Memorial

Arnold “Arnie” Eugene Schappert, 87, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa passed away at Unity Point- St. Luke’s Hospital on Sunday, December 19, 2021.

Memorial service will be held at CrossLife Community Church at noon on Thursday December 23, 2021 with an hour visitation staring before the service.

Arnold was born on May 15th, 1934 to Wilbur and Tacy Schappert in the front room of their home in Muscatine, Iowa. He was the third oldest child in a family of eight children.

After moving to Cedar Rapids in 1939, he grew up on the northwest side and graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1953. After graduating he went to work as a machinist at Iowa Manufacturing in Cedar Rapids until he was drafted into the Navy from 1955-1957, serving 21 months as a pipefitter.

He then returned to Cedar Rapids and went back to work at Iowa Manufacturing. In 1959 he briefly owned a bar. Arnold then went to work at Kresge’s Dime Store where he had worked when he was in high school. After that, he sold bakery good, house to house for Omar Bakery.

He was married to Laura Kinsel on September 7th, 1963. They were married for 58 years, until his death. They had two sons, Brian and Darrin.

Subsequently, he worked at Rockwell Collins for 27 years until he retired in 1990. After retiring he worked several other jobs including as a school bus attendant for Cedar Rapids Schools.

As a side job, in the 1970’s, he taught himself refrigeration from a correspondence course. He then fixed refrigerators and installed central air conditioners.

Arnold’s hobbies included cooking, photography, woodworking, gardening, and genealogy. In the late 1970s, he was the Cubmaster for Pack 42 in Cedar Rapids. He built a very large wood racetrack for the Cub Scouts Pinewood Derby.

He attended Cross Life Community Church, and in his earlier years, he was in the Salvation Army.

Survivors include his wife, Laura Schappert; and a son Darrin (Angie) Schappert, both of Cedar Rapids, his brother Bernie, and his sister Laretta, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his son, Brian; his parents, Wilbur and Tacy; in-laws, George and Rosena Kinsel; and his siblings, Ruth, George, Elsie, Orville, Mel. Also, the siblings of his wife: Fern, Juanita, Carl, Diane, Orville, Viola, Verla, and Faye.

The family wishes to thank the entire staff at St. Luke’s Hospice as well as all of the nurses on the fourth floor.