Schoenrock, Lois Mary 1911-2002

SCHOENROCK, GUTKNECHT, LEININGER

Posted By: Doris Hoffman, Volunteer (email)
Date: 7/9/2017 at 15:52:18

LE MARS, Iowa -- Lois M. Schoenrock, 91, of Le Mars died Thursday, Aug. 29, 2002, at Brentwood Good Samaritan Center in Le Mars.

Services will be 11 a.m. Friday at Grace Lutheran Church in Le Mars, with the Rev. Larry Fett officiating. Graveside services will be 2 p.m. Friday in Memorial Park Cemetery, Sioux City. Visitation will be after 4 p.m. Thursday, with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m., at Carlsen Funeral Home in Le Mars.

Lois Mary Gutknecht was born June 2, 1911, in Nagercoil, Travancore, India, to missionary parents, the Rev. Theodore and Emilia "Millie" (Leininger) Gutknecht. They returned to the United States when she was 4 years old and, at the age of 10, returned to India.

Lois and her sister returned to the United States to attend Lutheran High School in Milwaukee, Wis. After graduation, she attended and graduated from St. John's College in Winfield, Kan. She taught school in Fredericksburg, Iowa, St. Paul's Lutheran School in Sioux City, and at a Lutheran school in Brighton, Colo.

She was united in marriage to Earl Schoenrock on Aug. 19, 1936, in What Cheer, Iowa. The couple were married by her father, the Rev. Theodore Gutknecht. They lived on the Schoenrock farm for 24 years. They later moved to Sioux City for a few years and then to Brighton, Colo. While living in Colorado, Earl worked for the county and she taught school. The couple retired to Texas, where he passed away in 1985. She later returned to Le Mars and has made her home at Brentwood Good Samaritan Center since 1997.

She was an active member of Grace Lutheran Church and was the first president of the Lutheran Women's Missionary League. She was still teaching Sunday school at the age of 85. She was a fantastic cook and kept a record of everything she served when entertaining guests. When she lived on the farm, she was active in 4-H. She loved to travel. When she was 85, she and a granddaughter returned to India for a visit. She enjoyed cooking, gardening, sewing, quilting and reading.

Survivors include a son and his wife, James and Marilyn Schoenrock of Le Mars; a son-in-law and his wife, Lowell and Dora Chellew of Sioux City; a sister, Mildred Dell of Riverside, Calif.; seven grandchildren, Scott and Shelli Schoenrock of Hinton, Iowa, Jeff and Dawn Schoenrock of San Antonio, Texas, Wade and Angela Schoenrock of Hinton, Lisa Schoenrock of Denver, Colo., Mark and Karen Chellew of Sioux City, Steven and Val Schoenrock of Ames, Iowa, and Debbie Chellew of Cheyenne, Wyo.; eight great-grandchildren, Jessica, Justin, Marrisa, Mitchell, Cody, Mathew, Ryan and Caitlyn; and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; a daughter, Joan Chellew, who died at the age of 29; and eight brothers and sisters.

Pallbearers will be Steven, Mathew and Mark Chellew, Wade and Justin Schoenrock and Trent Stowater.

Sioux City Journal
Wednesday, September 4, 2002
Sioux City, Iowa