Clifford Schnabel

Clifford "Jack" Schnabel, 81, Bismarck, ND, died of diabetic complications on Friday, July 1, 2011, at his home in Edgewood Village surrounded by family under the care of Medcenter One Hospice. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, July 6, 2011, at 11:30 a.m. at Century Baptist Church in Bismarck with Rev. Paul Herr and Rev. Alan Steier officiating. Burial will be held at 3:00 p.m. at the North Dakota Veteran's Cemetery with military honors provided by VFW Post #1326. Visitation will be Tuesday from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck. Visitation will continue on Wednesday one hour prior to the service at the church. Clifford was born on Thursday, October 27, 1929, on the family farmstead six miles northwest of Lehr, ND, the only child of Albert and Frieda Wagner Schnabel. He attended rural school for eight years and graduated from Lehr High School in 1947. Clifford also attended Dakota Business College in Fargo, ND, for six months after which he decided to farm with his father. On December 6, 1951, he married Mavis George at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Lehr, ND. Clifford entered the US Army on February 11, 1952. He was inducted at Fort Snelling and sent to Camp Gordon, G.A. for his basic training. He was then sent to Korea where he spent fourteen months as a supply sergeant of the third division 39th Field Artillery Battery C. He was honorably discharged from active duty as Sergeant First Class on February 11, 1954, and honorably discharged from the Army Reserve on March 31, 1960. Upon returning home from active duty he continued grain and cattle farming on the family farm. Clifford took a liking to purebred cattle and started raising Horned Herefords changing to Polled Herefords in 1958 and selling purebred bulls. He served on the Lehr School District #10 for five years as director and president, during which time there was a re-organization, the building of a new school, and the beginning of bus routes. He was active in many farm organizations including the National Farmers Organization for which he served as county chairman, Zone 6 feeder chairman and vice chairman of the West District. He was also active as a 4-H leader and one term as a Logan County Commissioner. Clifford accepted the Lord as his Savior and was baptized on March 27, 1967, at Ebenezer Baptist Church. He later moved his membership to First Baptist Church in Wishek, ND, where he served as a deacon, a Sunday school superintendent, and an assistant Sunday school superintendent. He also served as president of the Baptist Men's Brotherhood of the Montana Dakota Association of the North American Baptist Conference. In the fall of 2001, Clifford and Mavis retired and moved to an apartment in Bismarck, ND. They also moved their church membership to Century Baptist Church. Then in November 2009, they moved to Edgewood Village where they presently resided. Clifford is survived by his wife, Mavis of Bismarck; his children, Rev. Perry Cynthia Schnabel and Marsha Howard Leier, both of Bismarck, Daphne Curtis Kessler and Todd Tanya Schnabel, both of Lehr, ND; ten grandchildren, Kamaya Todd Singer, Kezia Schnabel, Kylin Schnabel, Chad Danielle Leier, Sydney Leier, Tyler Leier, Rami Kyle Hansen, Shaun Kessler, Madison Schnabel, and Morgan Schnabel; two great-grandchildren, Ryker and Vance Hansen; and two soon to be adopted great-grandchildren, Michael and Suzzy Leier. He was preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Frieda Schnabel. Clifford was very thankful for Pastor Paul and Pastor Alan for stopping by and his family so appreciated the ministry of Medcenter One Hospice. Memorials are preferred to the North Dakota Veteran's Cemetery in Mandan, ND.

Clifford Schnabel

October 27, 1929 - July 1, 2011