George R. Schuba

1929 - 2018

George Richard Schuba, 89, died on the evening of Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, surrounded by family at his home in Labadie.

George struggled with longstanding Alzheimer's and had been in decline. At the time of his death, he was in the loving care of his family, the Veterans at Home Program and with the support of St. John's Mercy Hospice.

George leaves his wife of 57 years, Rita R. (Treffinger) Schuba; his son, Ronald J. Schuba and his companion, Patti Baumbach, his son, Perry R. Schuba and his wife Katie (Barris), his daughter, Patricia R. Schuba, and his daughter, Christine S. (Schuba) Alt and her husband Danny K. Alt; his brother, Werner Schuba and his wife Traute; his two nieces, Beate (Schuba) Wustefeld, and Astrid (Schuba) Wolff, and their families; his niece, Renate (Schuba) Horschig and her husband Rainer, and their children and grandchildren; his grandchildren, Shannon Richards, William B. Schuba, Alexander Schuba, Joseph F. Alt and Ella R. Alt; and great-grandchildren, Emma Richards, Mason Richards, Nick Schuba and Evelyn Schuba.

George was preceded in death by his parents, Konstantin and Maria (Kinner) Schuba; his brother, Alfred Schuba; sisters, Helene and Hedwig Schuba; his first wife, Hildegard (Schweitzer) Schuba, who died early in life from cancer and was the mother to his two sons, Ronald and Perry; and his many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends both in Germany and America.

George was born in the small farming community of Bauerwitz, Kreis Leobschutz, in Silesia (now Baborow, Poland) on the Czech border. He helped his parents in their grocery store and his uncles on their farms. His family was torn apart by World War II, and his immediate family displaced to Wildeshausen in Lower Saxony, Germany. As a young man, he came to America, served in the U.S. Army and started his family. He enjoyed working as a salesman, then union welder, and finally helped Rita run her business, Silver Hill Poultry Farm in Gray Summit, and her family farms. He served his community and church as a 4th-degree, lifelong member of the Knights of Columbus, Council 1335 of Pacific. Of all the things he did, he most enjoyed farming, raising animals and being with family and friends. Every child had quality fishing time with "Pop," often accompanied him to Straatmann Feed Store for a soda out of the case and was considered lucky to ride along for a trip to the Bottoms to buy corn and visit with other farmers. He will be dearly missed and forever remembered as a loving father, devoted husband and kind man.

Private funeral arrangements were handled by Nieburg-Vitt, Thiebes Funeral Home, Pacific.

A memorial Mass will be held Saturday, Sept. 15, at 10 a.m. at St. Bridget's Church, Pacific, where the Treffingers and Schubas have been members for generations. A reception at St. Bridget's School will follow the Mass.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation to the Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) at Washington University School of Medicine, 4488 Forest Park Ave., Suite 130, St. Louis, MO 63108.