Margaret Faye Matthews Schoknecht

Margaret Faye Matthews Schoknecht went home to be with her Lord on Dec. 6, 2016. She was born on Feb. 10, 1928 in Latham, Kansas to Ben and Dorothy Matthews. A Kansas Sunflower Girl born in a Little House on the Prairie with her sister Inez.

The Great Depression and Dust Bowl made it difficult for families to survive including the Matthews. So, in 1940, the family sold everything in Kansas and loaded up an old Oldsmobile to homestead in northwest Montana.

Faye’s uncle Henry Williams had purchased property in the Fisher River area. Faye’s parents bought the adjoining 20 acres of land and built a one room log cabin. Due to limited transportation, and in order to attend high school, Faye moved to Troy at the age of 14 to live and work in a boarding house.

Faye graduated from Troy High School in 1945 and went to work at the local grocery store. She then had the opportunity to work at the logging camp in Warland, where she met her husband Mark Schoknecht. They were married on Sept. 27, 1951 in Kalispell. They moved with the logging camp from Warland to Rexford, then to Libby in 1955 when Mark became the logging manager for the J Neils Lumber Company.

They purchased their home on the Kootenai River where they lived for fifty years. She and Mark loved to travel and visited many countries abroad, and after Mark retired, spent winters in Palm Desert, Calif. They relished their “couples club” bridge nights and weekend trips. Mark and Faye enjoyed all of their children and grandchildren’s activities.

Faye was active in volunteer work at St Johns’ Lutheran Church and School, and she and her husband Mark received the synodical Crest of Christ Award. She was a member of the Hospital Auxiliary, a Red Cross Volunteer, served on the Lincoln County Election Board, and was a member of Cabinet View Golf-Club Women’s Golf Association.

Faye was always generous with her time and support for community projects.

Faye loved her church activities, golf group, bridge clubs, and spending time at Crystal Lake and Lake McDonald. She cherished her ladies-night outings every Friday with her life-long friends.

Faye was the chief cook during the cherry harvest at the family orchard on Flathead Lake and was known to bake the very best “cherry pies” (which she loved to share).

Faye moved to Whitefish in June of 2016 to be closer to family as she faced new medical challenges.

Faye was preceded in death by her parents Ben and Dorothy Matthews, sister Inez Mercer, husband Mark Schoknecht, and sister-in-law Dorothy Schoknecht.

She is survived by her daughter Paula Sandman and her husband Bob of Whitefish; son Joel Schoknecht of Kalispell; five grandchildren, Stacia Fisher and husband Cameron of Issaquah, Wash.; Brandann Rohrer of Whitefish; Ashley Rohrer-Smith and husband Kevin of Bigfork; Logan Sandman of Columbia Falls; and Ryenne Schoknecht of Kalispell; two twin great-grandchildren, Liam Fisher and Hamish Fisher of Issaquah, Wash..

The funeral service will be held at 11:00 am, Monday, Dec. 12, 2016 at St John’s Lutheran Church, 1017 Montana Ave., Libby Montana. The interment will then be held at the Conrad Cemetery in Kalispell. A Celebration of Life for all friends and family will follow at the Hilton Garden Inn at 1840 U.S. Highway 93 South, Kalispell from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Memorials can be made to St Johns Lutheran Church, 1017 Montana Ave. or Libby Memorial Events Center, 111 E Lincoln Blvd. Arrangements are by Schnackenberg & Nelson Funeral Home. Online condolences and memories may be shared at www.schnackenbergfh.com.