Viktor H. Schimschal

Sept. 30, 1933, — Aug. 1, 2023

Vik Schimschal, who hiked, biked and skied thousands of miles on Olympic Peninsula trails during the 62 years he lived in Port Angeles, died Aug. 1. He was 89.

Born Viktor Heinrich Schimschal in Gollnow, Germany, Sept. 30, 1933, he emigrated to Washington in 1957 only to return to Europe within a year after entering service with the U.S. Army.

Viktor completed three years of college and worked as a bricklayer in Germany. His parents, Wilhelm and Margarete Schimschal, fled an area that now is in Poland during World War II, then emigrated with church sponsorship to New York in 1956 and settled in Hamilton, Wash.

Vik returned to the U.S. after his Army discharge and lived for a while in Hamilton before moving to Port Angeles. He began work at the Crown Zellerbach Mill in 1961, retiring 33 years later as a multi-craft lead mechanic for Daishowa.

Viktor fell in love with Anna Halko in Port Angeles and they married in 1966. During 57 years together, the Schimschals often hiked and biked and raised children, Erich and Viktoria.

Viktor served for nearly 30 years as a board member of the former Crown Z credit union now known as Strait View CU. During those years, he also became a naturalized U.S. citizen.

Viktor, who frequently day hiked solo, was a lifelong hiker and cross-country skier. With his wife and kids, he hiked many Olympic Peninsula mountain trails and headed for snowy trails in winter to ski.

He and Anna also trail biked and looked forward each year to family mushrooming.

Survivors include his wife, son Erich, daughter-in-law Missy, and daughter Viki LaRue; granddaughters, Danielle Schimschal, Melanie (Schimschal) Bogen and Raven LaRue, and grandson Logan LaRue; a brother, Gunter of Bellingham, Wash., and a sister, Karola in Germany.

Private family services will be held later.

We little knew that morning,

God was going to call your name.

In life we loved you dearly,

In death we do the same.

It broke our hearts to lose you,

You did not go alone,

For part of us went with you,

The day God called you home.

You left us beautiful memories,

Your love is still our guide,

And though we cannot see you,

You are always by our side.

Our family chain is broken,

And nothing seems the same,

But as God calls us one by one,

The chain will link again.

— Ron Tranmer