Richard Schnorenberg

Richard Schnorenberg

Memorial services for former Lusk resident, Richard Schnorenberg, will be conducted at June 3, 10 a.m. at Cicmanec-Pier Funeral Home. Inurnment will follow at the Lusk Cemetery. He died May 25 at Kindred Hospital in Denver, Colo. Cremation has already taken place.

Richard was brought into this world with the aid of Mrs. Lynn, a country nurse, on September 10, 1921, on a ranch southwest of Van Tassell, Wyo. He was the eldest of three sons of Walter H. and Edna M. (Gagstetter) Schnorenberg. He grew up in Van Tassell and attended school there through the 11th grade, when he moved to Milwaukee, Wisc. He completed his senior year of high school there and after graduation, went to work as a machinist for the Allis Chalmers Company.

Richard enlisted in the Navy in October of 1942 and after training was assigned as a plane captain on the U.S.S. White Plains. They saw action off of Saipan, Tinian, Guam, New Hebrides, Okinawa, Truck (Formosa-Taiwan) and Luzon. It was during the Battle of Leyte Gulf in the Philippines that the White Plains was almost sunk. It was damaged so badly below the waterline that it was sent back to San Diego to be put in dry dock for repairs. While in dry dock, the crew was given leave to go home for Christmas, and during this leave, Richard went home where he married Esther Vondra before reporting back aboard ship. The ship, no longer fit for battle duty, then went on to convoy duty, transporting equipment and men back to the United States towards the end of the war.

Richard was discharged in October of 1945 and returned to Lusk, Wyo., where, courtesy of the GI bill, he participated in an on-the-job training program for a year to become a mechanic, and for the next forty years, that's how he made his living.

In 1947 he enlisted in the National Guard and served for 35 years, rising through the ranks until he was given a direct commission and became company commander of the National Guard unit in Lusk. He retired as a captain, but continued to serve in various capacities including military funerals for another fifteen years.

The last four years of Richard's working life were spent as transportation supervisor for the Niobrara County School District where he was instrumental in helping get the bus barn and mechanic's shop built.

Richard and Esther were divorced in 1959 and in July of 1961 he married his current wife, Mildred Weymouth.

Richard and Esther had two children, Diana Lee and Bernie Richard, and when he married Mildred, he considered her children Jerry, Jeannie and Dick his children as well, and loved them all equally.

Richard would want to be remembered as life-member of the VFW, the American Legion, the DAV, and a charter and life-member of Elks, Post 1797, a member of the Retired Army Association, the Retired National Guard Association, and a member of the Lusk Volunteer Fire Department, which he was very proud of under Fire Chief Vern Modine.

Richard was preceded in death by his daughter Diana Lee and son Dick. He is survived by his wife, two sons, a daughter, 16 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.

Cicmanec Pier Funeral Home is in charge of arrangement.

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