Norbert Schaekel

Norbert Schaekel , 89, of Decatur, Indiana passed away Tuesday morning, August 21, 2018 at Parkview Hospital – Randallia in Fort Wayne.

He was a member of the St. Paul Lutheran Church, Preble where he was an ambassador for the Lutheran Layman’s League (LLL) for over ten years. Norbert also attended many conventions for both LLL and the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Synodical in Detroit, Pittsburg, Houston and St. Louis and many district conventions in Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana.

Norbert graduated from Concordia High School in Fort Wayne in 1948, he then went on to continue his education and received his BA from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis in 1952, his BS from Concordia-River Forest in 1956 and then his Masters from Ball State University. Norbert first taught in a one room school in Bear Creek, Wisconsin for nine years. He then taught at St. John Lutheran School in Buckley, Illinois for 13 years before becoming principal at Wyneken Lutheran School for 17 years, retiring in 1991. Following his retirement, he delivered 781 RV’s for Don Ray Drive-A-Way all throughout the US and Canada.

Norbert and Mary Ann, before her passing, loved gardening. They would share their harvest of food with the Fort Wayne Lutheran Seminary and were known for their generosity to others in the area too. Norbert also still enjoyed traveling, filling his year with visits to see grandchildren and great grandchildren and their activities.

He is survived by two sons, Bert (Joan) Schaekel & Kirk Schaekel; four daughters, Diane (Benjamin) Brown, Connie Schaekel, Annette (Scott) Seitz, & Beth (Mohsen) Karimi; sister, Sharon (Herb) Banning Jr.; brother, Herman (Dawn) Schaekel; 16 grandchildren & 20 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a son, Lynn Myron Schaekel in infancy.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, August 24, 2018 at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Preble with Rev. Daniel Dahling officiating. Burial will follow at St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery, Preble.

Family & friends will be received from 9:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Preble.

Preferred memorials are to St. Paul Lutheran Church, Preble; Concordia Lutheran Seminary in Fort Wayne; Worship Anew; or the Lutheran Layman’s League.