LIEUTENANT COLONEL JOSEPH “Joe” A. SCHAAKE (USA Retired)
(April 3, 1942 – November 30, 2014)

Born on April 3, 1942, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph “Joe” Schaake died at the age of 72 in Henderson, Nevada after a long illness on November 30, 2014.
Joe graduated from the Lawrence, Massachusetts High School in 1960. In 1966 he was a Distinguished Military Graduate from the Northeastern University ROTC program, accepting his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army and receiving his BS degree in Finance/Economics.
Colonel Schaake entered active duty service in the U.S. Army in 1966. He served his country with a distinguished military career spanning twenty nine years that included eight years of Reserve service in addition to twenty one years of Active Duty service. Colonel Schaake graduated from the US Army Command and General Staff College in addition to the Finance Officer Basic and Advanced Courses. He served a tour of duty overseas in Vietnam in 1968 and Ethiopia in 1972. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1987, serving on active duty as the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Resource Management in the 97th US Army Reserve Command in Fort Meade, Maryland. Colonel Schaake’s final active duty assignment was Chief, Financial Management Division at the 102nd US Army Reserve Command in St. Louis, Missouri. He retired from the Active Guard Reserve (AGR) program and became a Henderson, Nevada resident in November 1994. Colonel Schaake was awarded numerous service ribbons, badges and medals including the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Army Commendation Medal.
In 1993, Joe was certified and received his Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration private pilot license for single engine aircraft. He was active in the Las Vegas, Nevada Miracle Flights program and received their “Miracle Flights” pin in recognition of his support and service as a flight pilot in support of their mission.
He is survived by his wife Marti; son Eric; daughter-in-law Lisa; daughters Samantha and Kassandra; grandson Jacob and granddaughter Jordan. He is also survived by his brother Paul and his wife Glenda; sister Linda and her husband Patrick; former wife Annette; and numerous nephews and nieces.
Joe was the son of the late Albert A. Schaake, Jr. and Alice F. (nee Hromada) of Lawrence, MA.
He was interred with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery on September 8, 2015.

List of Medals- Badges-Service Ribbons
Awarded to Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Albert Schaake

Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal - Second Award
Army Commendation Medal
Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal
National Defense Service Medal - Second Award
Vietnam Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal
Army Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbon
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm
Expert Marksmanship Badge - Pistol

Photos:
Above - Colonel Schaake in Dress Blue Uniform
Below:
1.Army Dress Green Uniform
2.Army Dress Blue Service Cap, Finance Corps and Army Dress Green Service Cap
3.Retirement Gift - Shadow Box Display Case of Rank, Unit Patches and Unit Crests
4.Distinguished Military Graduate Certificate - Northeastern University
5.Photo of Second Lieutenant Schaake
6.Flight School Graduation Certificate
7. Arlington Cemetery Visitor Center Display
8. Arlington Cemetery Entrance Photo
9. Presidential Memorial Certificate
10. Headstone at Arlington National Cemetery
11. December 2015 Wreaths Across America