Leo Schmerbauch

Funeral Mass for Leo Schmerbauch, 87 of Dickinson will be 10:00 a. m. , Friday, January 20, 2006 at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church with Father James Braaten celebrating. Burial will follow at St. Joseph?s Cemetery in Dickinson with Military Honors by the Dickinson Drill Team. Visitation will be Thursday, January 19, 2006 from 8:00 a. m. to 9:00 p. m. with Rosary at 7:00 p. m. at Stevenson Mischel-Olson Chapel. Leo passed away Friday, January 13, 2006 at St. Benedict?s Health Center in Dickinson, leaving behind his wife, Betty of 49 years. Leo was born May 15, 1918 at Minot, ND, the oldest of five children of Lawrence Omer Schmerbauch and Anna (Iverson) Schmerbauch. He grew up on a farm at Norwich, ND near Minot where he attended school through the eighth grade. He worked on the farm with horse-powered equipment and in later years with gasoline and diesel equipment. Leo left home at the age of sixteen and farmed with his maternal grandfather at Outlook, MT. He spent some time in Washington State in a CCC Camp in forestry work for six months. Leo entered military service at the age of twenty-four when he was drafted. He trained at Lawrence, KS before being deployed as a diesel mechanic in the Pacific. World War II was in progress and Leo served on the ships. In December of 1947, he was married to Ethel Kelm, and a son named Allen was born to this union. They were later divorced. Leo returned to North Dakota where he farmed until 1950 and began work with a grain elevator construction and repair company. While working in Dickinson, North Dakota, Leo met Elizabeth (Betty) Dengel they were married June 6, 1958. They bought a mobile home and began traveling to many large and small towns in the Dakotas, Minnesota, Montana and Iowa. The family settled in Dickinson where their son, Dean attended school. Leo began working for Queen City Lumber Company and later for Dickinson Lumber Company. He also did farm and ranch construction projects and repairs, as well as work on homes and garages in town. For a time, he was a partner with two other men in a company called Tri-Western Construction until his retirement in 1980. The family belonged to St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Dickinson. Their social life consisted of card parties with friends and relatives and fishing with their son at the local Heart River and Patterson Reservoir. They also liked to take trips to the Black Hills of South Dakota, Medora or back to Outlook, MT to visit Leo?s relatives. In September of 2001, Leo joined Betty in living at St. Benedict?s Health Center Leo enjoyed traveling, playing cribbage and was fascinated with old cars and farm machinery. He loved to sightsee, read the newspaper, watch TV, and spend time with his wife Betty. He also enjoyed visiting and receiving letters from his family, especially his grandchildren. Leo is survived by his wife, Betty of Dickinson; a son, Dean Schmerbauch, Santa Fe, NM; a daughter-in-law: Lynn Schmerbauch, Gaylord, MN; three granddaughters: Tammy (David) Pikal Brownton, MN Tera (Trent) Messner Gaylord, MN and Britany Schmerbauch, Gaylord, MN; a brother, James (Janet) Schmerbauch, Lakewood, CA; two sisters: Anna May (Donald) Cutts, Sonora, CA and Frances (Ross) Simpson, Chula Vista, CA; one sister-in-law: Jeanie Schmerbauch,Chula Vista CA, and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, a son, Allen, and a brother, Charles Schmerbauch.


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Burial Date: January 20, 2006
Funeral Home Dickinson, ND

Mass: Friday, St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, Dickinson