Laddie William Schneider, 88, Sturgis, died Thursday, November 13, 2008 at the Fort Meade VA Hospital.

Visitation will be noon until 9 p.m. on Sunday at the Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis with a rosary beginning at 7 p.m.

Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Monday November 17, 2008 at the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Sturgis with Father Arnold Kari officiating. Burial with military honors by the Sturgis Veterans Honor Guard follows at the Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.

A memorial has been established to the Fort Meade Hospice Community.

Laddie was born May 27, 1920 at Scotland, SD, on the family farm, to Jacob and Mary (Fillaus) Schneider.

He attended elementary school at Suess Country School and graduated from Scotland High School in 1938.

Laddie was inducted into the US Army in October 1941 at Fort Crook, NE. During World War II he served in the 802 Engineer Aviation Battalion for 26 months on the Aluetian Islands in Umnak, building air strips and 10 months on Okinawa in the Ryukyus Islands. Laddie was honorably discharged November 1945 at Fort Leavenworth, KS.

Laddie married Madeline Dvoracek on September 2, 1947 at St. George Catholic Church in Scotland, SD. They were blessed with four daughters. They farmed for 12 years in rural Bon Homme County and then purchased and moved to their Tyndall city country home acreage in February 1960. They moved to Sturgis, SD in July of 2003.

Laddie was elected Bon Homme County Auditor in 1958. He was the manager for Farm Bureau and was appointed as Tyndall City Auditor. He retired from Wudel Chevrolet in Yankton, SD, as the warranty clerk and assistant shop foreman in May of 1985.

Laddie was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, member of the Vodnany Catholic Workman, Knights of Columbus, a former E.M.T, St. Leo's Council member as President, Tyndall City Council, member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church and member of Sturgis Senior Center.

Laddie will be remembered for the love of his family, dancing, whistling, polka music, accordian playing, cards, fishing, gardening, politics and latch hooking.

Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Madeline, Sturgis; daughters, Marilyn (Jerry) Potter, Sturgis, and their children, Julie Witcraft, Jeff (Sheri) Potter, Jessica Potter and great granddaughter Tate Witcraft, all of Sturgis, Barb Courtney, Gillette, WY, and her two sons, Aaron (Shelly) Courtney, and great granddaughter Ava, all of Cheyenne, WY, Nicholas Courtney, Highlands Ranch, CO, Sandra (Vince) Lee of Bothell, WA and her two daughters, Robyn Lee, Scottsdale, AZ, Rebecca Lee, Seattle, WA, Sharon (Paul) Witkofsky, Gillette, WY, and her two sons, Michael and Cory Lujan, Gillette, WY; numerous nieces and nephews.

Laddie was preceded in death by his parents, brothers, Adolph, Steven, Gus, Edward, Donald; sisters, Hattie Misar, Elsie Misar, Marie Schneider; son in law, Del Courtney.