Neil W. Schilke, age 87, of Fremont passed away Thursday, April 8, 2021, at his home. Neil was born January 30, 1934, in Tobias, Nebraska, to Godfrey Herman and Alice Mildred (Mapes) Schilke.

Neil lived at Tobias, Nebraska, Williamsburg, Virginia, Idaho Falls, Idaho, and back to Fremont. He worked for many firms part time in the summers and while in high school and college, including Hormel, Campbell Soup, Union Pacific, Chicago Northwestern, Gamble-Skogmo, Cake & Meal, Bakers Sporting, Fremont Hatchery, Mead Ordnance Plant, Karl's Jewelry, Jetters Plumbing, post office, Lincoln Air Base during construction, and Daubert Construction to name a few. He was a 1951 graduate of Fremont High School and received a Nebraska Regents Scholarship. Neil served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War from June 12, 1953, to May 16, 1955, at Forts Omaha, Crowder, Riley, Benning and Bragg. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree (with honors) from Midland College in 1958. In 1961 he received his L.L.B. (now L.L.D.), from William and Mary Law School and was first in his class. He was admitted to the Virginia and Nebraska, Tax Court, Federal Court, and U.S. Supreme Court (two briefs written in the U.S. Supreme Court). He also won many writing contests while in law school (most had prize money associated with them) which helped pay for school.

Neil's civic memberships and positions in them were many, some local ones were Young Republicans, Salem Lutheran Church, Chamber of Commerce, Fremont Jaycees, Kiwanis Club, Salvation Army Board, YMCA Board, Toastmasters, YMCA Foundation, Midland College Board and Alumni Association, Fremont Golf Club, Fremont Community Foundation director and founder, Nebraska Tennis Association and founder of Nebraska Tennis Foundation, Missouri Valley Tennis Association, Nebraska Softball Foundation, Teammates, American Legion Baseball Committee-chairman. His professional memberships include but not limited to, Sidner, Svoboda, Schilke, Thomsen, Holtorf & Boggy Law Firm, Midland Lutheran College lecturer of business law, banking law Banker Law Institute, Dodge County bar association, American Bar Association, principle speaker at Trial Lawyers, (School of Law and Workers Compensation Continuing Legal Education seminars), member of Who's Who in Midwest, Who's Who in American Law, Who's Who in America and Who's Who in American Colleges, director First National Bank of Hooper and First State Bank in Fremont, Nation Council of School attorneys, Nebraska Law, Dodge County Republican Party, and continuous A-rating in national Martindale Hubbell directory.

He was principle organizer in developing the Sidner Ice Rink, established endowment for needy youth at the Sidner Ice Rink, established Schilke-Novak Kids Sports Trust; high school tennis courts additions, wrote, printed and distributed the annual book of Strange Tennis articles, wrote 6 Christmas season books, and published and distributed them at his own cost. Neil had substantial charitable contributions for development and funding for kids including the YMCA Schilke-Novak Kids-Sports Trust, Omaha AAA Hockey, Salem Lutheran Church for debt retirement, and many more projects they needed; to Midland Scholarship Fund, and hundreds if not thousands of children have benefited from his generosity. He was passionate about leveling the playing field for children in sports.

Neil is survived by his wife, Bonnie Schilke; daughter, Lisa (Brad) Novak; and grandson, Nicholas Novak, all of Fremont; brothers, Dale (Brenda) Schilke of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and David (Joyce) Schilke of Elkhorn, Nebraska; sister, Marge Johnson; and sisters-in-law, Roberta Schilke, both Fremont, and Peggy (Ben) Campbell, Boise, Idaho.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Gail Douglas Schilke; and sister, Hortense Wilkinson and her husband Harold.

The memorial service will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 14, at Salem Lutheran Church in Fremont. Live-stream may be seen at Salem Lutheran Church Facebook page, (https://www.facebook.com/salemfremont). Visitation will be on Tuesday from 4-8 p.m., and with the family receiving friends from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, also at Salem. Military Honors will be conducted at Memorial Cemetery in Fremont following the service on Wednesday.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Schilke-Novak Kids-Sports Trust.

Online condolences and full life story at www.mosermemorialchapels.com.

Moser Memorial Chapel, 2170 N. Somers Ave., Fremont, NE 68025, 402-721-4490.

Source: https://fremonttribune.com/news/local/obituaries/neil-w-schilke/article_88992720-8a73-5a2f-bc49-14f6c5eebf72.html