George Schabel

George Schabel passed away peacefully on 13 Jan 2013 at the age of 69, after a long and difficult illness. He was born 22 Aug 1943 in Flint, Michigan. He graduated from Davison High School in 1961 and joined the US Army immediately after graduation. He was assigned to US Army in Europe in April 1962, in Gelnhausen, Germany. He met Elke Vaeth and they married in December 1963. George attended Officer Candidate School (OCS) in Fort Benning, Georgia in the Spring of 1966 and received his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant, Infantry. He then attended Airborne School at Fort Benning and thereafter was a Tactical Officer at OCS. George was subsequently assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina to attend Special Forces School. George received his Green Beret in early 1967. His next assignment was to the Defense Language Institute at Fort Bliss, Texas. Upon graduation, then a captain, George was assigned to a Special Forces detachment in South Vietnam. George was an Intelligence officer, serving as an advisor to a South Vietnamese Army battalion. After one year, George was transferred to Special Forces Detachment – Europe in Bad Toelz, Germany. In January 1971 George returned to Vietnam for a 2nd tour. He was stationed in the Mekong Delta. In his final 4 months in Vietnam, George served as an instructor to NATO replacement forces entering the country, teaching them Vietnamese and map reading. George’s military service commendations included the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, and the Bronze Star. George resigned his commission in 1972 and attended University of Texas at El Paso, graduating in 1974 with a BBA in Finance. He was hired by the State National Bank of El Paso as a management trainee. Over the next several years, George was promoted to Investment Officer, Assistant Vice President, and Vice President. In 1987 George suffered a brain aneurysm resulting in memory and reasoning disabilities. As a result, George was forced into early medical retirement. George is preceded in death by his brother James and his parents Sylvia and Maurice Schabel. He is survived by his wife Elke of 49 years, daughter Vicki, son Chris, and by six brothers and sisters: Garnett, Robert, Mary Ann, Mike, Beverly and Glenn.