HAROLD VINCENT "HAL" SCHLUEB

SCHLUEB, HAROLD "HAL"
VINCENT, of Titusville passed away on Saturday, July 23, 2011, after a long battle with cancer. He was 85. Schlueb, a World War II veteran, was born in Columbus, Ohio, and lived there until he enlisted in the U.S. Army in January 1944 and was sent to fight in Europe. After the war, he met
Garnet Lahrmer, and they married in 1946. He attended Ohio State University on the GI Bill, first majoring music but graduating with a bachelor's in electrical engineering. He worked for RCA, sometimes living on Ascencion Island and Antigua while maintaining government communications installations. At home in Chillicothe, Ohio, he was a lieutenant in the volunteer fire department. In 1967, the couple moved to Titusville, where a space boom was underway. Schlueb rented an entire rooming house for his family, which had grown to nine children by then. Another child was born in Florida. Schlueb worked at Kennedy Space Center, maintaining equipment in the launch control room and elsewhere. Later, Schlueb left RCA and launched his own television-repair business, which he ran until retiring in the 1990s. Schlueb had myriad interests, including fishing, chess and billiards. He played the piano and organ, and when he retired he became a disc jockey at an AM radio station, spinning classical, jazz and obscure early 20th century country music from his own collection. At age 65, a barroom bet led him to go skydiving. He also had a lifelong love of learning, and continued studying Spanish, advanced mathematics and science until his death. He was active in Holy Spirit Catholic Church, and a member of American Legion Post 1 and VFW Post 4228. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harold John Schlueb and Helen (Windnagel) Schlueb; son Stephen Michael Schlueb, who died in Vietnam; sisters Mildred and Sister Rosaire (Dorothy) Schlueb, a nun; and brother James Schlueb. He is survived by his wife of 64 years,
Garnet; brother Thomas of Columbus, Ohio; and children Rita
Williams of Aurora, Ohio; Joyce Smith of Cincinnati, Ohio; Judy McKee of Chicago; Gary of Chesapeake, Virginia; Susanne Pyle of Coffeeville, Kansas; Paul and John of Titusville; James of Oviedo; and Mark of Orlando. He also has 17 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Visitation will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, followed by an 11 a.m. memorial service , both at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 2399 Holder Rd, Mims. Donations may be made to Hospice of St. Francis, 1250-B Grumman Place, Titusville, FL 32780.