John D. Schendel, of Savage, passed away April 4, 2024 at the age of 79. He will be missed by all who loved him. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, April 12, 2024 at 11:00 AM with a visitation one-hour prior at the Parish of Saints Joachim & Anne – Church of St. Mark (350 Atwood Street S) in Shakopee. Father Ben Little will preside, and John will be laid to rest at St. John’s Catholic Cemetery in Savage.
John David Schendel was the middle of five children. Stan, Tom, John, Steve, and Mary. The family lived in Minneapolis. John attended Incarnation Elementary School and the all-boys De La Salle High School. Afterward, he served six years in the Navy Reserves and worked for the city of Minneapolis. Later, he became a plumber and attended Dunwoody Institute to get his license as a Journeyman. He worked for Lakeside Plumbing in the residential sector and later, Bredahl Plumbing’s commercial sector, where he spent many years specializing in the intricacies of plumbing for dental offices. He retired at the age of sixty.
John and Ida were married on July 13th, 1973, and celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this past summer with a gathering of family and friends. Together, they loved restaurant outings, where seafood was at the top of their list. For many years, they were frequent visitors to Red Lobster and Mystic Lake Casino for crab legs, where a favorite staff member ensured they received preferred seating.
Also, at the top of their list were their grandchildren. John and Ida generously gave their time to babysit, entertain, and attend their school events and birthday parties.
John loved to fish. Happy to put a worm on your hook—you were welcome to come along. Crappies were his favorite local fish and Ida knew just how to fry them with eggs and flour. Bowling and golfing were other main hobbies. But his favorite pastime was working. As a youth, he mowed lawns and was proud to save up to buy a gas-powered lawnmower. As a teen, he delivered newspapers and took some of his earnings to White Castle, his favorite hamburger place. As an adult, John could be found many nights in the garage fixing cars after a long day of work as a plumber. He consulted on his family’s plumbing projects and frequently lent a hand to help with an installation, remodel or inspection.
“Wanta beer?” Many will remember John for his “garage” hospitality. He rarely took ‘no’ for an answer, his refrigerator was always full and ready. “What kind of pop would you like?” He’d ask the grandkids. If the garage door was open, John was inviting you to stop in for a visit. In his later years, he held court in his chair as friends, family, and neighbors felt the casual beckoning of the open door. The conversation often focused on projects, jobs, and work. As an avid newspaper reader and news follower, he was way ahead of you if you brought up something in the news.
John often caught people off guard with his clever wit and sense of humor. One Christmas, when the angel for the top of the tree was nowhere to be found, he procured a Halloween ghost decoration and quietly placed it on top, checking that task off his list. When asked about it later, with a deadpan expression, he explained it was “The Holy Ghost”. His unexpected jokes generated a chance to laugh in the midst of a hectic day, or even while he was enduring difficult circumstances. Nearly every encounter with John left a smile.
John is survived by his wife, Ida Mae (Griffin) Schendel; children, Julie Ethan (Larry Gehrke), David Neville (Andrea Neville), Aaron Neville (Luanne Neville), Jacki Young; grandchildren, Jessie (Stephen) Salchert, Devin Gehrke, Shane Gehrke, Melissa (Phillip) Pope, Joelle Gehrke, Alexandria (Wade) Wuornos , David (Savannah) Neville, Micah Young, Fox Young, Jack Neville, Griffin Neville; 11 great-grandchildren, Lillian, Emma, Owen, Zoey, Phillip, Miles, Hallie, Isaac, David, Natalie, Eli; in-laws, Mary Jo Schendel, Gail Schendel and Ernesto Perez-Cajina.
John was greeted in Heaven by his parents, Ansel “Schen” & Myrtle “Myrt” Schendel and his siblings, Stan Schendel, Tom Schendel, Steve Schendel, Mary Perez-Cajina.
