A memorial service for Erma Schnabel will be held May 15.
Schnabel died April 8 at Mercy Retirement Home in Oakland, Calif. She was 87 and suffered diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and macular degeneration. Her husband of 65 years, John Schnabel, died March 18.
Omar Cordes noted that while his uncle was "the builder" of modern Haines, his aunt was "the carer." He said, "It's a less exciting or newsworthy story, but every bit as inspirational."
Erma raised five children, operated a hotel, and served as helpmate and hostess for her husband, who owned the Schnabel Lumber Company sawmill and other businesses.
"Whatever John needed and wanted, she was his companion," daughter Debra Schnabel said.
Friend Marge Ward said: "Erma was always working, especially cooking, at home, at logging camps, the mine. If it was one extra or 10, she could whip up something in no time... She was a lot of fun, too. We laughed a lot."
She liked poodles and inherited a talking parrot named Sonny Boy that lived with the family for years. "Erma and Barbara Campbell concocted about 15 clown costumes which she wore in local parades," Debra said.
Erma kept a Cookie Monster suit for children's parties and on Halloween visited school dressed as a witch. She volunteered at the Salvation Army and brought home baby clothes she'd wash and give away.
After her children were grown, Schnabel took care of her grandsons and other children. "Erma was like the Pied Piper with children trailing behind her," said resident Beverly Jones.
Marge Ward said that Erma was never a snob, despite her wealth. "What you saw with Erma was what you got."
Erma DiRe was born Sept. 7, 1928, the eleventh child of 15 born to Italian immigrants Aldoratta (Dora) and Antonio DiRe of Everett, Wash. Her father worked on the railroad, and her mother fed the family with a big garden and livestock.
Erma graduated from high school and worked as a candy striper. After a brief first marriage, she and infant daughter Patty joined her sister Allie and Marty Cordes in Haines in the spring of 1950. Erma and John married Aug. 20, 1950.
The couple's first home was a primitive cabin at Jones Point. They moved to an apartment in today's Haisler Building, which also housed John's office, the post office and the hotel Erma operated.
"I practically lived at Erma's," said longtime resident Doris Bell. "She was pretty snappy and said things like, 'You kids burn me to a crisp.' She wasn't a cuddly kind of person, but you always had something to eat. Then she'd put you to work, cleaning the hotel."
Moving to a new house on Young Road, Schnabel filled the basement with collectibles she loaned for theater sets and costumes.
"Her Sunday breakfasts were legendary; half of Southeast must have eaten at Erma's table back in the day, from senators to loggers," Gregg Richmond, her bridge and fishing partner, said.
Richmond said Erma would use the money she saved from her household budget to buy land. "John wouldn't find out until he got the property tax bill."
In later years, Erma made her own dolls and quilts. She traveled with her daughters to Italy, and accompanied John to Japan and Australia.
Erma is survived by children Debra and Roger of Haines, Sandra of Oakland, and David of Palatine, Ill .; grandsons Payson of Las Vegas and Parker of Haines; siblings Dino DiRe of Sacramento, Calif., Mary DiRe of Phoenix, Ariz., Edna Gilbert of Paradise Valley, Ariz., Edward DiRe of Fort Worth, Texas; and numerous nieces and nephews. Daughter Patty and husband John preceded her in death.
Donations may be made to Hospice of Haines at P.O. Box 1034, Haines, AK 99827.
Schnabel died April 8 at Mercy Retirement Home in Oakland, Calif. She was 87 and suffered diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and macular degeneration. Her husband of 65 years, John Schnabel, died March 18.
Omar Cordes noted that while his uncle was "the builder" of modern Haines, his aunt was "the carer." He said, "It's a less exciting or newsworthy story, but every bit as inspirational."
Erma raised five children, operated a hotel, and served as helpmate and hostess for her husband, who owned the Schnabel Lumber Company sawmill and other businesses.
"Whatever John needed and wanted, she was his companion," daughter Debra Schnabel said.
Friend Marge Ward said: "Erma was always working, especially cooking, at home, at logging camps, the mine. If it was one extra or 10, she could whip up something in no time... She was a lot of fun, too. We laughed a lot."
She liked poodles and inherited a talking parrot named Sonny Boy that lived with the family for years. "Erma and Barbara Campbell concocted about 15 clown costumes which she wore in local parades," Debra said.
Erma kept a Cookie Monster suit for children's parties and on Halloween visited school dressed as a witch. She volunteered at the Salvation Army and brought home baby clothes she'd wash and give away.
