Called to Serve, Trusted to Care Steve and Denise Schnackenberg Retire Some people find their life’s purpose early. Others discover it quietly, over time, through service, faith and a deep love for people. For Steve and Denise Schnackenberg, funeral service wasn’t something they set out to do — it was something that slowly, unmistakably, found them. As they step into retirement after more than 30 years in the funeral profession, they leave behind not only a respected business but something far more enduring: a legacy of compassion, presence and genuine care that has shaped families and communities for generations. “We Were Just Part of the Community” Steve and Denise met while attending Nebraska Christian College, where Steve graduated in 1981. Like many young couples, they began their married life full of purpose and possibility, answering a call to ministry in Litchfield, Nebraska. “It was a little town,” Denise said with a smile. “Two hundred and thirty people — and we did a little bit of everything.” Steve preached on Sundays, but his role went far beyond the pulpit. He visited people in hospitals, showed up when families were struggling and offered comfort no matter where someone worshipped — or if they didn’t at all. “If somebody was in the hospital, it didn’t matter what church they attended,” Steve said. “We went.” Serving the community in that small-town ministry shaped everything that came next. When people passed away, families wanted Steve there — not just as a pastor, but as someone who knew them. It was during those years that Steve and Denise spent time with local funeral directors, learning firsthand what it meant to walk families through loss. “Little did we know that that was going to be our next career,” Denise said. Finding the Work That Fit Their Hearts After six years in the ministry, the Schnackenbergs returned to Libby, Montana, Steve’s hometown. Steve went to work at the Asarco mine, but when it shut down, the family was given an opportunity for retraining. “We packed our bags and moved to Kansas City,” Steve recalled. “I went to mortuary school, and when I graduated in May of 1994, we came right back home.” Thirty-one years later — last Memorial Day — he and Denise are retiring. “It doesn’t feel like it’s been that long,” Denise said. “And at the same time, it feels like a lifetime.” More Than a Profession In 2008, Steve and Denise purchased Schnackenberg Funeral Home, becoming equal partners — both in ownership and in purpose. Steve was the sole funeral director for more than a decade, handling everything from arrangements to removals, while Denise kept the business running behind the scenes. “I did the books,” Denise said, “and whatever else he needed. I worked services and did removals when needed, but mostly, I was there with families. I was the one who hugged them. I cried with them.” Steve was often on the road, traveling to their satellite location in Eureka, 65 miles away. “There were weeks we didn’t even see each other in the office,” he said. “I was meeting with families all over North Lincoln County.” At their busiest, they handled 230 to 300 cases a year, all while Steve also served as Lincoln County coroner for 30 years. “It was tiring,” Denise admitted. “He did it all for a long time.” And yet, neither of them spoke of the work with any negativity — only gratitude. “I Got Paid to Listen to Stories” When asked about his favorite part of the funeral service, Steve didn’t hesitate. “Getting to sit down with families and listen to them tell stories.” He continued, “People live fascinating lives, and while listening to the families, grief often softened into memory, families relaxed and laughter mixed with tears.” “We had people come through our funeral home who were incredible,” Steve said. “One man had a sixth-grade 8 | MONTANA FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION
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