Obituary of Emma Eva Schlenker

Emma Eva (Hennig) Schlenker was born on the 18th of February 1928 in Maffersdorf-Reichenberg Sudetenland (Liberec, CZ). During the war, she worked for Ferdinand Porsche, and was a POW of Russia at the end of the war. She and her family fled the Czech Republic after they and all Germans were kicked out. They settled in Ulm on the Danube, Federal Republic of Germany. In 1956, she met Milbert Schlenker of North Dakota, a soldier stationed with the US ARMY in Neu Ulm. They were married in January 1958. In 1959, she and Milbert moved to the United States, first to Wisconsin and then to Ft. Riley, KS. There she worked as a waitress at the Junction City Truck stop. In 1963, they went back to Idar-Oberstein, Germany. It was here that she saved a German youth who was lost in the diamond caves by informing the MP and the German police of the knowledge she had about this youth. In 1966, they came back to Ft Hood, TX. In 1967, Milbert retired from the Army and they moved to Lakewood, WA. She was a member of Hillside Community Church for awhile. She was a friend of the Community of Christ. She worked hard for the food bank in the Tacoma-Lakewood area. She was an energy conservationist before it became popular. She even went to the Brig. General of Madigan Army Medical Center to complain of the waste of electricity. She believed in Universal health care and that we as People should all work together. She is preceded in death by her son Kurt and her twin sister Traudel. She is survived by Milbert, her husband, sons Henry M. Schlenker (Jennifer) and Robert L. Schlenker, daughter Donna E. Lawrence and seven grandchildren. Memorial service will be held at the Community of Christ in University Place at 10:00 AM this Thursday the 28th of January 2010. In her honor, please give to the food bank and think of your fellow man.