Des Moines or St. Joseph Catholic Church in Le Mars for charitable distribution.

~Source: The Sioux City Journal, Nov. 24, 2004
~Part of the Darrell E. Obituary Collection