After her children were grown, Schnabel took care of her grandsons and other children. "Erma was like the Pied Piper with children trailing behind her," said resident Beverly Jones.
Marge Ward said that Erma was never a snob, despite her wealth. "What you saw with Erma was what you got."
Erma DiRe was born Sept. 7, 1928, the eleventh child of 15 born to Italian immigrants Aldoratta (Dora) and Antonio DiRe of Everett, Wash. Her father worked on the railroad, and her mother fed the family with a big garden and livestock.
Erma graduated from high school and worked as a candy striper. After a brief first marriage, she and infant daughter Patty joined her sister Allie and Marty Cordes in Haines in the spring of 1950. Erma and John married Aug. 20, 1950.
The couple's first home was a primitive cabin at Jones Point. They moved to an apartment in today's Haisler Building, which also housed John's office, the post office and the hotel Erma operated.
"I practically lived at Erma's," said longtime resident Doris Bell. "She was pretty snappy and said things like, 'You kids burn me to a crisp.' She wasn't a cuddly kind of person, but you always had something to eat. Then she'd put you to work, cleaning the hotel."
Moving to a new house on Young Road, Schnabel filled the basement with collectibles she loaned for theater sets and costumes.
"Her Sunday breakfasts were legendary; half of Southeast must have eaten at Erma's table back in the day, from senators to loggers," Gregg Richmond, her bridge and fishing partner, said.
Richmond said Erma would use the money she saved from her household budget to buy land. "John wouldn't find out until he got the property tax bill."
In later years, Erma made her own dolls and quilts. She traveled with her daughters to Italy, and accompanied John to Japan and Australia.
Erma is survived by children Debra and Roger of Haines, Sandra of Oakland, and David of Palatine, Ill .; grandsons Payson of Las Vegas and Parker of Haines; siblings Dino DiRe of Sacramento, Calif., Mary DiRe of Phoenix, Ariz., Edna Gilbert of Paradise Valley, Ariz., Edward DiRe of Fort Worth, Texas; and numerous nieces and nephews. Daughter Patty and husband John preceded her in death.
Donations may be made to Hospice of Haines at P.O. Box 1034, Haines, AK 99827.
A memorial service for Erma Schnabel will be held May 15.
Schnabel died April 8 at Mercy Retirement Home in Oakland, Calif. She was 87 and suffered diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and macular degeneration. Her husband of 65 years, John Schnabel, died March 18.
Omar Cordes noted that while his uncle was "the builder" of modern Haines, his aunt was "the carer." He said, "It's a less exciting or newsworthy story, but every bit as inspirational."
Erma raised five children, operated a hotel, and served as helpmate and hostess for her husband, who owned the Schnabel Lumber Company sawmill and other businesses.
"Whatever John needed and wanted, she was his companion," daughter Debra Schnabel said.
Friend Marge Ward said: "Erma was always working, especially cooking, at home, at logging camps, the mine. If it was one extra or 10, she could whip up something in no time... She was a lot of fun, too. We laughed a lot."
She liked poodles and inherited a talking parrot named Sonny Boy that lived with the family for years. "Erma and Barbara Campbell concocted about 15 clown costumes which she wore in local parades," Debra said.
Erma kept a Cookie Monster suit for children's parties and on Halloween visited school dressed as a witch. She volunteered at the Salvation Army and brought home baby clothes she'd wash and give away.
After her children were grown, Schnabel took care of her grandsons and other children. "Erma was like the Pied Piper with children trailing behind her," said resident Beverly Jones.
Marge Ward said that Erma was never a snob, despite her wealth. "What you saw with Erma was what you got."
Erma DiRe was born Sept. 7, 1928, the eleventh child of 15 born to Italian immigrants Aldoratta (Dora) and Antonio DiRe of Everett, Wash. Her father worked on the railroad, and her mother fed the family with a big garden and livestock.
Erma graduated from high school and worked as a candy striper. After a brief first marriage, she and infant daughter Patty joined her sister Allie and Marty Cordes in Haines in the spring of 1950. Erma and John married Aug. 20, 1950.
The couple's first home was a primitive cabin at Jones Point. They moved to an apartment in today's Haisler Building, which also housed John's office, the post office and the hotel Erma operated.
"I practically lived at Erma's," said longtime resident Doris Bell. "She was pretty snappy and said things like, 'You kids burn me to a crisp.' She wasn't a cuddly kind of person, but you always had something to eat. Then she'd put you to work, cleaning the hotel."
