Herbert Frederick Schmidke

Herbert Fredrick Schmidke, 95, of St. Joseph, went to be with his Lord at the Whitcomb Towers Monday, February 2, 2009. Friends may call from 1:00 to 2:00 PM Friday at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 2:00 PM Friday at the funeral Home, officiated by Rev. Bob Confer with entombment to follow at North Shore Memory Gardens Mausoleum. Memorials may be made to First Church of God, where he faithful attended. Friends wishing to send a condolence may do so at the guestbook at www.starks-menchinger.com. Herbert was born December 12, 1913 to Fredrick and Lydia (Berkholtz) Schmidke in Benton Harbor, MI. During his early years he worked on various farms in the area and lived for a time with the senior John Glassman family in the Eau Claire area. He was a strong, hard, cheerful worker. In the early 1930’s he entered the Civilian Conservation Corps and was assigned to 675th Company, Camp Lunden, Lewiston, Michigan, participating in the forestry projects to enhance state and federal lands. In the spring of 1935 he returned home and helped with the work of laying foundation for major roads in the area. When the war years approached, he began working at the local foundry Malleable and then went to Auto Specialties as a soft iron inspector. He retired from Auto Specialties December, 1977. On September 6, 1952, he married Mildred (Sisson) Oakes in St. Joseph, Michigan. Herbert is survived by his step daughter Catherine Momany of Sodus; three step- grandchildren, and three step-great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Mildred on February 5, 1999, a step-granddaughter Connie Momany in 1981; and three brothers and two sisters.