Snitker, Charles Edward 1934-2012
SNITKER, SIVESIND, MOEN, RAUK, GREENSPAN, MOTZKO, SNYDER, FIKSDAL, DUVEL, CARTER, BOROWSKI
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 12/4/2012 at 12:31:32
Charles “Chuck” Snitker, age 77, of Decorah died Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester MN.
Funeral services will be11:00 a.m. Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at the Decorah Lutheran Church in Decorah, IA, Pastor Bryan Robertson presiding. Burial will be in the Washington Prairie Lutheran Cemetery rural Decorah.
Visitation will be 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at the Schluter Balik Funeral Home in Decorah, IA and after 10:00 Wednesday at the church.
Charles Edward Snitker was born on August 8, 1934 to Leo and Clarice (Sivesind) Snitker in Allamakee County. He was baptized into the Christian faith at Salem Reformed Church, Ludlow township and was confirmed in the Lutheran faith at Washington Prairie Lutheran Church, rural Decorah. He attended Red Oak and Decorah public schools and he served with the United States Army in Germany from 1954 until 1956. Charles married Arla Harriet Moen at the Glenwood Lutheran Church on December 16, 1956. Chuck and Arla were blessed with two children, Michael Jay and Sandra Sue. Charles and Arla farmed during their early marriage and then moved to Decorah where Chuck was employed by Thornton Feeds for more than 37 years. Arla had been employed by the Decorah Schools for many years before her illness and death on April 2, 2001. Following his retirement from Thornton's, Chuck drove a school bus for the Decorah Schools - a job he really enjoyed. On July 3, 2005 Chuck married Mary Lou (Rauk) at Decorah Lutheran Church. Although their years together were too few, they both found renewed joy and love in the precious time together. Chuck was an active member of the Decorah Lutheran Church and in the past had also been a member of Glenwood and Washington Prairie Lutheran Churches. Chuck loved driving his pickup truck watching the progress of the tall Iowa corn crop. He loved driving John Deere tractors. He was a die-hard Iowa Hawkeye and Green Bay Packer, and Chicago Cubs fan and he would proudly wear his caps to show his favorite team of the season. As a youth in high school Chuck played some high school football but usually the chores of the farm required his attention so he made up for lost time by attending and cheering on son Mike's athletic endeavors. Chuck was a good Dad and he loved family with his whole heart. Since Chuck's marriage to Mary Lou he has taken more time to enjoy nature and its beauty. His almost-full-time job lately has been watching the backyard birds and keeping the feeders and bird bath filled.
Chuck is survived by his wife, Mary Lou; his son Michael (Linda) Snitker, Marian, IA; daughter Sandra (Dr. Brad) Greenspan, Highland Park, IL and four grandchildren: Mallory Snitker, Jack and Tom Motzko and Adam Greenspan. Stepchildren John (Sarah) Rauk, Selina, MI; Richard (Lynn) Rauk, Decorah, IA; and Kris (Rick) Snyder, Cedar Falls, IA and grandchildren Leigh Rauk. Ben, Andrew and Kaitlin Snyder, Crystal (Kyle), Josh (Ashley), Taylor and Olivia Rauk and one great step grandchild, Dominic. One sister: Lorraine (Aldin) Fiksdal, Rochester, MN, one aunt: Leona Duvel, Waukon, IA plus several Sivesind/Snitker cousins. Chuck's five nieces and nephews and their families and his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Norman Jr. (Linda) Moen, Dennis Carter and Lorraine Borowski all of Decorah, IA.
Chuck was preceded in death by his parents and his first wife, Arla.
Memorials may be directed for the Diabetes or Heart Research or local churches
Source: Schluter - Balik Funeral Home database
Washington Prairie Lutheran Cemetery
Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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