Kenneth E. Schnepf Jr., a retired postal worker and Vietnam War veteran died of lung and brain cancer Monday at his Joppatowne home. He was 57.
Mr. Schnepf was born in Baltimore and raised in Frederick and Middle River. After graduating from Kenwood High School in 1968, he enlisted in the Navy and served as a cryptologist aboard the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk .
After being honorably discharged in 1972, he went to work for the Post Office as a letter carrier.
"He worked at the Middle River, Essex and Parkville post offices and enjoyed walking a route as well as a mounted route," said his wife of 34 years, the former Donna Jean Hannan.
"Being a mailman, he said, 'You never knew what you'd face once you got out on the street,'" Mrs. Schnepf said.
"He talked about being chased by geese, getting bitten in the rear by a sheep dog which was on a leash and whose owner, a young boy, sicced him on him. He said when he was delivering mail in Middle River, he'd see snapping turtles crawling across the road," she said.
Mr. Schnepf was assigned to a mounted postal route prior to his retirement in 2005.
He enjoyed hunting, duckpin bowling and playing cards.
A Mason, he was an active member of Jephthah Lodge No. 22 in Essex.
Mr. Schnepf was a member of Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church, 540 Joppa Farm Road, Joppa, where a Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 11:15 a.m. March 30.
Also surviving are a son, Jason A. Schnepf of Joppatowne; two brothers, James Schnepf and Charles F. Schnepf, both of Middle River; two sisters, Patty Lam of Middle River and Dawn Hauf of Kingsville; and a grandson.