"So sorry to hear about Roger passing!! He was A wonderful man I loved cutting his hair !! Roger and Darrel Wicks would always come to my shop in BELVIEW and I would always have something baked for them & coffee! It was so much fun to have them come ! He was just such a special man !! We would keep you in our prayers ! Love, Rhonda Schjenken"
In loving memory of
Roger Schoelkoph
February 18, 1920 - September 21, 2018
Roger Frederick Schoelkoph (98), passed away on September 21, 2018 at Eastern Star Masonic Home, Boone IA. A memorial service will be held at the Cornerstone Christian Church, 241 E 3rd St, Redwood Falls MN, on October 27th at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow in the Redwood Falls Cemetery with military honors.
Roger is survived by a daughter, Lova (James) Parker of Forsyth MO; son, Irvin (Debra) of Ames IA; son, Lyle (Lila) of South Haven MN; and daughter, Verla (Jonathan) Sims of Troy OH; five grandchildren (Renee Kreamer, Cherie Lima, Rachel Moberly, Laura Chuol, and Benjamin Sims); and eight great grandchildren. Roger was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Margie; sister, Betty Wolff; and infant son, Neal.
Roger Frederick Schoelkoph was born on Feb. 18, 1920 at home on a farm near Wabasso MN in Redwood County, to his parents, Frederick and Margaret (Schneider) Schoelkoph. Roger graduated from Wabasso High School (1939).
Roger joined the Army Air Force during WWII (1943) and became a chief sergeant mechanic in the 514th squadron of the Liberator bombing group stationed in North Africa and Italy. He was in charge of a 4-engine B-24 bomber in the 376th Liberator Bombing Group, which raided the Polesti oil refineries. The members of the Liberators each received a citation and 3-oak leaf cluster from President Franklin Roosevelt for shortening the war by six months.
On August 18, 1946, Roger married Margie Mae Bliss of Redwood Falls MN. They were blessed with five children. Roger attended Dunwoody Technical Institute in Minneapolis and graduated with a degree in auto mechanics. Roger spent close to 30 years as an auto mechanic, beginning in Delhi MN, the working for Elmer Lueck in Danube MN. Later he purchased the shop and renamed it Roger's Auto Service. Roger became a long-time member of the Danube Senior Citizens and a member of the Danube Lions Club (1988). For over eight years, he served as post chaplain of the American Legion.
Awards that Roger received: Dunwoody Institute's Certificate of Recognition (50 Year Club), Appreciation Award for 65 plus years of membership at the Redwood Falls Church of Christ (now Cornerstone Christian Church), Lions Club's Melvin Jones Fellow Award for humanitarian services (2002), and Certificate of Appreciation for WWII Honorable Service (1964). In 2004 Roger served as a Hospice volunteer, and in 2011 was honored as the Grand Marshal for Danube's Fun Days' Parade. Favorite hobbies Roger enjoyed were playing dominoes, gardening, cooking, and acrylic painting. Many of his paintings were distributed to his family. After moving to Eastern Star Masonic Home, Boone IA (2015), Roger displayed a few of his favorite paintings in his room.
Memorials may be directed to: Cornerstone Christian Church, 241 3rd St, Redwood Falls, Redwood Falls MN 56283, Danube Historical Society Depot Museum, PO Box 463, Danube MN 56230, Other Suggestions: Eye Research, Danube Lions Club, or Danube American Legion