Wesley Schukei

Former Kenesaw resident, Wesley A. Schukei, 86, passed away Sunday, April 8, 2012 at Perkins Pavilion, Good Samaritan Society, Hastings-Village. Services will be Friday, April 13, 2012 at 10:30 am at the Zion Wanda Lutheran Church rural Juniata, NE with Pastor Harold King officiating. Burial will be in the Zion Wanda Churchyard Cemetery, rural Juniata, NE. Visitation will be Wednesday, April 11, 2012 from 9 am to 8 pm and Thursday, April 12, 2012 from 9 am to 6 pm at the Jackson-Wilson Funeral Home in Kenesaw, NE. Condolences may be sent to the family from www.brandwilson.com. Memorials may be given to the Zion Lutheran Churchyard Cemetery Fund, rural Juniata, NE or the donors choice. Wesley was born July 4, 1925 to Herman G. and Emma A. (Uden) Schukei in rural Kenesaw, NE. He was baptized on July 19, 1925, confirmed on April 2, 1939 and married June 12, 1949 all at the Zion Wanda Lutheran Church, rural Juniata, NE where he was a lifelong member. He attended Zions grade school. Wesley joined the United States Army on August 24, 1944 and was given an honorary discharge on November 29, 1945. He served his country in the Rhineland Campaign in Germany during World War II in the 318th Infantry of the 80th Division as an automatic rifleman during which he received a Purple Heart, Silver Star, Good Conduct medal and European-African-Middle Eastern Theater service ribbon with one bronze service star. Wesley married Audrey E. Stichweh on June 12, 1949. He farmed in southwest Wanda Township, Adams County until 1992, and they moved to Hastings, NE in 2004. He is survived by his wife Audrey,of Hastings, NE, two sons Terry and wife Linda of Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Clint and wife Sheila of Norfolk, NE, one daughter Sonya Forsgren and husband Roger of Lincoln, NE, five grandchildren, Kirstin Smead and husband Daniel of Las Cruces, New Mexico, Nathan Schukei and wife Karyn of Mayer MN, Kelly Schukei of Bellevue, NE and Abby and Tony Schukei both of Norfolk, NE, six great grandchildren, Henry, Oliver and Everett Schukei all of Mayer MN, and Cole, Armond and Oceana Smead all of Las Cruces, New Mexico, one sister, Lorena Werner of Yuma, AZ and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, and infant daughter, Jackie Lynn, one brother Arthur Schukei and one sister Marilyn Nienhueser.