Jewel Walter Schalk Obituary (1922

Jewel Walter Schalk, 98 of Bloomington died Monday November 16, 2020 at 5:50 AM at Villas of Hollybrook Fox Creek Road in Bloomington. There will be a private funeral service for Jewel on Monday November 23, 2020. Reverend Dr. Andrew Gifford will officiate. There will be a visitation from 9:30 - 11 AM that morning at Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home. Entombment will be at Park Hill Cemetery Mausoleum. Military rites will be performed by the United States Navy. Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home in Bloomington is handling arrangements. Jewel was born January 8, 1922 in Bloomington to Walter and Bessie Leesman Schalk. He married Elsie Fort on July 1, 1961 in Bloomington. She preceded him in death on April 9, 2018. Jewel is survived by his three children, Jean Ann (Gerry) Maher of Springfield, Sara (Kenneth) Kellum of Normal, and John Schalk of Bloomington, and two grandchildren Rachel and Emily Kellum. Jewel was a 1940 graduate of Bloomington High School and proudly served his country in the United States Navy during World War II. Ironically, he was discharged on July 4, 1946. He then spent the rest of his life in Bloomington. He retired in 1987 from Eureka Williams after twenty-five years in the tool and die shop. He was active in the Boy Scouts of America and enjoyed participating with his son. Jewel was a curious man who loved to tinker and experiment with gadgets and figure out how they operate. He was very handy and could fix anything around the house. Most of his time in retirement he spent restoring and maintaining their 1890's era home on East Market Street. He never met a stranger and always made time to talk to people, even toward the end of his life. He was a member of St. Luke Union Church in Bloomington and prior to that a longtime member of Second Christian Church in Bloomington. The family would like to thank the entire staff at Villas of Hollybrook for the great care Jewel received while he was there. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Luke Union Church or the McLean County Museum of History.