Ruben A. Schwalenberg

Ruben entered eternal life on Saturday, February 25, 2006, at Manor View – Evergreen Retirement Community of Oshkosh.

Ruben was born June 7, 1918, in Calumet County, Wisconsin, the son of the late Rudoph and Amelia (Mathes) Schwalenberg. On February 1, 1942, he married Ruby Pautz at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Hilbert. He was employed at the AAL Insurance for Lutherans (Thrivent) for forty years, retiring in 1982. Ruben was a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Appleton – he was a Sunday School teacher for over twenty years, a member of the Golden K Kiwanis, and was the beloved “Tin Man” at Appleton Medical Center’s Yellow Brick Road-Wizard of Oz program for the kindergarten children.

He is survived by his wife and best friend of 64 years, Ruby; his cherished two daughters and sons-in-law, Mary and John Groth, of Platte City, MO, and Carol and David Hinshaw, of Oshkosh; five dearly loved grandchildren, Julie (Rod) Newberry, of Acworth, GA, Paul Groth and his fiancée Kiaya Elfter, Jeni (Jason) Brewer, of Kansas City, MO, Emily Hinshaw, of Chicago, Ill., and Amanda Hinshaw, of Oak Creek, Wis.; He had a special love for his five great grandchildren, Lauren, Brandon, and Joshua Newberry, Acworth, GA, and Trinity and Khyler Brewer of Kansas City, MO; a sister-in-law, Ardis Picard, and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Luella Federwitz, and his twin sister, Ruth Duchow.

Funeral services for Ruben will be at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, March 2, 2006, at FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH, 601 East Glendale Avenue, Appleton with Rev. Daniel Thews officiating. Interment will be in Appleton Highland Memorial Park. Friends may call from 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home, and again from 9:30 a.m. until the time of services directly at the church. The casket will be closed at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in his name to the Faith Lutheran Radio Ministry, Faith Lutheran Special Needs, or to their Emergency Fund.

The family extends a special thank you to Dr. Jack Anderson, his nurse Judy for the care and concern for Ruben, especially the last five years, Theda Care Hospice nurse Lisa for her visits last June and the entire staff at Manor View-Evergreen. A special thank you to CNAs Christa and Sarah, another Sarah, Sara, Rebecca and to Tamar, the social worker, and to Linda, his nurse who shared Wizard of Oz stories with him.

WICHMANN FUNERAL HOME
537 North Superior Street
Appleton, WI 54911
920-739-1231