Richard "Dick" Schemmel

Inwood, IA: Richard “Dick” Elmer Schemmel, 93, of Inwood, Iowa, passed away Tuesday, October 25, 2022, at Fellowship Village of Inwood. Memorial services will be held Saturday, October 29, at 2:00 PM at Bethlehem Lutheran Church of Inwood with Pastor Sue Sinclair and Pastor Trish Underberg officiating. The service will be streamed https://www.porterfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/richard-dick-schemmel-1. Following the service, a luncheon and time of visitation with the family will be held at the church.

   Memorials may be directed to Bethlehem Lutheran Church of Inwood or St. Croix Hospice (https://www.stcroixhospice.com/). Porter Funeral Home of Inwood is assisting the family with arrangements.

   Richard Elmer Schemmel was born October 29, 1928, to Harry and Hazel (Argo) Schemmel at Davenport, Iowa. They lived in Tipton, Iowa before moving with his family to a farm northeast of Inwood, Iowa. 

   Dick attended country grade school and graduated from Inwood High School in 1947. After graduation, he worked at various jobs around Inwood before working at the Inwood Egg Market and then Farmer’s Elevator. He loved it at the elevator and would end up staying there for many years before retiring. Who are we kidding? Dick didn’t really retire; he worked every summer cleaning the chemical shed! He loved being with the guys!

   During high school he fell in love with Eleanor Hemness. They were married on March 26, 1950, and they spent 72 years together and were each other’s best friend through all of life’s ups and downs. As they grew older, you could find them sitting together on the couch holding each other’s hand. What a beautiful testament of the love they had for each other.

   Dick and Eleanor had three children: Steven, Kandiss, and Todd. Dick was a wonderful, devoted, husband, father, and teacher. He always supported his children throughout their many accomplishments and difficulties throughout their lives. When Dick wasn’t working at the elevator, he could be found at the fire station as he was the assistant fire chief. He was a member of the Inwood City Council and was a lifelong member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church. An avid woodworker, Dick dedicated much of his time to making beautiful wooden ornaments for his friends and family every Christmas. One year he made over 300 for the people he called his family and friends.

   Dick is survived by his wife Eleanor; daughter, Kandiss Anderson; grandchildren, Lauran and Christian LoPrimo, Tyler and Mary Twombley, Lindsey Twombley and Mike Slaton, Victoria Anderson, and Erik Anderson; great-grandchildren, Benjamin LoPrimo, Connor Twombley, and Sebastian LoPrimo; many nieces and nephews; and wonderful friends.

   Dick was preceded in death by his parents, Harry and Hazel; sons, Steven and Todd; grandson, Todd Twombley; sister, Betty and her husband, Fred Bol; brothers, Merle and his wife, Margaret Schemmel, Bill and his wife, Shirley Schemmel; brothers-in-law, Glenn and his wife, Lois Hemness; and sisters-in-law, Leota and her husband, Bud, and Crystal and her husband, Jerry Howard.