Gunter Horst Schmenkel
Gunter Horst Schmenkel

Obituary of Gunter Willi Horst Schmenkel

Gunter Willi Horst Schmenkel, 97, formerly of Fort Atkinson, now living in Dane, WI with his daughter and son-in-law for the past three years died peacefully at home on Thursday, November 16, 2017. Gunter was born in Wussow, Stettin, Germany on September 13, 1920 to Reinhold and Meta (Treu) Schmenkel. He flew in the Luftwaffe and was shot down and captured in North Africa becoming a P.O.W in Aliceville, GA for several years. He returned home and looked for his displaced family in war-torn Germany. He worked in construction, rebuilding Hamburg, while living in a small farming community of Fitzbek, until he could find housing in the city. There he met his wife to be, Lydia. They were married on November 1, 1947 and moved to Hamburg after their daughter, Brigitte was born in 1951. They all immigrated to New Jersey in 1955 where Gunter worked for Amerio Refrigeration Company as a machinist and later field technician. In 1971 they moved to Wisconsin and he worked for Crepaco in Lake Mills as a field technician where he traveled to all parts of the country and Europe. He is survived by his daughter, Brigitte (Bill) Rodewald of Dane, WI; grandchildren, Ryan (Mary) Rodewald, Baraboo, WI, Jordan Rodewald, Madison, WI; niece, Birgit Fuelling, Germany. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Lydia; sister, Gisela Krainhoefner; brother, Heinz Schmenkel. A private burial will be held at Evergreen Cemetery in Fort Atkinson. The family would like to thank Christa Raymonds and her staff at St. Mary's Congestive Heart Clinic, in Madison, WI.
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Interment

Evergreen Cemetery Fort Atkinson, WI,
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