Roger Schabel of South Haven died Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2007, while at work. He was 62. Mass of Christian Burial was at 11 a.m., Monday at St. Wendelin’s Catholic Church in Luxemberg with Fr. Rolfes officiating. Burial was in the parish cemetery. Visitation was from 4-8 p.m. Sunday and after 9:30 a.m. Monday at the Miller-Carlin Funeral Home in St. Cloud. St. Wendelin parish prayers were at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Roger B. Schabel was born May 17, 1945, in St. Cloud to Leonard and Margaret (Brambrink) Schabel. He graduated from Technical High School and studied pipe fitting at the St. Paul Vocational School. Roger married Beverly “Jean” Bergstrom Aug. 12, 1967, in Monticello. The couple lived in Young America for five years and then moved to South Haven. Roger worked for the Ford Motor Co. St. Paul Assembly Plant for more than 42 years. He retired Jan. 1, 2007, and then returned to work at the Ford plant for Albers Mechanical Contractors, continuing on as a journeyman pipe fitter. Roger was a member of St. Wendelin’s Catholic Church and the United Auto Workers Union 879 (UAW). Roger was preceded in death by his parents and infant brother Roland Schabel. Roger is survived by his wife Jean of South Haven; children Rhonda (and Darren) Bitzer of Brooklyn Park, and Jack (and Deb) Schabel of South Haven; grandchildren Maddison, Mickenzi and Miley Bitzen, and Ben Schabel; sisters and brothers Janet (and Leon) Kieke of Luxemberg, Richard Schabel of Luxemberg, Larry (and Rose) Schabel of Des Moines, Iowa, Karen (and John) Murphy of Madison Lake, Ron (and Debbie) Schabel of Clearwater, and Marge (and Barry) Monson of Maple Lake. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the St. Wendelin School in Luxemberg.
