Franklin Frank Schnese

Franklin B. “Frank” Schnese, 85, of St. Joseph, passed away Saturday, May 4, at home after a short illness, with his family and friends at his side. Friends may visit from 5:00 until 8:00 P.M. Wednesday at Starks & Menchinger Chapel, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Frank Schnese Memorial Fund for Frank’s ongoing commitments to his charitable causes. Those wishing to sign Frank’s Memory Book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Frank was born September 17, 1927 in Shawano, Wisconsin, one of four children of Louis & Anna (Holtz) Schnese. After high school graduation, Frank was called to serve his country in Japan during WWII in the US Army Air Corp. After the war, he entered Western Michigan University where he met his wife Sally of 60 years in biology class. Frank graduated Western with a bachelor’s degree in physical education and two masters degrees in American History and English. Frank and Sally were married August 27, 1950, and started his teaching and coaching career in Battle Creek, Michigan. In 1954 Frank and Sally moved to St. Joseph where he continued until 1968 his teaching and coaching career at St. Joseph Senior High School alongside his life-long friend and mentor-Ray Haack. Frank taught American History and was head coach of the varsity baseball team and assistant varsity football coach. After his teaching and coaching endeavor, he entered the private business sector until his retirement in the late 1990’s. Frank gave many years of volunteering and dedication to his community with two terms as President of the Lakeland Continuing Care Center Volunteer Association, fourteen years as a Lakeland Hospital pre and post surgery volunteer as well as a cook for the Twin Cities Soup Kitchen. His love of baseball allowed him to coach both Little League and Babe Ruth youth teams as well as serve on the St. Joseph Youth Baseball Association board of directors. Frank served on the board of deacons of his church as well as president of the Twin Cities Civitan Club. Frank gave twenty-eight of his sixty year marriage to care for with unwavering love and devotion to his wife Sally, who had suffered a debilitating brain injury in 1983 while at school. One great joy of Frank’s later life was to spend most every fall Saturday afternoon in the stands at Ryan Field on the campus of Northwestern University, where he became a proud fan of the Wildcat football team. Frank was preceded in death by his parents, his brother and sister-in-law Louie and June Schnese, his sister Dorothy (Schnese) Bray, and his wife Sally in 2011. Frank is survived by two sons-Kurt of St. Joseph and Mark (Marcia) Schnese of Phoenix; two grandsons; two great-grandsons; two nieces and a nephew. The family appreciated the doctors, nurses, and all those who were so gracious, kind and compassionate during his care at the Marie Yeager Cancer Center in St. Joseph.