Richard Melburn Schnell, of Roscommon, died Saturday, March 3, 2012, at his home. He was 88.
He was born September 16, 1923, in Muskegon, to William and Anna (Rose) Schnell. He lived in Roscommon since 1979, formerly residing in Reed City and Cadillac. He married Katherine "Kay" M. (Hunt) Isaac on February 14, 1979, in Twining. She preceded him in death on July 13, 2007.
Dick served in the U.S. Army during World War II as a tank driver with General Patton. He was blown out of his tank on Christmas Day in 1944 at the Battle of the Bulge. After seven months of recovering in England, he returned to service and became the staff driver for the head of the Chaplains of the Air Force, Col. Charles Carpenter. He was able to enjoy the beauty of most of the European countries but also witnessed the horrors at the liberation of the concentration camps. He could not understand how one human could do all those atrocities to other human beings.
He really loved life. He had a deep faith and trust in God who carried him through the good times and many rough spots. His childhood was good because of his adoptive parents and five older adoptive siblings. He quit school at the age of 16 and went to work full-time to help his family financially after his dad died of pneumonia. He enjoyed many trips on his yellow Goldwing motorcycle with his motorcycle club friends. He made wooden crafts. He was friendly and loved people. He would help out whenever he could, even though he was legally blind. The Roscommon Mini Bus staff cheerfully nicknamed him "Troublesome Richard."
Dick was the head inspector at Tubelite Door Co. in Reed City for 33½ years, retiring in 1985. He attended Roscommon Baptist Church, was a 32nd degree member of Luther Lakes Masonic Lodge No. 370 F & AM and was a Shriner. He was also a member of Charles E. Engel VFW Post No. 4159, Roscommon American Legion Post No. 96 and DAV of Higgins Lake.
Also preceding him in death were his stepson, Leonard Isaac; grandson, Kenny Schnell; and his first wife, Rose Fuger.
Surviving are his son, Bill (Phyllis) Schnell of Kissimmee, Fla.; granddaughter, Janice Hill of Fairview Heights, Ill.; three great-grandchildren; sister, Barbara Jean Chestmore of Eldora, Iowa; stepchildren, Lester "Pete" (Sharon) Isaac of Bunnell, Fla., Thomas Isaac of Whitmore Lake, and Margaret (Andy) Hill of Twining; step-daughter-in-law, Sharon Isaac of Whittemore; many step-grandchildren; and special friend, Joan Myers of Roscommon and her family.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 9, 2012, at Charles M. Engel VFW Post No. 4159 in Roscommon, with Pastor Michael A. Heacock officiating. Graveside services will take place 11 a.m. Monday, June 11, 2012, at Maple Hill Cemetery in Cadillac.
Memorials may be made to Charles M. Engel VFW Post No. 4159, Roscommon Baptist Church Building Fund or Roscommon County Commission on Aging.
Arrangements are by Walsh Funeral Home, Roscommon, (989)-275-3600.
He was born September 16, 1923, in Muskegon, to William and Anna (Rose) Schnell. He lived in Roscommon since 1979, formerly residing in Reed City and Cadillac. He married Katherine "Kay" M. (Hunt) Isaac on February 14, 1979, in Twining. She preceded him in death on July 13, 2007.
Dick served in the U.S. Army during World War II as a tank driver with General Patton. He was blown out of his tank on Christmas Day in 1944 at the Battle of the Bulge. After seven months of recovering in England, he returned to service and became the staff driver for the head of the Chaplains of the Air Force, Col. Charles Carpenter. He was able to enjoy the beauty of most of the European countries but also witnessed the horrors at the liberation of the concentration camps. He could not understand how one human could do all those atrocities to other human beings.
He really loved life. He had a deep faith and trust in God who carried him through the good times and many rough spots. His childhood was good because of his adoptive parents and five older adoptive siblings. He quit school at the age of 16 and went to work full-time to help his family financially after his dad died of pneumonia. He enjoyed many trips on his yellow Goldwing motorcycle with his motorcycle club friends. He made wooden crafts. He was friendly and loved people. He would help out whenever he could, even though he was legally blind. The Roscommon Mini Bus staff cheerfully nicknamed him "Troublesome Richard."
Dick was the head inspector at Tubelite Door Co. in Reed City for 33½ years, retiring in 1985. He attended Roscommon Baptist Church, was a 32nd degree member of Luther Lakes Masonic Lodge No. 370 F & AM and was a Shriner. He was also a member of Charles E. Engel VFW Post No. 4159, Roscommon American Legion Post No. 96 and DAV of Higgins Lake.
Also preceding him in death were his stepson, Leonard Isaac; grandson, Kenny Schnell; and his first wife, Rose Fuger.
Surviving are his son, Bill (Phyllis) Schnell of Kissimmee, Fla.; granddaughter, Janice Hill of Fairview Heights, Ill.; three great-grandchildren; sister, Barbara Jean Chestmore of Eldora, Iowa; stepchildren, Lester "Pete" (Sharon) Isaac of Bunnell, Fla., Thomas Isaac of Whitmore Lake, and Margaret (Andy) Hill of Twining; step-daughter-in-law, Sharon Isaac of Whittemore; many step-grandchildren; and special friend, Joan Myers of Roscommon and her family.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 9, 2012, at Charles M. Engel VFW Post No. 4159 in Roscommon, with Pastor Michael A. Heacock officiating. Graveside services will take place 11 a.m. Monday, June 11, 2012, at Maple Hill Cemetery in Cadillac.
Memorials may be made to Charles M. Engel VFW Post No. 4159, Roscommon Baptist Church Building Fund or Roscommon County Commission on Aging.
Arrangements are by Walsh Funeral Home, Roscommon, (989)-275-3600.
