Joseph "Joe" E. Schabert

Joseph Erwin “Joe” Schabert, 84, of rural St. Peter, Minnesota, passed away peacefully at the Benedictine Living Community Center in St. Peter on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, March 20th, 2025, from 3:00-6:00 p.m. at the St. Peter Funeral Home with a short service at 6:00 p.m. Following the service, there will be a Celebration of Life at the Schabert Farm. A private family burial will be held at a later date.

Joe was born at home on November 29th, 1940, to Erwin and Emma (Steppel) Schabert. He graduated from St. Peter High School in 1958. After graduating, he started farming in Le Sueur County and continued until 1998 when he turned the farm over to his son, Jon. After his hog operation was destroyed by the St. Peter tornado, he started crop insurance adjusting. He worked for North American Crop Insurance, Great American Crop Insurance, and Rural Community Insurance Services until he retired in 2020.

On September 19th, 1964, Joe married Deanne Johnson at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in St. Peter. Their marriage was blessed with two children: Jon and Suzie. They made their home on the family farm where Joe was born. Joe moved twice in his life - each move being within 100 feet of the house that he was born in.

Throughout his life, Joe enjoyed spending time with family and friends, especially while hunting, fishing, and playing cards. Additionally, Joe had a love and passion for farming, which has been passed down through the Schabert family for generations.

Joe was a member of the German-Jefferson Sportsman Club and the Cleveland Lions Club, as well as served on the Le Sueur County FSA Committee.

Joe is survived by his wife of 60 years, Deanne; children, Jon (Angela) Schabert and Suzie (Jeff) Robb; grandchildren, Justin (Sam) Schabert, Trevor Schabert, Travis Robb, and McKenna Robb; and great-grandchildren, Jack, Gerald, Bodhi, Wren, and Porter. He was preceded in death by his parents, Erwin and Emma Schabert; sisters, Darline (Walt) Regenscheid and Maureen (Bud) McCabe.

The family would like to thank all of the healthcare providers that have worked with and cared for Joe. A special thank you to River's Edge Hospital, Benedictine Community Center, and St. Croix Hospice for the care and support that they provided in Joe’s final days.