LESLIE P. SCHAKAT, 52

Leslie P. Schakat, 52, of Blair, died Sunday, Jan. 12, 2003, at Immanuel Medical Center in Omaha.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Blair, with the Revs. John Emslie and Chris Boehnke officiating. Interment will be at St. Paul’s Cemetery, north of Arlington.

Visitation is from 1 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15, at Reckmeyer-Moser Funeral Home in Arlington, and at the church on Thursday, one hour prior to services.

Leslie P. Schakat was born Feb. 23, 1950, in Omaha to Clarence and Helen (Rasmussen) Schakat. He grew up near Washington in Washington County, and was a 1968 graduate of Arlington High School.

He attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. He lived in Lincoln for six years, and worked for the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources. In 1976, he moved to Columbus and was employed by Nebraska Public Power District before moving to Blair in 1996. He worked for Mid America Computer Corporation (MACC) until 2001 as a program manager of new developments. Since 2002, he had worked in quality assurance for Blue Cross of Nebraska.

On Aug. 22, 1970, he married Janelle Sperling at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, north of Arlington.

Mr. Schakat served in the Nebraska Army National Guard, based in Fremont, from 1971 until 1977. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Blair, where he was president of the congregation, served as an Elder and on the building committee, was a member of the choir, a greeter at the church, and taught Sunday School. He was a charter member of the Platte Valley Mustang Club of Columbus, and was a former member of Peace Lutheran Church in Columbus, where he served in a number of positions.

He is survived by his wife, Janelle; two sons, Timothy Schakat of Lincoln, and Jeffrey Schakat of Omaha; father and stepmother, Clarence and Dee Schakat of Fremont; two sisters, Joyce Harms of Lincoln and Joan Schakat of Omaha; brothers-in-law, Leon and wife, Marge, Sperling of Fremont; Jerome Sperling and David Sperling, both of Arlington; sisters-in-law and spouses, Arlene and Don Reed of Las Vegas, Nev., and Sheryl and George Lively of Cedar Bluffs; one granddaughter; and nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Helen; and a sister, Linda Hudec.

Reckmeyer-Moser Funeral Home in Arlington is in charge of arrangements.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~

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