LaVerne Schueller

LAVERNE SCHUELLER

Cedar Rapids

Chaplain Colonel LaVerne L. Schueller, USAF, Retired, succumbed to the eventuality of his sarcoma on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014. He was born in Dubuque, Iowa, Sept. 19, 1940, to Leo N. Schueller and Veronica (Lolwing) Schueller.

Visitation and an opportunity to greet the family will be held at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 4949 Council St. NE, Cedar Rapids, on Wednesday, Feb. 5, from 3 to 7 p.m. with a vigil beginning at 7 p.m. An additional visitation and an opportunity to greet the family will be held on Thursday, Feb. 6, at Holy Ghost Catholic Church, 2921 Central Ave., Dubuque, from 3 to 7 p.m. with a vigil at 7 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Holy Ghost Catholic Church, Dubuque, on Friday, Feb. 7, at 11 a.m., with Archbishop Michael Jackels and Bishop William Dendinger presiding. Burial will be at Mount Calvary Cemetery, Dubuque, with full military honors. Arrangements are by Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Cedar Rapids.

He is survived by his brother, Thomas Schueller M.D. of Cedar Rapids; his sister, Mary Ann (Paul) Sands of Bartlett, Illi.; sister-in-law, Nancy Schueller, Dubuque; special friend, Anne Duffy, Cedar Rapids; nieces, Meg (George) May, Woodbury, Minn., Andrea (Phil) Kuchler, Carol Stream, Ill., and Nicole (Jack) McNeeley, Westlake, Ohio; nephews, Michael (Carol) Schueller, Cedar Rapids, Matthew (Teppie) Schueller, Green Bay, Wis., Timothy (Joan) Schueller, Dubuque and Scott (Petra) Schueller, Munich, Germany; and great-nieces and nephews, Jacob, Rachel, Rebecca, Luke, Catherine, Anna and Clare Schueller, Mark, Tony and Michael May, Natalie, Noah and Sarah Kuchler, Blaise and Eleanor Noble-Schueller and Paul and Nathan McNeeley.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, David; his sister-in-law, Mary Ann; and his nephew, Mark Schueller.

Father Schueller attended Holy Ghost School, Loras Academy, Loras College and Mount Saint Bernard Seminary in Dubuque. While at Mount Saint Bernard Seminary, he was awarded the Master of Arts (theology) degree. He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Dubuque in Saint Raphael Cathedral on June 4, 1966.

He served at St. Pius X Parish, Cedar Rapids and also taught at Regis High School from August 1966 to August 1970. He then served at St. Jude Parish, Cedar Rapids, and as head of the English Department at LaSalle High School from August 1970 to August 1974. He was named pastor of Holy Name Parish, Bimini, Bahamas, in September 1974. He remained in Bimini until September 1975. He then undertook a special assignment in Chicago for one year.

While awaiting assignment as an Air Force chaplain, he served at St. John Parish, Waterloo and St. Nicholas Parish Evansdale.

He entered the United States Air Force Chaplain Service on Dec. 28, 1976. He served at Andrews AFB, Maryland, from December 1976 to June 1978; Keflavik NAS Iceland, from June 1978 to June 1979; Sheppard AFB, Texas, from July 1979 to July 1982; Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany, from July 1982 to May 1985; Williams AFB, Arizona, from June 1985 to June 1987; Soesterberg Air Base, The Netherlands, from July 1987 to July 1989; student Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, from August 1989 to July 1990; Holloman AFB, New Mexico, from July 1990 to July 1993; HQ Military Airlift Command, Scott AFB, Illinois, from July 1993 to July 1995; Eglin AFB, Florida, from July 1995 to July 1999; Command Chaplain, United States Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Nebraska, from July 1999 to Jan. 1, 2003.

His military decorations included the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Defense Superior Service Medal. Father Schueller retired from the Air Force after 26 years on Jan. 1, 2003, in the rank of colonel.

He was most proud of being a military chaplain when he was in the Pentagon when it was hit by the terrorist controlled aircraft on Sept. 11, 2001. His chaplain group aided the wounded on that horrible day and counseled grieving family members and friends the following day.

Following retirement from the Air Force, he served the Catholics at Bob Hope Retirement Village, Shalimar, Fla., from 2003 to 2005. He also served the Sisters of Mercy, Sacred Heart Convent, Cedar Rapids, from 2006 to 2008 and St. Joseph Parish, Marion, from 2008 to 2012.

When a boy growing up in Dubuque, playing on the streets, the railroad tracks and in the alleys, he never dreamt that God would grant him a life that would unfold to be so intensely interesting and fun. He was constantly grateful to God for the family in which he was raised, the education he received and the opportunity to serve so many different people in so many different places. Concelebrating Mass at the world's northernmost Cathedral in Reykjavik, Iceland and celebrating Mass behind locked doors in different parts of Saudi Arabia; sitting in the no man's zone at Check Point Charlie between East and West Berlin; doing aileron rolls in a USAF T-37 jet trainer; doing his morning power walk along the Nile River in downtown Cairo, Egypt; celebrating Mass in St. Peter's Basilica; and getting to know animals as friends were merely some of the incredible experiences he was allowed. He deeply loved his family and his friends.

He considered it a great privilege to be a volunteer at the Community Health Free Clinic. He enjoyed celebrating liturgy and preaching homilies. He was also known to appreciate Maker's Mark whisky, good humor and good meals with good friends.

In lieu of flowers, please direct memorials to the Anne Duffy Endowed Scholarship in care of the Kirkwood Community College Foundation or to the Community Health Free Clinic, Cedar Rapids.

The family extends a sincere thank you to the nurses and staff at the Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy for their compassion and care of LaVerne during his stay.

Please sign the online guest book and share a memory about Father La

Verne at www.stewart

baxter.com.