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Reuben Albert Schelske

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Birth	:	10 Mar 1911
Death	:	13 Mar 2007 Jamestown, Stutsman County, North Dakota, USA
Burial	:	Highland Home Cemetery, Jamestown, Stutsman County, USA
Coordinate	:	46.9331017, -98.7341995
Description	:	Reuben Albert Schelske, 96, Jamestown, ND, died Tuesday, March 13, 2007 at Central Dakota Village following a short illness. Reuben was born March 10, 1911 to Gottlieb and Louisa Schelske, the oldest son of a family of four girls and four boys. He grew up and attended school in the Woodworth area. Reuben began singing with his brother, Ervin, when he was a teenager and subsequently the other brothers joined Reuben and Ervin and they became a quartet known as "Dakota's Lonesome Cowboys." They sang regularly on WLS, Salt Lake City and KFYR, Bismarck, as well as performing at... Read More	Reuben Albert Schelske, 96, Jamestown, ND, died Tuesday, March 13, 2007 at Central Dakota Village following a short illness. Reuben was born March 10, 1911 to Gottlieb and Louisa Schelske, the oldest son of a family of four girls and four boys. He grew up and attended school in the Woodworth area. Reuben began singing with his brother, Ervin, when he was a teenager and subsequently the other brothers joined Reuben and Ervin and they became a quartet known as "Dakota's Lonesome Cowboys." They sang regularly on WLS, Salt Lake City and KFYR, Bismarck, as well as performing at numerous weddings, funerals and other social events. Reuben married Ann Swadberg, a Norwegian girl from the New Home area on April 27, 1936. They moved to Spiritwood where the couple purchased a wheat popping machine and packaged it for use as breakfast cereal. In 1944, Reuben and Ann moved back to the family farm near Woodworth where they farmed and further cultivated the homestead into a state licensed nursery, Schelske Peony Farm. Many acres on the farmstead were planted in peonies of all colors and varieties and during the blooming season people came many miles to see the Schelske peonies. In addition to his farming operation, Reuben was involved in a variety of activities over the years. He operated a hide and fur buying business for more than 20 years working for the Fargo Iron and Metal Company. Reuben became a top auctioneer having attended the famous Auctioneering School in Mason City, Iowa and was soon in demand all over the region. Known as "Colonel Rube" the singing tones of a good auctioneer became a part of his life and with Ann as his clerk, the couple went from farm to farm holding many successful auctions. Reuben and Ann became a family with the birth of a son, LaVerne on March 30, 1937 and then another son, Kenneth on August 2, 1944. Raising and educating their sons, farming and being active members of the Medina Seventh-day Adventist Church completely involved their time. In the fall of 1967, Ann was diagnosed with cancer and died on March 3, 1968. She is buried in the Highland Home cemetery in Jamestown, North Dakota. Reuben became acquainted with Elma Allmendinger from Bismarck and they were married on January 1, 1970 and moved to 718 4th Ave. NW in Jamestown. With the move to Jamestown, Reuben became a representative for the Newton Manufacturing Company with headquarters in Newton, Iowa. After working part time for four years he became a full time salesman with territory including all of North Dakota and parts of South Dakota and Montana. He soon became the salesman having the highest number of sales in one year and maintained this record outselling 1100 other salesmen for a four-year period. In 1979, Reuben purchased A & A Promotions, St. James, Minnesota and moved the headquarters to Jamestown where he worked steadily until he retired "somewhat" in 2001. Reuben was very involved in the community and showed special ability in public speaking and was frequently the keynote speaker at civic groups, numerous award banquets, sales meetings and motivational workshops. He was a township supervisor and school clerk for Paris Township and on the Stutsman County Executive GOP committee. For nine years, he was on the Stutsman County Red Cross Executive Board and was the County Rural Fund Drive chairman for five years. He was on the Stutsman County FHA committee and served as a Director of the State Board. He served for five years as county president of the Farm Bureau and continued another nine years as Vice President. He was Vice President of NoDak Mutual Trust for seven years. Reuben was chairman of the State Natural Resources Committee for five years and was the organizer of the National Water Bank Program. This program became a national farm program for rural America by preserving wildlife habitat lands for migratory wildlife as well as habitats for local wildlife. Involved in writing the National Water Bank Act, he testified before the United States Department of Agriculture committee in Washington D.C. Reuben was active in church activities with regular attendance at the Medina Country Church and following its closure the Jamestown Seventh-day Adventist Church. He served as elder, Sabbath (Sunday) School teacher, Sabbath School superintendent and frequently presented the morning sermon. Area churches soon relied on Reuben to preach when their pastor was away. His tenor voice could be heard singing with the congregation and his prayers were inspirational and revealed a deep personal relationship with his God. Reuben served on the Board of Trustees of Union College, Lincoln, Nebraska., a Seventh-day Adventist college for fourteen years. Both his son, Ken, and granddaughter, Doreen, graduated from Union. Reuben is preceded in death by his father and mother, Gottlieb and Louisa, his first wife, Ann, his second wife, Elma, and his youngest son, Kenneth. Also preceding him in death are three sisters, Sarah, Martha and Bertha. He is survived by his son, LaVerne and his wife, Margie, Courtenay, North Dakota, his stepson, Delbert Allmendinger, Minneapolis, Minnesota and daughter-in-law, Valerie Weaver, Gulfport, Mississippi. Survivors also include his brothers, Ervin, Glendive, Montana, Harold, Fargo, North Dakota, Ben, Carlsbad, California and one sister, Esther, Mariposa, California. He leaves to mourn his death his grandchildren, Doreen Decker, her husband, Chris and great-grandchildren Aron and Jacob, Admire, Kansas; Tim Schelske, his wife, Pam and great-grandchildren Marcus, Jonathan and Evan of ElDorado, Kansas; Marc Schelske and his wife, Christina and great-granddaughter, Emerson Rose, Portland, Oregon; Michelle Ellenson, her husband, Jared, and great-granddaughter, Riley, Fargo, North Dakota and MeriBeth Miller, her husband Troy and great-grandson, Ethan, Portland Oregon, as well as a host of friends and neighbors. Burial: Highland Home Cemetery, Jamestown.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Reuben Albert Schelske's memorial?
Reuben Albert Schelske's memorial is located at: Highland Home Cemetery, Jamestown, Stutsman County, USA.
When did Reuben Albert Schelske death?
Reuben Albert Schelske death on 13 Mar 2007 in Jamestown, Stutsman County, North Dakota, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Reuben Albert Schelske's memorial?
Latitude: 46.9331017
Longitude: -98.7341995

