Earl A. Schnieder, 90
Earl A. Schnieder, age 90 of rural New Hampton, passed away Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2020 at Linn Haven Rehab and Health Care in New Hampton.
Funeral Services were held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 13, 2020 at Trinity Lutheran Church in New Hampton, with Pastor Dan Christensen and Pastor Kevin Frey. Burial was at New Hampton Cemetery in New Hampton.
Visitation was from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020 at Conway-Markham Funeral Home in New Hampton, and continued at the church one hour prior to the funeral service. Memorials may be directed to his family.
Earl was born on June 27, 1930 in New Hampton, the son of Albert and Leona (Kammeyer) Schnieder. He attended rural country school and graduated from New Hampton High School in 1947. While in school, Earl was active in his local 4H chapter. He was proud of his small herd of dairy cows that he raised, milked and marketed alongside his father’s cattle. Earl served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War from 1953 to 1955. When he returned home, Earl moved back to the Schnieder family farm where he began his lifelong farming career. He again started out with a small herd. As he delivered the cream he sold to various locations he drove through Frederika. Each time he passed a house where he was met by a smiling young woman. She caught his eye and on June 26, 1960, he was united in marriage to Valera Bockhaus at St. Paul Lutheran Church at Siegel. The couple made their home on the Schnieder family farm where they welcomed their son, Randy. Earl, along with his wife and son, farmed row crops and milked cows his entire life. In 2008, Earl and Valera were honored with being Fredericksburg’s Grand Dairymen during Dairy Days. He enjoyed playing a good game of cards and was known to count a hand or two.
Earl is survived by his wife, Valera; one son, Randy (Cherie) Schnieder; two grandsons, Casey Schnieder and Cody Schnieder and one step-grandson, Chris (Lisa) Hurd and their three sons; sister-in-law, VerJean King; and brother-in-law, Vern (Marilyn) Bockhaus.
He was preceded in death by his parents and brother-in-law, Michael King.