Donald E. Schreiner, 74, New Salem, took the fast track to his Heavenly home on October 7, 2013 at his residence with his wife by his side after a courageous battle with bone cancer.
Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, October 15, 2013 at Weigel Funeral Home, Mandan, ND with Rev. Joshua Eddy and Rev. Ernie Hockett officiating. Burial will be at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan, ND. Military Honors provided by Mandan VFW Post #707 and American Legion Post #40. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the Funeral Home on Tuesday.
Donald (Don) Edwin Schreiner was born to Carl and Virginia (Hemlinger) Schreiner on December 1, 1938 in Cincinnati, OH. Baptism was at Glendale Methodist Church. He was raised and educated in Ohio, graduating from Glendale High School. He then went on to take classes at Southern Ohio College in Cincinnati. Don proudly served his country in the Ohio Air National Guard and United States Air Force Reserve being called up for the Berlin Build Up.
A life-long learner, Don took computer classes and continued taking classes toward his Real Estate License, which he received in 1986, becoming a Broker Associate in 1992 and earning his GRI in 1997. In 2011 he became an Operation Lifesaver – Rail Safety Education Presenter. Don married Dianne Bedacht Michaelis in 1961 – one child, David (Debra) Schreiner, (Joshua, Jesse, Kaitlyn, Tyler) Fairplay, CO. 1969 he married Trudy Kling Schreiner – two children, Thomas Schreiner, (Thomas, Clara and Danielle Schreiner, Amanda Godsey, two great-grandsons), New Castle, IN; Jennifer Henderson, (Meagan), Trenton, OH. In 1993 Don married Faye Neidhardt Sanders in Colorado. Faye has one son, LCDR W. Paul Sanders of Virginia Beach, VA.
From 1967 to 1981 Don worked as a train dispatcher for the B&O Railroad in Cincinnati. Don had a lifelong passion for trains. He was a volunteer Master Ranger Corps 2 for Amtrak’s Empire Builder, National Park Service, Rails & Trails. He was also a member of the Dakota and Central Western Model Railroad Club. His keen eye for detail was obvious in the model train scenery he did at Buckstop Junction in Bismarck. Don had many interesting jobs before settling into a career in real estate and finally owning his own distributor business serving three counties in Colorado’s mountains earning Distributor of the Year in 2001 for Little Debbie products. He enjoyed league bowling (1975-76 League Champion), stamp/coin collecting, playing pinochle and game shows.
Don was a kind and generous soul feeding people, animals and birds. Volunteered with RSVP delivering Meals on Wheels and started the food bank at Dillon Community Church in Colorado. Through his love of gardening Don is still sharing God’s produce.
Don will be deeply missed by his wife, Faye Sanders, New Salem; his children and grandchildren; sister, Nancy McDonald, Melbourne, FL; brother, William (Bonnie), Rising Sun, IN; and special cousin, Janet (Robert) Eldridge, Tucson, AZ.
Don was preceded in death by his parents; step-mother, Lillian Schreiner; and an infant brother, John.