Ruben Walter Schley

Ruben Walter Schley, age 90, of Maribel, WI died on Monday afternoon, January 9, 2016 with family at his side at Scandinavian Court Assisted Living in Denmark, WI. Ruben was born at home on the family farm on October 21, 1926 to the late Albert Schley and Marie (Jaeger) Schley and was the youngest of three sons. He was a member of St Johns Evangelical Lutheran Church Maribel and was baptized on November 3, 1926. He attended St John’s Lutheran School Maribel and was confirmed on May 18, 1941. Upon his 8th grade graduation, Ruben worked on the family dairy farm with his family. He assumed the milking chores on the farm when his father had a heart attack. Summer months were warm and busy with harnessing the horses for field work early in the morning when it was cooler and with the shocking of wheat and oats. Threshing season was quite exciting as the threshing crew moved from farm to farm in the Maribel area. In Ruben’s young adult years he worked for Frank C Kellner at Kellner's Market in Maribel assisting with the smoking of the hams. He was later employed at the Maribel Dairy and Maribel Heating and Plumbing. Ruben married Irene Bernice Schley on March 17, 1956 at Christ Lutheran Church in Denmark, WI. Their honeymoon took them on Route 66 to California and Mexico and then back to Maribel. Ruben and Irene milked their cows on the dairy farm for the next 35 years and the Lord blessed them with four daughters. Ruben taught his daughters how to milk and care for the cows and dairy calves, tend to the chickens and how to drive a Tractor. Summer months though busy always included the Jaeger Family Reunion at Shawano Lake. By the end of fall crops were harvested and vegetable bins in the basement were filled. Winter months included sitting around the kitchen table and reading the old Atlas Books, along with snowmobiling at Lewis Forty. For a few years Ruben worked for Imperial Eastman in Manitowoc. Ruben also enjoyed being a member of the Dart Ball Team for his home church back in the 1960's. In 1965 Ruben was awarded Century Farm Ownership Certificates from the State of Wisconsin and Manitowoc County for continuous family ownership since 1854. Ruben's passion was Belgium Horses. No more milking chores allowed Ruben to purchase his Draft Horses, Jane and Jean. During fall he would drive the team into Maribel for stops at St Johns Evangelical Lutheran School (Show and Tell time for his grandsons) or down to Lewis Forty into the woods. During the winter months Ruben's family including the cousins were huddled in the farm wagon as he drove them around the neighborhood. Many spring and summer weekends were now spent at either a local or State Horse Pull or a Draft Horse Sale in Topeka, Indiana. In fall he spent many weekdays sawing down trees at Lewis Forty and making firewood for his wood stove. Retirement now allowed Ruben and Irene to make more trips to Merrill, WI to visit his cousin Rudy and the Jaeger cousins. Trips to Michigan, Illinois, Washington, Arizona and Canada to visit family were followed by a trip to Europe (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) with friends. Ruben attended his grandchildren’s piano recitals, school plays and would attend the Brown County Fair to view their fair projects. He helped Irene with her mandevillas on the front porch and enjoyed planting and tending to his vegetable garden. He played sheepshead with the card clubs and never passed on an invitation from Kip to drive to Equity in Reedsville for lunch. Ruben was a volunteer firefighter for 49 years until 2015, participating in fire runs for the Maribel Volunteer Fire Department. 2013 was a year of milestones. Ruben drove his John Deere Tractor for the last time and a tornado passed through the Maribel area in August. He assisted in the days and weeks to follow in cleanup on the home farm and in the Vineyard; and in early October he watched as portions of the cow barn and horse barn were rebuilt by his friend Wilbur and family. Ruben served as a Town Supervisor for the Town of Cooperstown, on the Church Council at St. Johns Evangelical Lutheran Church Maribel, the Board of Directors for Maribel Non-Profit Housing and Viking Community Rescue Squad. He was a member of the Maribel Lions Club, the February Club of Two Rivers and a Lifetime Member of the Maribel Volunteer Fire Department. Ruben is survived by his children: Sarah Schley, Maribel; Mary (Gary) Konop, Denmark; and Rachel (Steven) Post, Maribel. Grandchildren include: Evan Post, Maribel; Jared (Ashley) Post and their children Daisy and Raymond of Denmark; Ethan (Sam) Post, Denmark; Jeremy Post, Maribel; Robert Diny, Lake Forest, CA; Hannah Diny, Urbana, IL; Owen Diny, Greenleaf, WI; Elliott Diny, Whitewater, WI. Ruben is further survived by his cousin Marilynn Behmer, along with the Jahnke, Schleif and Jaeger cousins and one nephew and 2 nieces. Ruben was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Irene B Schley and his daughter Rhoda L Schley; along with his two brothers: Victor Schley and Gilbert (Laverne) Schley and his father in-law and mother in-law George C Lemke and Sarah Lemke. His celebration of life eternal will be held on Saturday, January 14, 2017 at St Johns Evangelical Lutheran Church, Maribel with the Reverend Daniel Cole officiating. Visitation will be from 9:00 am - 11:45 am with the service starting at 12:00 pm. Burial will follow in St Johns Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery. Knutson-Cotter Funeral Home of Denmark is assisting the family. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that memorials be made to St John’s Lutheran Church and School, Maribel. The family wishes to thank Pastor Cole for his visits to see Ruben and to the staff at Scandinavian Court Assisted Living for the professional care of our father, along with the Southern Care Hospice Team (Melissa, Jackie and Sarah). Thanks to John and Carolynn Rabenhorst, Cory Rabenhorst, Keith La Count and Mike Larsen for driving Ruben to many a Wisconsin Horse Pull or Draft Horse Sale in Topeka, Indiana. We are also thankful for the kindness and thoughtfulness of Kip and Debbie, Eugene and Darlene and Larry and Donna for their care and concern as a neighbor of Ruben.