Donald Fredrick Schack

Donald F. Schack was born December 6, 1938, in East St. Louis, Ill to August and Eva Schack. At the age of seven, his mother passed away, and he was sent to an orphanage in St. Louis. He resided there until the age of 15, from there he went to live with his brother John in Alamogordo, New Mexico. In 1955 he went back to Illinois and enlisted into the Army. After two years in the Army, he joined the U.S. Air Force. He traveled in the Air Force until 1959 when he was shipped to Paine Field, Everett, WA, where he met his first wife, Betty. They had two children, Marcy and Donald Jr.

In 1962 he was shipped to Walla Walla Airfield. Donald divorced Betty in 1963. He met Janet Shepard in 1963 and was married on April 16, 1964. They had two sons Patrick and Steven.

In 1966 he got his orders to ship out to the Island of Okinawa. Janet and their sons joined Donald in Okinawa. In 1968 he and his family returned to the states to Terra Haute, Indiana. When it came time to re-enlist, Don was shipped to Korea, while Jan and the boys went to Wisconsin.  When he came back from Korea, he wanted to re-enlist, but Janet asked him not to. They then decided to go back to Walla Walla, where Donald joined the Air National Guard at Fairchild Air Force Base. Donald worked several jobs until he decided to go back to school on the GI Bill to get his teaching degree and master’s degree in economics.

After two years of teaching in Spokane, he bought a home for the family and decided to sell insurance for Bankers Life. He stayed in the reserves. During all the time in the Army and Air Force, he spent 37 years and retired in 1992 from the armed forces. After that, he was involved in many civic and social events. As a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church, he held the office of President of the Congregation and became a Deacon. Veterans Affairs were his main concerns as a member of VFW, American Legion, Veterans Hosp Group, the Honor Project. He was the State Commander for AMVETS, where he served on the Governors Task Force for several years.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers and a sister. He is survived by his wife, Janet; their sons, Patrick and Steve of Walla Walla; son, Don Jr.; and daughter, Marcie from his first marriage; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

The family wishes to thank Herring Groseclose Funeral Home, St. Mary Cancer Center, Hospice, and his many friends in the service organizations and socially.
Graveside service will be on July 18, 2020, at 11 a.m. at Blue Mtn. Memorial Gardens on Myra Rd.