World War II veterans die hours apart
Taps has sounded for the last time for two remarkable families who sent four boys each into World War II.
The Siewert and the Schkade boys, plus three Siewert brothers-in-law, were the stuff of movies. The final two — one from each family — died this week just hours apart. Alvin Siewert, 92, died about 10 p.m. Monday. Oscar Schkade, 98, died at 12:40 a.m. Tuesday.
Relatives from both families expressed sorrow at the veterans' passing and admiration for the lives they led.
Schkade’s son Brent noted how, despite growing up during the Great Depression and serving in the war, Oscar Schkade was a happy man.
“He was always an optimist,” Brent Schkade said, “through the hard times and good times.”
Trish Bruneau, daughter of Alvin Siewert, said much the same about her father.
“He was a beautiful man,” Bruneau said. “He had a wonderful life.”
Besides their war connection, the two men were longtime members of Zion Lutheran Church, where services for both will be held. Siewert’s service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday and Schkade’s will be at 11 a.m. Monday.
Two of their brothers, who also served in the war and were members of Zion Lutheran, died within the past two years. Clarence Schkade died in August 2015. Clarence Siewert died in February 2016.
The other two Schkade brothers who served in World War II were Bernhard, or “Bennie,” who was killed in the Battle of the Bulge, the last major German offensive of the war, and Richard, who died a few years ago.
The other two Siewert brothers were Edgar and Harry, who also are deceased. Three Siewert brothers-in-law, Harry Epperson, Herbert Swiedom, and Sonny Schills, also were in the war.
The Schkade family is a familiar name in the Abilene area. The boys grew up on a farm near Albany and after the war, Oscar, Clarence and Richard formed the Schkade Brothers Operating Co.
During wartime, the two men who died this week, Alvin Siewert and Oscar Schkade, were members of the Army Air Corps. Schkade never went overseas but served at several bases as chief of a mechanic crew for P-38s. A favorite story of the family is that Schkade’s commanding officer requested Schkade as the mechanic for his personal plane.
Alvin Siewert served from 1942 to 1945 in Belgium, France, and Germany. He was awarded a Silver Star and five Bronze Stars.
But more than their contributions to the war effort, relatives cherish the men’s contributions to their families. Trish Bruneau recalled the role that her dad and mother played in the lives of her two children. After her marriage, Bruneau moved from Abilene, was divorced, then moved back with two young children to raise. Alvin and Betty Jo Siewert, who died in 2009, were major influences in the lives of the children.
“They practically raised them,” Bruneau said. “They devoted their time to taking care of them.”
Her children, a son, Cliff Cartwright, 36, of Fresno, California, and daughter, Ali Bailey, 38, of Abilene, will attend their grandfather’s funeral on Saturday. Theme for the service will be “the rock,” which described her father, Bruneau said.
In fact, Alvin Siewert was such a rock that Bruneau recalled with clarity only one emotional moment with him. Her daughter was assigned to interview Siewert for a high school class paper. Siewert was always a happy person, Bruneau said, but telling his granddaughter about his war experiences sparked something deep inside him.
“That was the only day I remember seeing him cry,” Bruneau said. “He was the rock for all of our family.”
SERVICE INFORMATION
Alvin Siewert
Visitation: 6-8 p.m. Friday at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road
Funeral: 2 p.m. Saturday at Zion Lutheran Church, 2801 Antilley Road
Oscar Schkade
Visitation: 3-5 p.m. Sunday at Elmwood Funeral Home, 5750 Highway 277 South
Funeral: 11 a.m. Monday at Zion Lutheran Church, 2801 Antilley Road