Elmer Schraad

Elmer L. Schraad, 69, of Seneca, Kansas, died Saturday evening, June 29, 2002, at St. Francis Hospital in Topeka, Kansas.
     He was born July 16, 1932, the son of August and Anna Osterhus Schraad on a farm northeast of St. Benedict. He grew up there, graduated from St. Mary's Grade School in 1946, and from St. Benedict High School in 1950. He played on the St. Benedict baseball team.
     As a young man he worked for the Davey Tree Service in Kansas City, Kansas. In October of 1955 he was inducted into the US Army. He served in Germany as a forward radio observer and was recognized with an award for expert rifle marksman. He played baseball while he was in Germany and was later asked to play minor league baseball.
     After his discharge, he returned to Seneca where he began employment with Todd Tractor as an office manager. He worked there 37 years. He also helped his brother, Gene, farm while he was working fulltime. In May 1993 a brain aneurysm made early retirement necessary. In 1998 he was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer.
     He was married to Kathleen Haverkamp on April 24, 1958, at Sacred Heart Church in Baileyville. They always lived in Seneca, and she survives of the home.
     He was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Church, where he sang in the choir and was a lay minister, the St. Joseph's Society at the church, the Knights of Columbus #1769, the Ponce de Leon Chapter of the 4th Degree Knights of Columbus, the Seneca Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Business Association. He was a lifetime member of the Seneca Memorial Post # 7458 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, where he served as a color guard for parades and funerals. He served as board of the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital in Seneca during the 1990's. He sang in the area choir that presents an annual Christmas cantata, and in earlier years coached Little League Baseball.
     Survivors besides his wife, Kathleen, are three sons, Stephen Schraad of Council Grove, Kansas, Alan Schraad of Overland Park, Kansas, and Craig Schraad of Topeka; a daughter, Janell Linnemann of Wamego, Kansas; two brothers, Francis Schraad and Eugene Schraad, both of Seneca; two sisters, Rita Wempe of Seneca and Helen Cook of Kansas City, Kansas; and twelve grandchildren.
     The mass of Christian burial will be 10 A.M. Tuesday at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. The burial will be in the church cemetery, with full military honors. The rosary will be prayed by the Knights of Columbus at 2 P.M. Monday and a vigil prayer service will be offered at 7 P.M. Sunday and Monday at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca.
     Memorial contributions may be given to Sts. Peter & Paul School in Seneca and sent in care of the family.
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