Mark Julius Schoknecht, 95

Mark Julius Schoknecht, 95, died June 16, 2005, at St. John Lutheran Hospital in Libby.

He was born April 20, 1910, to parents Henry and Julia Neils Schoknecht at Sauk Rapids, Minn.

The family moved to Kalispell in 1912, when Mark was 2. He was the third of four children.

He grew up in a German Lutheran family and was active in the church all of his life.

He sang in the choir, played the organ, taught Sunday school and served as church president.

He graduated from Flathead County High School in 1928 and attended Valparaiso University and the University of Washington.

In 1951, he married Faye Matthews. They had two children, Paula (Schoknecht) Sandman and Joel Schoknecht.

Mark worked 44 years for J. Neils Lumber Company, starting as time clerk and retiring as plant manager in 1974.

He was active in the Western Pine Association, National Lumberman's and was past president of the Intermountain Logging Congress and the State Board of Forestry.

Mark always enjoyed planting; he had a wonderful garden and spent time during the summer at his cherry orchard at Flathead Lake.

He planted many trees there and on the local Cabinet View golf course.

Mark was very community minded, serving on the St. John Lutheran Hospital board for more than 30 years, as a bank director for First National more than 20 years, also on the golf board and past Royalty of Nordicfest (1991).

He was very interested in the arts and culture for the community and was honored to be named for the new Memorial Center Performance Hall.

He was active in the Lutheran Laymans League, Church Extension and National Lutheran Church Foundation.

He enjoyed playing bridge and golf, traveling and spending time at his cabin on Crystal Lake.

He will be greatly missed by his family and friends and for his visibility in the community.

Survivors include his wife, Faye, of Libby; sister, Dorothy Schoknecht, of Kalispell; daughter, Paula and her husband, Bob, of Whitefish; son, Joel, and his wife, Shauna, of Kalispell; and five grandchildren, Stacia, Brandann and Ashley Rohrer, Logan Sandman, and Ryenne Schoknecht.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday, June 20, at St. John Lutheran Church in Libby. Visitation will be from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 19, at the Nelson & Vial Funeral Home in Libby.

Memorials may be made to the Heritage Memorial Center or St. John's Hospital.