Edward James Schenk

Edward James Schenk of Springfield, Mass., died on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016, at age 87 at the Soldiers� Home in Holyoke, Mass., with his family at his side. The cause of death was complications related to Alzheimer�s disease. ~
Born in Chicago, Ill., on Sept. 23, 1929, Ed was the oldest son of the late Edward E. Schenk and Ella Krause Schenk, whose families had emigrated from Hungary. He took pride in his independence, working part time after school from the time he was 12, and was an outstanding student, Boy Scout and captain of his high school tennis team. In 1944, Ed�s family moved to Dowagiac, Mich., where he met the love of his life, Nancy Hunt. After graduation, he put himself through business school at the College of Commerce in South Bend, Ind., then was hired by the National Cash Register Company to manage its office in Evansville, Ind. ~
In 1951, Ed and Nancy were married in Hartford, Mich., shortly before he shipped out to Korea, where he served until 1953 with the Army�s 409th Engineer Brigade. Upon his return, he and Nancy settled in Evansville and had four daughters. As the National Cash Register Company became NCR, a major force in the development of mainframe computers, Ed�s career grew with it. He moved into sales and devoted his considerable energy and intellect to analyzing the needs of businesses large and small, eventually becoming the Director of Product Marketing and Management for the Pacific Region. ~
Ed was a devoted husband and father even while working long days. He never missed one of his children�s recitals or plays while the family lived in Evansville; then Kettering, Ohio, and Wilbraham, Mass. He and Nancy later lived in Chester, N.J.; Dayton, Ohio; and Smithtown, N.Y., where he worked for Applied Digital Data Systems, an NCR subsidiary, before retiring in 1991 and moving back to Wilbraham. ~
His faith was important to him. He was a valued member of the United Methodist Church everywhere he lived. In Wilbraham, he served the United Church in a variety of ways, including as Chair of the Governing Board, the Stewardship Committee, and the Leadership Committee; Methodist lay leader and delegate, Sunday school teacher, and usher. ~
Service to his community was also important to him. After retirement, he spent 20 years volunteering in the greater Springfield area. As a counselor with Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), he helped people establish and grow their own businesses. He also worked with Hampden County Sheriff Michael Ashe to create a job fair for correctional center inmates. As a volunteer for Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone (SHINE), Ed provided counseling on Medicare and supplemental insurance assistance to seniors and their caregivers in Wilbraham and Palmer. He was also an active member of Rotary. ~
He was a voracious reader and enjoyed traveling the world with Nancy, his family, and friends. In 2010, Ed and Nancy moved to Reeds Landing in Springfield, and in 2013, with the progression of his disease, Ed became a resident of the Soldiers� Home. ~
Ed leaves his wife of 65 years, Nancy; his brother, Thomas, and his wife, Arlene, of Brea, Calif.; a brother-in-law, Leslie Hetler of Fort Wayne, Ind.; four daughters: Linda Sullivan and her husband, Michael, of Longmeadow, Mass.; Susan O�Brien of Mt. Kisco, N.Y.; Barbara Schenk and her husband, Keith Walker, of Springfield; and Carol Schenk of New York, N.Y.; three grandchildren: James Sullivan and his wife, Jennifer, of East Longmeadow, Mass.; Matthew Sullivan and his wife, Megan, of La Porte, Ind.; and Maggie O�Brien, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and two great-granddaughters: Quinn and Amelia Sullivan of LaPorte, Ind. Ed was predeceased by his parents and his sister, Ellen Hetler. ~
The family sends its deepest appreciation to the staff of the Soldiers� Home in Holyoke for their loving and exceptional care for Ed over the past three years, with special thanks to the staff of 2 North. A Memorial Service followed by a luncheon reception will be held Saturday, Oct. 29, at 11 a.m. at Wilbraham United Church. Wilbraham Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Wilbraham United Church, 500 Main St., Wilbraham, MA 01095 or the Holyoke Soldiers� Home, 110 Chery St., Holyoke, MA 01040.