Donald Schonberg
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Funeral services for Donald M. Schonberg, 88, Lawrence will be held at 2:30 p.m. Monday, March 7, 2011 at the Lawrence Bible Chapel in Lawrence. Burial will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery, Lawrence, KS. He died Wednesday, March 2, 2011 at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.
He was born November 2, 1922 in Minneapolis, MN the son of Martin N. and Jewel Sophia Olson Schonberg.
He lived in Lawrence since 1981. Prior to that, he lived in Minnesota and California. He served his country in the Merchant Marines as a radio operator and then the United States Navy during WWII.
Mr. Schonberg occupations were many and varied from the shipyards in California, to the aircraft industry in Minnesota. He enjoyed wood-working, gardening, and metal recycling, until he retired.
He served as an elder at the Lawrence Bible Chapel where his passion was serving God by serving others.
He married Roene Jeanette Skoglund on October 5, 1945 in Minneapolis, MN. She survives of the home.
Other survivors include one daughter, Rebekah Lois (husband, Chris) Leason, Wichita, KS; four sons, David (wife, Jean Schonberg, of Alexandria, MN,, Steven (wife, Debbie) Schonberg, of Essex Junction, VT; Philip (wife, Kay) Schonberg, of Eudora, KS., Mark (wife Ramona) Schonberg, of Lawrence, KS, a brother, Dr. Roy Schonberg, Stanwood, WA; and two sisters, Bette J. Ulrich, Palm Desert, CA, and Vivian Mae Frame, of Palm Desert, CA and twenty four grandchildren and fifty great grandchildren . He was preceded in death by one daughter, Ruth Morgan (December 8, 1985) and a brother, Russell Schonberg.
The family will greet friends from 6:30 – 8p.m. Sunday, March 6, 2011 at the Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence.
The family suggests memorials in his name to the Avante Ministries c/o Boaz and Ruth Glad and may be sent in care of the mortuary.
I am truly sorry for your loss. I have many memories of Mr. Schonberg. He was a strong, Godly male figure in my childhood. Our prayers are with you all.
Dear Roene and family members,
We were saddened, yet rejoice at Don’s homecall. Your family was a source of joy, encouragement, and support when we were at Story Book, and you have remained in our memories as such special blessings. We will be praying that the contacts that are made and the words that are spoken during this time of heart-sadness will convey the soul-gladness that you all must have. We know that losing a beloved family member is not easy, but we also know that the Lord can be glorified through it. May He bless you, and give you peace, joy, wisdom, and strength.
With Christian love,
Fred and Maribeth Runyan
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matt. 6:33
Dear Roene, I was sorry to hear about Don. But I know He is enjoying our Lord’s presence. You and Don were a tremendous encouragement to me in my early Christian life. May God bless and comfort you and your family abundantly. In Him, Dave Warren
Roene, When I think of Don, I think of him singing Man of Sorrows during communion. The last verse he always closed his eyes and sang louder, “When He comes our glorious King, all His ransomed home to bring, then a new this song we’ll sing Hallelujah what a Savior”. I could tell he couldn’t wait to meet the Lord, and now he has! Hugs to your family.
Dear Roene and family, we are praying for your comfort to abound in the hope of Don’s current bliss and the coming family reunion. Both are sure. We remember and appreciate your children’s labor in our lives to pass along the foundations of the faith that you and Don taught them. We are closer to the Lord because of Don’s faith and yours. Thank you, and may overwhelming grace keep you.
Dear Roene, Don was a true shepherd of souls. We will miss him, but rejoice that he is in the presence of the Lord. I (Mark) was especially grateful of the time he took me under his wing and tried to encourage me when I was struggling in the faith. You were both a great blessing to us! Our condolences to you and we pray that the Lord will hold you up at this difficult time. In love, Mark and Debbie.
We are very sorry for your loss and are thinking of you and your family. We enjoyed visiting with both when you came to Missouri. Take comfort in the Lord that is with you always.
Our love to you at this difficult time, Roene. Don was such a blessing to our young church in Minneapolis. Thank you for serving God in that way. I will always remember his advice about having many children. Being a farmer, he said that “they give cows a break”. Still brings a smile to my face.
My wife,Sylvia Schonberg Fick,who passed away to be with our Lord in July, 1993, was a cousin of Don. Growing up in Minneapolis she always admired Don for his humble Christian character. Since we moved to New York in 1949 we have had little contact with Don and his family except through his son Steve and wife Debbie in Vermont who became friends with our son Jonathan and his family in Vermont. Don was admired by all. Our sympathy is with you all.
Dear Schonberg family,
The words spoken by Don and Roene in 1975 when we met them are eternal. Our precious brief times together over the years since then, are forever recorded in heaven.
We have a warm place in our hearts for the love and touch of truth and sincerity you always offered during the so few, brief, times we shared together. We love you all and thank the Lord Jesus for your sacrifice of time and service in the Lord.
Rejoicing during such a sad loss. So glad we crossed paths during this life journey.
God bless you all….. We love you, Merle and Joan Rothwell,
Wilsey, KS
My condolences to the family. He was a good man. One of my life’s heroes who lived his faith in a kind and generous direct way.
Sincerely,
Paul R. Horvath
Don was a great man, a humble deep spiritual giant. I am richer for having prayed, sung, wept, and laughed with him. I haves loved him and his greatest legacy: his wife and family. Welcome home, Don. Ed Vivian
In my entire lifetime, I have never met a kinder, more compassionate human being than Don. I first met him in 1973, a year after graduating from high school. At the time, I was plagued by severe emotional/psychological problems. For a number of years, Don offered incredible, caring support to me as I faced these afflictions. To me, he was a true father. Equally kind and caring was his wife Roene. When trying to better understand what God is like, all I have to do is remember Don.