Kenneth John Schoenborn

Kenneth John Schoenborn “Captain Ken”, husband of Genevieve (Eva) Schoenborn passed away peacefully at the Milaca Elim Home on August 1, 2011 at the age of 82. Memorial services will be held on Saturday, August 6, 2011 at 11 AM at St. Louis Catholic Church in Foreston with Fr. Jim Remmerswaal, OSC officiating. Interment will follow at St. Louis Cemetery in Foreston. Military honors will be provided by Hansen-Hayes American Legion Post #178 and Siemers-Hakes VFW Post #10794. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Arr. Peterson-Johnson Funeral Home of Milaca. Ken was born to Joseph and Irene Schoenborn in Spring Hill, Minnesota on October 21, 1928. He attended St. Cloud Tech High School before enlisting in the U.S. Navy at the age of 16. He served 2 years during World War II, then rejoined the Navy on March 19, 1951 as an Electricians Mate 1st class where he did a tour during the Korean war on the USS Marshall DD676 destroyer. Ken belonged to the VFW and American Legion. Ken worked as an electrician at Quadion Corporation (Minnesota Rubber) for a number of years before he was elected as a Business Agent for the International Association of Machinists union, AFL-CIO. He worked as a Business Agent up until the time that he retired at the age of 60. Ken was always willing to share his insights on life, among them “its always good to have a project, it gives you a purpose”. Ken had many projects on the farm, there was always a tractor to fix or a field to plant. Ken also enjoyed fishing, hunting and collecting stuff for future “projects”. Each year Captain Ken looked forward to spending a week surrounded by friends and telling tales during the annual fishing trip to Lake Kabetogama at Voyageurs National Park. From the moment he returned from the trip, he started planning the next one and thinking how it could be even better the next time. Ken is survived by his wife Genevieve (Eva), his children Evamarie (Andrew), Minneapolis, Jon (Chrissy), Foreston, Joe (TerryLou), Foreston and his grandchildren Tori, Jack, Nicholas (Jon and Chrissy) and Wynne (Joe and TerryLou), sisters, Geraldine Burgeson of Minneapolis and Jeanette Bischoff of Belle Plaine. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Colleen Winkelman. Ken will be missed by his family and by many good friends whom he offered counsel; he always had something smart to say about any situation, “Be good or be good at it!” and “Don’t take any rubber nickels!”. In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to Voyageurs National Parks Association, 126 N. 3rd St. Suite 400, Minneapolis MN 55401 or through the website at www.voyageurs.org, through the donate now button, in the dedication line enter Ken Schoenborn. A special thank you to nurses aids and people at the Elim Home that took care of Dad.