By HDN Staff
ADOLPH STEINMETZ
CHINOOK Adolph Steinmetz, Sr., 88, died Friday, Oct. 6, 2000 at a Chinook nursing home of natural causes.
Funeral services will be 2 p.m. today in the Zion Lutheran Church. Burial will follow in the Kuper Memorial Cemetery.
Steinmetz was born Feb. 17, 1912 in Fort Morgan, Colo. to George and Elizabeth (Lehr) Steinmetz.
The family moved to Nebraska after his father's death. He attended grade school at Baird and helped on the family farm. The family relocated to Chinook in 1925 to work at the sugar beet factory. At 13, Steinmetz worked filling sugar bags in the factory. He held other jobs during the rest of the year and went back to work in the factory at harvest time. He then took a job working sections with the Great Northern Railroad.
Steinmetz married Minnie Donis in Chinook on April 21, 1934 and continued working for the railroad for nine more years. In 1938-39, he worked for the highway department and helped build U.S. Highway 2 between Chinook and Havre.
In 1940-41, Steinmetz helped build the ammunition dump at Hermiston, Ore. He returned to Chinook and worked as a farm laborer until 1947 when he started farming sugar beets for himself. In 1966, he switched over to a cattle operation. He sold his farming interests in 1972 and moved to Chinook.
Steinmetz enjoyed fishing and carpentry and had been selected the Chinook Opinion's Citizen of the Week.
He was a member of Zion Lutheran Church.
Steinmetz was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Minnie on Sept. 21, 1990; brother, George Steinmetz, Jr., and sister, Erna Claridge.
Survivors include his sons, Adolph Steinmetz, Jr. of Butte, Irvin Steinmetz of Great Falls and Chauncey Steinmetz of Havre; daughters, Glenna Ammen of Turner, Rosella Higgins of Zurich and Betty DeZort of Great Falls; sister, Elsie Delay of Spokane, Wash.; 18 grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, and 19 great grandchildren.
Memorials may be sent to the Zion Lutheran Church Building Fund.
Arrangements are by Edwards Funeral Home of Chinook.
