Obituary of Ruben Schaal, Jr

Ruben Schaal, Jr., longtime resident of Burlington, Colorado passed away in Burlington, Tuesday, May 7, 2013 at the age of 66. Ruben was born to Ruben Theadore Schaal, Sr. and Erna Christena Weisshaar on January 27, 1947 in Newberg, Oregon. He was the oldest of their three children. Moving to Colorado with his family at the age of 6, he attended the one room schoolhouse, known as Emerson Country School, north of Burlington, under the direction of Virginia Felch, whom he greatly admired all of his life. The school was ultimately consolidated and all of the students transferred to Burlington High School where Ruben eventually graduated with the Class of 1966. His life’s calling was quickly established when he met Ed White while working at Safeway in Burlington. He often told of how enamored he was when the drilling rigs and pump trucks would stop and he would beg Ed for a job, only to be patted on the head while being told “when you grow up sonny.” One day Ed needed a driver and asked if he still wanted a job to which Ruben eagerly responded, embarking on the first leg of his journey into the water well industry. However, realizing he would likely be drafted, Ruben preferred to enlist in the U.S. Navy, where he served for two years. In November of 1968, he was honorably discharged when his father was seriously injured in an automobile accident and Ruben returned home to help on the family farm. He was not a farmer and he had already had a taste of the drilling business, so he went back to work for Ed at Northwest Drilling and began some two years of education in the “school of hard knocks,” traveling throughout Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma. His early years involved irrigation and domestic pumps, and he went with Ed when Ed opened “Burlington Pump Service” operating out of a shop on 15th Street. While Ruben was in the Navy, stationed in Long Beach, California, he met the love of his life, Linda Rae McKinney, but the two were separated when he returned to Colorado. Nevertheless, they corresponded over a 2 ½ year period, ultimately marrying on May 29, 1971. They eventually had two sons and built their lives, which included hunting, fishing, traveling, riding motorcycles, and a sincere faith in God. Ruben’s legacy of Schaal Drilling began less than a year after his marriage when he and Linda bought Burlington Pump Service from Ed White and developed it into a thriving water well business, eventually diversifying into the oil and gas fields of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming. Ruben’s dedication to his work and family was exemplary and his love of the Lord permeated every area of his life. With a true heart for the needs of others, he was always available to friends, family and complete strangers, lending them an ear, a hand, or his heart. Ruben was preceded in death by his father, Ruben Schaal, Sr., and half brother Edward Schaal. He is survived by his wife Linda; sons Warren Dean and wife Michelle of Burlington; and Aaron Wade and wife Heather of Kokomo, Indiana. His dream was to have a large family and God ultimately blessed him with 8 grandchildren: Warren’s children Benjamin, Anna, Leah and Nathan; and Aaron’s children London, Hunter, Cooper and Parker. He is also survived by his 91 year old mother Erna Bohling of Burlington, his sisters Kathy Parrish and husband Wayne of Burlington; and Shirley Shumate and husband Stan of Anderson, Indiana; and his half sister Diana and Serifan Montoya and their daughter Julia Rouse and husband Nathan of Burlington; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives from California to New York, as well as Uncle Melvin Schaal and Aunt Ruthena Reu, all of whom will greatly miss him.