By HDN Staff
ALVA NATHAN SHETTEL
CHESTER Alva Nathan "Alvie" Shettel died Saturday, Jan. 13, 2001, at a Chester care center.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, at the United Methodist Church in Chester with burial at the Chester Cemetery.
Shettel was born in Webb, Iowa, to John and Iona (Snider) Shettel on Feb. 14, 1903. The family lived on a Minnesota farm until 1910 and then moved near Joplin. He attended a country school near Bison. At age 15 he began working to help support the family by doing various jobs.
Shettel married Mildred Mae Swank on Oct. 30, 1930 in Shelby. They farmed 18 miles north of Joplin, and moved to Chester in 1936. Besides farming, he did house moving, ran a repair shop in Chester, did carpentry work, and hauled many loads of coal, oil, water, wheat and hay for contract pay. His wife died in 1991, and he moved to the nursing home in 1998.
Shettel was an active member of the Chester United Methodist Church, served on the church council and helped build the new existing sanctuary. He helped organized the Liberty County Museum, was a member of the Hi-Line Auto Motor Club, Farmer's Union, and the Democratic Party. He restored many antique cars over the years, had a collection of miniature toy cars and antique car and machinery books, enjoyed bowling, reading and playing cards.
Shettel was preceded in death by his wife; his parents; sons, Donny and John; grandchildren, Carmen and Joshua; brothers, Levi, Roy and Clarence; and sisters, Clara, Florence, Alice and Lois.
Survivors include sons, Franklin and Ralph of Great Falls, Jim of Dodson, and Jerry of Chester; daughters, Frances Hawks of Chester, Doris Courturier of Grant, Mich. and Dorothy Forster of Fernley, Nev.; 25 grandchildren; and 41 great-grandchildren numerous nephews and nieces.
Memorials may be made to the donor's choice.
Arrangements by Rockman Funeral Chapel in Chester.