Family Members:

Spouse

Ann Swadberg Schelske

(1912 - 1968)

Elma Seidel Schelske

(1920 - 2005)

Children

Rev Kenneth R Schelske

(1943 - 1982)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Highland Home Cemetery
Jamestown, Stutsman County, USA
Coordinate: 46.9331017, -98.7341995

2. McGinnis Cemetery
Jamestown, Stutsman County, USA
Coordinate: 46.9202995, -98.7244034

3. Sunset Memorial Gardens
Jamestown, Stutsman County, USA
Coordinate: 46.9486008, -98.6932983

4. Calvary Cemetery
Jamestown, Stutsman County, USA
Coordinate: 46.8913994, -98.7332993

5. Jamestown State Hospital Cemetery
Jamestown, Stutsman County, USA
Coordinate: 46.8717400, -98.6830000

6. Old Jamestown State Hospital Cemetery
Jamestown, Stutsman County, USA
Coordinate: 46.8685034, -98.6829357

7. Eldridge Cemetery
Eldridge, Stutsman County, USA
Coordinate: 46.9211006, -98.8617020

8. Sacred Heart Cemetery
Fried, Stutsman County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0448840, -98.6573350

9. Saint Margaret Mary Cemetery
Buchanan, Stutsman County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0662910, -98.8232060

10. Buchanan Cemetery
Buchanan, Stutsman County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0662900, -98.8237100

11. Spiritwood Cemetery
Spiritwood, Stutsman County, USA
Coordinate: 46.9219017, -98.5014038

12. Valley Cemetery
Ypsilanti, Stutsman County, USA
Coordinate: 46.7765390, -98.5642450

13. Saint Paulines Cemetery
Stutsman County, USA
Coordinate: 46.8925018, -99.0307999

14. German Zion Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
Courtenay, Stutsman County, USA
Coordinate: 47.1391983, -98.6350021

15. Saint Huberts Cemetery
Montpelier, Stutsman County, USA
Coordinate: 46.7042007, -98.5864029

16. Brown Family Cemetery
Sharlow, Stutsman County, USA
Coordinate: 46.7036970, -98.8810780

17. Bethany Prairie Cemetery
Wimbledon, Barnes County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0720550, -98.4068740

18. Montpelier Lutheran Cemetery
Montpelier, Stutsman County, USA
Coordinate: 46.6964000, -98.5650000

19. Rest Cemetery
Pingree, Stutsman County, USA
Coordinate: 47.1685982, -98.9096985

20. Montpelier Community Cemetery
Montpelier, Stutsman County, USA
Coordinate: 46.6885830, -98.5867000

21. Cleveland Cemetery
Cleveland, Stutsman County, USA
Coordinate: 46.8913190, -99.1317110

22. Deer Lake Cemetery
Pingree, Stutsman County, USA
Coordinate: 47.1056540, -99.0595810

23. Saint Marys Cemetery
Courtenay, Stutsman County, USA
Coordinate: 47.2181015, -98.6369019

24. Saint Pauls Lutheran Cemetery
Kensal, Stutsman County, USA
Coordinate: 47.2258110, -98.7646170