SCHOOLER, Phillip E. (1943-2021)

SCHOOLER

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 7/5/2022 at 00:16:15

Phillip Eugene Schooler
(May 24, 1943 -January 10, 2021)

Funeral services for Phillip Eugene Schooler, of Indianola, IA, who passed away Sunday, January 10, 2021, will be held 11 a.m., Thursday, January 14 at Overton Funeral Home in Indianola. Friends may also join the family on Phillip’s obituary page of our website for his service beginning at 11 a.m. Interment will follow in the Palmyra Cemetery, Palmyra, IA.
Dad was born at home in Palmyra, Iowa, on May 24, 1943. He attended Hartford school and high school which is where he met mom. Stories say Dad was maybe a little wilder in his younger years which was why Grandpa would only allow Mom to go on a date with him if they doubled with friends Edith and Gary...and that’s how it began. They were married October 26, 1962. On March 4, 1964, Leora Lynn was born and on February 4, 1968 the family was complete with Lea Ann. Dad, of course, had hoped for boys but he got girls. So, we were taught everything a boy would have been and worked right alongside. In March of 1973, we moved to a farm two miles north of Lacona. It was Mom and Dad’s pride and joy. They worked side by side planting and harvesting crops, raising hogs, cattle, chickens and the pregnant pony which Dad hated, but his girls loved, so Princess was allowed to stay.
Dad taught us that Sundays were for church and rest. His faith was deep and he shared that faith many Sundays in the Lacona Methodist Church as Layminister. We were always a bit afraid to hear the sermon as whatever we had done the week before was usually in that Sunday’s sermon whether it was good or bad. Dad also taught us hard work pays off and while sorting or moving cattle or hogs you do not move from the spot he put you in...no matter how big the animal running at you was. We always moved and were told said animal was more afraid of us than we were of it...We still do not believe him on that one. Those times, which then seemed unfair, we now realize have made us who we are: The Farmer’s Daughters...and we wouldn’t change it for anything.
When mom passed away in September 2001, Dad was devastated and lost. Nothing anyone did seemed to help. In March 2016, Dad’s health declined and we made the decision to help Dad move into assisted living. He was so mad at us~for years he was mad at us. But, eventually, he understood our concern and his “little room”, as he called it, at Windsor Manor was his home. The people there became his family when we couldn’t be there and he loved them like family.
Those wonderful people at the manor would always tell me how they enjoyed going into Dad’s room to visit and how sweet he was. I would sometimes joke if we were talking about the same person because when I visited that was not the person I saw in room S11. I learned to understand how much Dad missed home and everything about it and especially Mom. The last visits I had at the manor with dad are the ones I keep close to my heart as he was happy and smiling and the Dad I grew up with. I already miss my weekly visits with Dad. I always took him his chocolate brownie cookies and his coke zero. His TV would always be on and that damn scanner screeching. I love you Dad and I am so happy for you to be with Mom again.
Phil is survived by his daughters, Lynn (Duane) Kaldenberg and Lea Ann (Andy) Beck; grandchildren, Erin (Aric) Cunningham, Garrett (Stacey) Kaldenberg, Cara (Justin) Wesley, Ben (Amanda Speake) Beck, Kati (James) Thurman and Maggie (Dylan Granville) Beck; great grandchildren, Koen and Nora Cunningham, Corley and Reagan Kaldenberg, Tyler, Jazlyn and Gabriel Wesley, Averi, Charli Kate and Rossi Thurman. He was preceded in death by his wife, Kathy; parents, Murray and Mary Ellen Schooler; grandson, Tyler Kaldenberg; and siblings, Leroy Schooler and Darl Schooler.
Visitation will be held prior to services from 9 to 11 a.m. Thursday, January 14 at Overton Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the family in Phil’s name. This memorial is provided by Overton Funeral Home, 501 West Ashland Ave., Indianola, Iowa, http://www.overtonfuneral.com/