Richard Melburn Schnell, of Roscommon, died Saturday, March 3, 2012, at his home. He was 88.
He was born September 16, 1923, in Muskegon, to William and Anna (Rose) Schnell. He lived in Roscommon since 1979, formerly residing in Reed City and Cadillac. He married Katherine "Kay" M. (Hunt) Isaac on February 14, 1979, in Twining. She preceded him in death on July 13, 2007.
Dick served in the U.S. Army during World War II as a tank driver with General Patton. He was blown out of his tank on Christmas Day in 1944 at the Battle of the Bulge. After seven months of recovering in England, he returned to service and became the staff driver for the head of the Chaplains of the Air Force, Col. Charles Carpenter. He was able to enjoy the beauty of most of the European countries but also witnessed the horrors at the liberation of the concentration camps. He could not understand how one human could do all those atrocities to other human beings.
He really loved life. He had a deep faith and trust in God who carried him through the good times and many rough spots. His childhood was good because of his adoptive parents and five older adoptive siblings. He quit school at the age of 16 and went to work full-time to help his family financially after his dad died of pneumonia. He enjoyed many trips on his yellow Goldwing motorcycle with his motorcycle club friends. He made wooden crafts. He was friendly and loved people. He would help out whenever he could, even though he was legally blind. The Roscommon Mini Bus staff cheerfully nicknamed him "Troublesome Richard."
Dick was the head inspector at Tubelite Door Co. in Reed City for 33½ years, retiring in 1985. He attended Roscommon Baptist Church, was a 32nd degree member of Luther Lakes Masonic Lodge No. 370 F & AM and was a Shriner. He was also a member of Charles E. Engel VFW Post No. 4159, Roscommon American Legion Post No. 96 and DAV of Higgins Lake.
Also preceding him in death were his stepson, Leonard Isaac; grandson, Kenny Schnell; and his first wife, Rose Fuger.
Surviving are his son, Bill (Phyllis) Schnell of Kissimmee, Fla.; granddaughter, Janice Hill of Fairview Heights, Ill.; three great-grandchildren; sister, Barbara Jean Chestmore of Eldora, Iowa; stepchildren, Lester "Pete" (Sharon) Isaac of Bunnell, Fla., Thomas Isaac of Whitmore Lake, and Margaret (Andy) Hill of Twining; step-daughter-in-law, Sharon Isaac of Whittemore; many step-grandchildren; and special friend, Joan Myers of Roscommon and her family.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 9, 2012, at Charles M. Engel VFW Post No. 4159 in Roscommon, with Pastor Michael A. Heacock officiating. Graveside services will take place 11 a.m. Monday, June 11, 2012, at Maple Hill Cemetery in Cadillac.
Memorials may be made to Charles M. Engel VFW Post No. 4159, Roscommon Baptist Church Building Fund or Roscommon County Commission on Aging.
Arrangements are by Walsh Funeral Home, Roscommon, (989)-275-3600.
He was born September 16, 1923, in Muskegon, to William and Anna (Rose) Schnell. He lived in Roscommon since 1979, formerly residing in Reed City and Cadillac. He married Katherine "Kay" M. (Hunt) Isaac on February 14, 1979, in Twining. She preceded him in death on July 13, 2007.
Dick served in the U.S. Army during World War II as a tank driver with General Patton. He was blown out of his tank on Christmas Day in 1944 at the Battle of the Bulge. After seven months of recovering in England, he returned to service and became the staff driver for the head of the Chaplains of the Air Force, Col. Charles Carpenter. He was able to enjoy the beauty of most of the European countries but also witnessed the horrors at the liberation of the concentration camps. He could not understand how one human could do all those atrocities to other human beings.
He really loved life. He had a deep faith and trust in God who carried him through the good times and many rough spots. His childhood was good because of his adoptive parents and five older adoptive siblings. He quit school at the age of 16 and went to work full-time to help his family financially after his dad died of pneumonia. He enjoyed many trips on his yellow Goldwing motorcycle with his motorcycle club friends. He made wooden crafts. He was friendly and loved people. He would help out whenever he could, even though he was legally blind. The Roscommon Mini Bus staff cheerfully nicknamed him "Troublesome Richard."
Dick was the head inspector at Tubelite Door Co. in Reed City for 33½ years, retiring in 1985. He attended Roscommon Baptist Church, was a 32nd degree member of Luther Lakes Masonic Lodge No. 370 F & AM and was a Shriner. He was also a member of Charles E. Engel VFW Post No. 4159, Roscommon American Legion Post No. 96 and DAV of Higgins Lake.
Also preceding him in death were his stepson, Leonard Isaac; grandson, Kenny Schnell; and his first wife, Rose Fuger.
Surviving are his son, Bill (Phyllis) Schnell of Kissimmee, Fla.; granddaughter, Janice Hill of Fairview Heights, Ill.; three great-grandchildren; sister, Barbara Jean Chestmore of Eldora, Iowa; stepchildren, Lester "Pete" (Sharon) Isaac of Bunnell, Fla., Thomas Isaac of Whitmore Lake, and Margaret (Andy) Hill of Twining; step-daughter-in-law, Sharon Isaac of Whittemore; many step-grandchildren; and special friend, Joan Myers of Roscommon and her family.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 9, 2012, at Charles M. Engel VFW Post No. 4159 in Roscommon, with Pastor Michael A. Heacock officiating. Graveside services will take place 11 a.m. Monday, June 11, 2012, at Maple Hill Cemetery in Cadillac.
Memorials may be made to Charles M. Engel VFW Post No. 4159, Roscommon Baptist Church Building Fund or Roscommon County Commission on Aging.
Arrangements are by Walsh Funeral Home, Roscommon, (989)-275-3600.
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