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Fred Schoenewald and Effie Semmens
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Life Story for Fred SchoenewaldFred
Schoenewald is the little brother of my Grandfather, Johann (John) Herman.
Fred
W. Schoenewald was the 6th and youngest child in Adam and Otillie’s
household born on 17 November 1910 in Sibley County, Minnesota and named
Frederick William Schoenewald. By the
1920 census, Fred was living in Bonner County, Idaho in Sandpoint Township with
his parents, Adam and Otillie Schoenewald. This corresponds with the movement
of his parents in 1913 from Sibley County to Idaho to join Otillie’s parents,
John and Mary Kujawski. Both his older brothers, Tim and Carl, had already left
home by 1920 and Fred’s brother, John, was working as a farmer presumably on
the family farm while Fred and his two sisters, Ida and Emma, were still in
school.
In
1929, the worst economic downturn in history called The Great Depression struck
many families, lasting until 1939. The
agricultural sector struggled due to falling food prices and farmers couldn’t
afford to harvest their crops. They were
forced to leave them rotting in the fields. How this affected the Schoenewald
family is something that needs further research. However, it must have affected
Fred’s decision whether to be a farmer like the generations before him or find
another occupation. By 1930 Fred’s father, Adam, was still listed as a farmer owning
his own farm with Fred at the age of 20, the only child still living at home,
stating he was in school. This could mean Fred was going to college or still in
high school, which was common in those days if children had to help out on the
farm during harvest seasons. Five years
later in 1935, Fred was still living in Sandpoint.
World War II began in Europe on September
1, 1939, when Germany invaded Poland.
By
1940, Fred had moved to Emander, Snohomish County in the state of Washington.
Fred’s household consisted of Edyth, listed as his wife with several nieces and
nephews living with them. Fred’s occupation was a Sewing Machine Salesman and
Edyth was a Waitress in a Restaurant. Fred was renting his resident in Emander,
Washington. What brought Fred to Washington? Why did the household consist of
several nieces and nephews living with them?
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt
signed The Selective Service Act in September of 1940 requiring men ages
21 to 36 to register with local draft boards in anticipation of possible
conscription.
Fred’s age fell in this age group and he filled out his Military Draft Card on
16 October 1940. Fred’s address at this
time was in Everett Washington. Emander was a suburb of Everett. Fred was
listed as 5’ 11 ½ ‘’ tall, weighing 173 lbs., dark complexion, brown eyes and
hair. He was working for the Singer Sewing Machine, Company in Everett.
On
the 7th of December, 1941, Japanese planes attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor,
Hawaii Territory. The United States was
at War.
Fred
joined the Army on 2 June 1942 in Tacoma Washington as a single man without any
dependents at the age of 32.
On
the 16th of June in 1942 Fred and Edyth decided to officially get
married by the Justice of the Peace in Seattle Washington. Edyth was the
daughter of Alla and Purnel Richards of Great Falls, Montana. She was also born
in 1910.
Finally,
on the 7th of December 1945, Fred was released from the Military. His father had passed away in November of that year.
Fred
and Edyth got divorced sometime before 1948. They had no children that we know
of.
On
the 29th of May, 1948, Fred married Effie E. Tidd (surname Semmens)
in Montana. Fred was living in Bozeman, Montana at the time. They had a
courthouse wedding, married by the Justice of the Peace. Effie’s sister was one
of the witnesses.
Fred
and Effie moved to Spokane Washington sometime around 1951. In 1954 Fred listed
his occupation as a Salesman for Marshall-Wells. They were living at E 226
Hartson Ave. in Spokane Washington. His mother only
lived about 70 miles away in Sandpoint, Idaho where she passed away in August
of 1954.
1959
found Fred dealing with the death of his wife, Effie. She had Colon Cancer and died at the age of
54 on 26 September 1959. She died at home and is buried at the Riverside Park
Cemetery in Spokane, Washington. Fred Schoenewald was the informant living at
226 E. Hartson. Her parents were listed
as Edmund J. Semmens and Fannie Pender.
Fred
continued his employment in the sales industry, retiring in 1972 from
Jensen-Byrd Company in Spokane Washington as a Sales Director. Fred was a past
governor of Spokane Moose Lodge 161 and a member of Fellowship Degree and
Traehesoom Legion of the Moose. He was also a member of the American Legion
Post 9.
During
this timeframe, Fred married Edna L. (no surname given) as she was listed as
his wife on his obituary.
Fred
was 77 when he passed away on the 31st of August, 1988 at the St.
Luke’s Memorial Hospital in Spokane Washington.
They had his service at the Hazen & Jaeger Funeral Home on 3
September 1988. Survivors include his wife, Edna L; one daughter, Judy Hoxsey
of Everett; three sons, Jack Fiskness of Palm Springs, Calif.; Wayne Fiskness
of Yakima and Bruce Fiskness of Vancouver, Wash.; two sisters; 12
grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.
Listed below are some additional questions surrounding the above information:
What brought Fred to Washington?
Why did the household consist of several nieces and nephews living with them in 1940?
Why was Fred living in Montana then moved to Washington?
What happened in Fred's life between 1959 and 1972 when he retired?
Who is the wife, Edna L, listed on his Obituary?
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