Moving to a new house on Young Road, Schnabel filled the basement with collectibles she loaned for theater sets and costumes.
"Her Sunday breakfasts were legendary; half of Southeast must have eaten at Erma's table back in the day, from senators to loggers," Gregg Richmond, her bridge and fishing partner, said.
Richmond said Erma would use the money she saved from her household budget to buy land. "John wouldn't find out until he got the property tax bill."
In later years, Erma made her own dolls and quilts. She traveled with her daughters to Italy, and accompanied John to Japan and Australia.
Erma is survived by children Debra and Roger of Haines, Sandra of Oakland, and David of Palatine, Ill .; grandsons Payson of Las Vegas and Parker of Haines; siblings Dino DiRe of Sacramento, Calif., Mary DiRe of Phoenix, Ariz., Edna Gilbert of Paradise Valley, Ariz., Edward DiRe of Fort Worth, Texas; and numerous nieces and nephews. Daughter Patty and husband John preceded her in death.
Donations may be made to Hospice of Haines at P.O. Box 1034, Haines, AK 99827.
Schnabel died April 8 at Mercy Retirement Home in Oakland, Calif. She was 87 and suffered diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and macular degeneration. Her husband of 65 years, John Schnabel, died March 18.
Omar Cordes noted that while his uncle was "the builder" of modern Haines, his aunt was "the carer." He said, "It's a less exciting or newsworthy story, but every bit as inspirational."
Erma raised five children, operated a hotel, and served as helpmate and hostess for her husband, who owned the Schnabel Lumber Company sawmill and other businesses.
"Whatever John needed and wanted, she was his companion," daughter Debra Schnabel said.
Friend Marge Ward said: "Erma was always working, especially cooking, at home, at logging camps, the mine. If it was one extra or 10, she could whip up something in no time... She was a lot of fun, too. We laughed a lot."
She liked poodles and inherited a talking parrot named Sonny Boy that lived with the family for years. "Erma and Barbara Campbell concocted about 15 clown costumes which she wore in local parades," Debra said.
Erma kept a Cookie Monster suit for children's parties and on Halloween visited school dressed as a witch. She volunteered at the Salvation Army and brought home baby clothes she'd wash and give away.
After her children were grown, Schnabel took care of her grandsons and other children. "Erma was like the Pied Piper with children trailing behind her," said resident Beverly Jones.
Marge Ward said that Erma was never a snob, despite her wealth. "What you saw with Erma was what you got."
Erma DiRe was born Sept. 7, 1928, the eleventh child of 15 born to Italian immigrants Aldoratta (Dora) and Antonio DiRe of Everett, Wash. Her father worked on the railroad, and her mother fed the family with a big garden and livestock.
Erma graduated from high school and worked as a candy striper. After a brief first marriage, she and infant daughter Patty joined her sister Allie and Marty Cordes in Haines in the spring of 1950. Erma and John married Aug. 20, 1950.
The couple's first home was a primitive cabin at Jones Point. They moved to an apartment in today's Haisler Building, which also housed John's office, the post office and the hotel Erma operated.
"I practically lived at Erma's," said longtime resident Doris Bell. "She was pretty snappy and said things like, 'You kids burn me to a crisp.' She wasn't a cuddly kind of person, but you always had something to eat. Then she'd put you to work, cleaning the hotel."
Moving to a new house on Young Road, Schnabel filled the basement with collectibles she loaned for theater sets and costumes.
"Her Sunday breakfasts were legendary; half of Southeast must have eaten at Erma's table back in the day, from senators to loggers," Gregg Richmond, her bridge and fishing partner, said.
Richmond said Erma would use the money she saved from her household budget to buy land. "John wouldn't find out until he got the property tax bill."
In later years, Erma made her own dolls and quilts. She traveled with her daughters to Italy, and accompanied John to Japan and Australia.
Erma is survived by children Debra and Roger of Haines, Sandra of Oakland, and David of Palatine, Ill .; grandsons Payson of Las Vegas and Parker of Haines; siblings Dino DiRe of Sacramento, Calif., Mary DiRe of Phoenix, Ariz., Edna Gilbert of Paradise Valley, Ariz., Edward DiRe of Fort Worth, Texas; and numerous nieces and nephews. Daughter Patty and husband John preceded her in death.
Donations may be made to Hospice of Haines at P.O. Box 1034, Haines, AK 99827.
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