Joseph Schwenkler

SCHWENKLER, Joseph John Passed away Sept. 19, 2009, from complications due to Parkinson's disease at the age of 87. Born on March 28, 1922, in Mt. Carmel, PA, Mr. Schwenkler graduated from Elmira Free Academy in 1940. He earned a B.S. in Forestry from Syracuse University in 1943 and a Master's Degree in 1947. Mr. Schwenkler was drafted into the USNR. He served aboard the USS Phelps, USS Lamar and the USS Lavaca from 1943-1946. He remained in the Naval Reserves after the war and was honorably discharged as a Lt. in 1956. Mr. Schwenkler married Alice Roscoe in 1948 and raised a family of six children in Ft. Washington, PA before a job transfer took him to Geneva, IL in 1974. He lived there until Alice died. In 1992, he moved to Dunedin, where he lived the remainder of his life. In 1947, Mr. Schwenkler began a 40 year career working for Container Corporation of America. He retired as Director of Manufacturing of the Folding Carton Division in 1987. Mr. Schwenkler was a gracious, gentle man, generous with his hospitality. A loving father, grandfather, brother and friend, he was greatly loved and is dearly missed. Wife Alice; son Steven and grandson James preceded Mr. Schwenkler in death. He is survived by daughter Trudy Schwenkler of Ambler, PA; daughter Nancy (Jim) Bennett of Palm Harbor; son Joseph (Mary) Schwenkler of Flemington, NJ; son John (Alice-Marie) Schwenkler of Williamsburg, VA; son Robert (Trisha) Schwenkler of Boise, ID; daughter-in-law Gerri Schwenkler of Lecanto; 13 grandchildren and one great-grandson. A memorial mass will be held Oct. 31, 2009, at St. Anthony's Church, Ambler, PA at 11 am. Greet the family from 10 am. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Suncoast Hospice, 5771 Roosevelt Blvd., Clearwater, FL 33760.