Dr. Fred Schnibbe

A Celebration of Life for Dr. Fred Schnibbe will be held Sunday, September 22, at 11 a.m. at the Walla Walla University Seventh-day Adventist Church in College Place, Wash.

He passed away Aug. 16 at Park Manor. He was 94.

Fred Charles Schnibbe was born July 14, 1925 to Fred Herman and Johanna Maier Schnibbe in Brooklyn, New York. He graduated from the School of Automotive Trades. He was drafted into the army during World War II. He became a medical technician, and was assigned to the first established Army Evacuation Hospital in Europe. He became fascinated with things medical while helping treating wounded soldiers in Austria and Germany.

In 1946, he followed his sister west to attend Walla Walla College. He had become an X-ray tech overseas so took call at both Walla Walla General and St. Mary’s Hospitals.

He married Verona Montanye on June 20, 1948, soon after she graduated. And she continued to work in the registrar’s office, while he completed his junior and senior years. He was accepted into medical school at Loma Linda California, and graduated in 1954 from College of Medical Evangelists, now Loma Linda University School of Medicine.

After interning at Portland Adventist Hospital, he answered a call to practice in Twisp, Washington in the foothills of the North Cascades, 40 miles from the county hospital in Brewster. More medical help arrived in the Methow valley before older son Bob was ready to start church school. And Fred accepted the invitation of Dr. Harold Stout and Harold Lamberton to join them in practice to form the community medical center near the hospital and Seventh-day Adventist church and school in Brewster. It was a special relationship and all kept up with continuing medical education and a very lively practice. The Brewster Seventh-day Adventist congregation met for several years in the school gymnasium and when they decided to build a new church Fred, a church elder, was named building committee chairman.

Schnibbe specialized in baby boys: Robert Kent, born in 1952 in Los Angeles (medical school on divided campus), Richard Brent, Portland 1954, Dale Brewster, 1956. Fred retired several times, but finally for real in December 1994. He did continue to assist in surgery which he quit in 2002. In 2008, they sold Hidden Pines Ranch and moved to College Place, among relatives and old college friends. They volunteered at Walla Walla General Hospital and the Walla Walla University Haystad Alumni Center. They were also greeters at the WWU Church.

Fred was preceded in death by son Dr. Robert Schnibbe, his parents, sister Viola Drum, brother Bill Schnibbe. 

Surviving are wife Verona, daughter-in-law Dee Ann Schnibbe, son Richard and wife Winnie, son Dr. Dale and wife Ann, granddaughters Liesl, Heidi Hayes, Tonya Burnham, grandsons Eric and Jacob Schnibbe, great-grandchildren Koen and Addison Hayes, Cole and Oliver Burnham, twins James Madlyn and Poppy Mae Schnibbe, brother Dick and wife Ann, brother-in-law Mike Montanye and sister-in-law Florence Montanye and sister-in-law Marge Schnibbe, several nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Gospel Outreach. Box 8. College Place or charity of choice.