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Lester Joseph Schneck
08/29/1915 — 10/31/2011
From Richland, WA, US | Born in Milwaukee, WI
Lester Joseph Schneck
Lester Joseph Schneck, age 96, of Richland, WA passed away October 31, 2011 at Kadlec Regional Medical Center. He was born August 29, 1915 in Milwaukee, WI to Joseph Frank Schneck and Christine Gertrude Stehula. The family moved to Manitowoc, WI in 1917.
After graduating from high school, Les joined the Civilian Conservation Corps CCC for 18 months and then attended vocational school. He started serving his 4½-year Machinists apprenticeship at the Manitowoc Ship Building Company in Manitowoc, WI in 1937. Les continued to work there as a journeyman machinist and they built 33 submarines during World War II.
He married Luella Brill in 1944 and they had one daughter, Claire.
In 1957 the family moved to Pocatello, ID where he worked for the Naval Ordinance Plant until it closed in 1959. He worked for Lawrence Radiation Laboratory in Livermore, CA before moving to Richland in June 1960 where he worked in the 300 Area as a research machinist until his retirement in February 1978. After several years of retirement, Les volunteered at Richland High School in the Metals Shop and Auto Shop for about 16 years. He was hired as an aide in the Pasco High School Metals Shop August 30, 1996 at the age of 80. He was always willing to share his knowledge and help any student figure out how to perform a task on the lathe or milling machine to produce a quality product. He prided himself on producing quality work and being a 50+-year Gold Card member of the International Association of Machinists.
Les liked to hunt, fish, do leatherwork, and ride motorcycles.
He was preceded in death by his parents and wife of 47 years.
Rosary will be Friday, November 4 at 7 PM preceded by visitation from 5-7 PM at Einans Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be at noon, Saturday, November 5 at Christ the King Church in Richland followed by graveside services at Sunset Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Guide Dogs of America, Dogs for the Deaf, or the Alzheimers Association.
Claire,
I want to thank you allowing me to steal your dad for all those years at Pasco High School. He will live in my heart forever and I am certain in the hearts and minds of all those students we had. He was able to instill his values in many a student and they are better men and women for it. I will miss him greatly and am forever in his debt for his friendship. Les has left his mark on the many young people he cared enough to help. I will miss you Les!!!
Wayne
What an honor it was to work with Les at Pasco High School Metal Shop for several years. He was a great asset to all of the students who were able to work with him in the metal shop. Les loved working with the students in the shop, he always made sure the students turned out quality work even if it took more the one try. I will miss you Les, Thanks for all your years of friendship and help in the shop.
Dan
Claire, I am so sorry to hear of your father’s passing. I remember when you brought him with you to our Emergency Operations Center during a drill, he had a great time talking with everyone and enjoying himself. My prayers and thoughts are with you. John
Claire, We wish to express our sympathy on the passing of your Dad. Wish there weren’t so many miles between us so we could have seen the both of you more often.
Lester and Claire came to our Desert Leather Crafter’s Group meetings and Lester amazed us with some of the fine leather work he had done is the past. He amazed even more when he showed us the tools he used to do the tooling on the leather–they we all made by Lester! Lester was always interested in what the other members were doing and encouraged us.
One Summer I was out riding my bike and came upon Lester, who had fallen on the sidewalk near his home. As I helped him up and walked him to his home, he said: “Don’t tell Claire, She will worry about me”. So I didn’t. Guess it’s OK now.
Condolences to Claire.
We will miss Lester at the leather group meetings.
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Lester Joseph Schneck