Walter Schulenberg

Walter Andrew Schulenberg August 29, 1929 - May 5, 2013 Walter Andrew Schulenberg passed away peacefully in his sleep on May 5, 2013 at Shepherd of the Valley Care Center following a lengthy battle with COPD. He was born on August 29, 1929 in Forsyth, Montana to Vina and Andrew Schulenberg. He was the second of their 2 children, and younger brother to Marion. After his parents' divorce, his mother would marry Walt Hein and he would have 3 more siblings, Esther, Edward, and Bernard. His father also remarried and added another sibling, Andrew. Walt began his working career at the very young age of 13, when he went to work and live at a dairy farm near his home. He worked in ranching until he was 19 years old, when he went to work for the Rosebud Road and Bridge Department. Walt married Joann Eleanor Knox in Forsyth on June 6, 1949. Theirs was a life long friendship, beginning when their mothers were friends. Walt's mother Vina told him about Joann and him sleeping in the same crib when they were younger, and before you knew it, they were back together forever. It was a standing joke in the family that Walt and Joann had slept together as little children...although Joann was never sure that joke was totally appropriate or funny. Walt's working career spanned several industries, including ranching, truck driving (where he drove over a million miles accident free), mining, mechanic, and finally maintenance. He worked for such companies as Asbell Brothers Construction (delivering the oil for the construction of I-25, which would move the family to Wyoming on Walt's birthday, August 29, 1959), B F Walker Company, Houston Brothers, PETCO, Harvey Richardson at RDM Trucking (where he drove hot shot to and from the oil fields), Casper Concrete, NC Paving, Pathfinder Mines, Garlick Sales and Service, and finally Casper College (where he also drove the bus for the Casper College athletic teams, including a trip to Orlando, Florida, and he built several of the stages for the Gertrude Krampert Theater), until his retirement on August 30, 1991 at age 62. For a number of years after his retirement, Walt and Joann became snowbirds, traveling to Yuma, Arizona in the winter, where Joann continued to knit and crochet, and Walt did odd jobs to stay busy, and wandered around in the desert. After ill health began to take its effect on them, they quit going south for the winter, and remained home where they could be closer to their family. During that time, Walt sold custom lawn chairs and outdoor decorations including tin men, among other crafts. He was very handy, and could make just about anything. Walt and Joann's marriage was blessed with 6 children, Marlyce (who passed away in 1989 at the age of 39 years), Debbie (Lynn) Cook, Robert (Caryn) Schulenberg, Jennifer Parmely, Brenda Schulenberg, and Ronald (Rachel) Schulenberg. They were then blessed with 11 grandchildren, Corrie (Kevin) Petersen, Amy (Travis) Royce, Machelle (Steve) Moore, Barry (Kelli) Schulenberg, Nancy Cook (who passed away shortly after her birth), Susan (Josh) Griffith, JD Parmely, Eric (Ashley) Parmely, Cassandra (Chris) Iverson, Rylie Birky and Tucker Birky. Then their marriage was further blessed with 10 great grandchildren, Christopher Petersen, Shai Royce, Caalab Royce, Joshua Petersen, Weston Moore, Jala Satterwhite, Easton Moore, Kaytlyn Griffith, Lucas Iverson, and Reagan Parmely. Walt was an incorrigible flirt, always having a compliment for the ladies. He never met a lady who wasn't a pretty girl and he was much loved by all those who were his caregivers. He remained active almost to the end, although COPD had taken a heavy toll on his lungs. He went to Shepherd of the Valley Care Center for physical therapy, following a bout of pneumonia in March, 2013, mainly to get stronger, but also to be nearer to his beloved sweetheart, Joann who had been there since early January, 2013, after a series of falls made it impossible for him and her caregivers to care for her at home with her Alzheimer's Disease. While there, Walt enjoyed the social life with old and new friends. He played Bingo, and was very proud to have won a teddy bear for himself and one for Joann. Walt was preceded in death by his parents, Vina and Andrew, his stepdad, Walt, daughter, Marlyce, and granddaughter Nancy, sister Marion, brothers-in-law John and Keith, and sister-in-law Bonnie, and his in-laws, Bob and Nettie Knox. He is survived by his beloved wife of 63 years, Joann, his children, Debbie, Bob, Jennifer, Brenda, and Ron, his grandchildren, Corrie, Amy, Machelle, Barry, Susan, JD, Eric, Cassie, Rylie, and Tucker, and his great grandchildren, Chris, Shai, Caalab, Josh, Weston, Jala, Easton, Kaytlyn, Lucas, and Reagan. He is also survived his sister Esther, brothers Edward, Bernard, and Andrew, sisters-in-law, Linda, Margee, and Pearl, brother-in-law Bob, and various nieces and nephews, including his special niece, Stasi. The family would like to thank the doctors who gave him such good care, Dr Schoeber, Dr Dowell, Dr Hussieno, Dr Wilkinsen, Dr Larsen, and Dr Orcutt; and their kind staff members, especially Leslie and Jessica. They would also like the thank the staff at Sharon's Home Health Care, especially Deb and Sherry; Angie at Wyoming Senior Citizens Inc, the doctors, nurses, aids, and respiratory therapists at Wyoming Medical Center, who are far too numerous to name, but they know who they are; and the nurses, aids, and staff at Shepherd of the Valley Care Center, which he lovingly called the Sheep Herders Place, who made his last days as comfortable as possible, and who loved him dearly too. We will never forget your kindness to him. Services will be held at Word Christian Fellowship Church, at the corner of 12th and Melrose in Casper on May 13, 2013 at 10:00am, with burial in Highland Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Wyoming Senior Citizens Inc at 951 Werner Ct, Ste 295, Casper, WY 82601-1303, attention Jim Kaufman.

Service

Monday, May 13, 2013 10:00am

Word Christian Fellowship Church

1220 S. Melrose

Casper, Wyoming 82609

Visitation

Sunday, May 12, 2013 1:00pm - 6:00pm

Bustard's Funeral Directors and Crematory

600 C.Y. Avenue

Casper, WY 82601

Visitation

Monday, May 13, 2013 9:00am - 10:00am

Bustard's Funeral Directors and Crematory

600 C.Y. Avenue

Casper, WY 82601