Mary Elizabeth Ingersoll Schoenman
1930-12017
Mary was born on March 31, 1930 in Minneapolis, MN and grew up in St. Paul, MN. She attended Macalester College, graduating with a B.S. degree in Elementary Education and a minor in English.
She married Bob Johnson in 1951 and they had four children: Brenda, Bill, David, and Deb. She married Dick Schoenman in 1977 and the family expanded to include Dick’s four children: Merrie, Suzie, Rose and Jeff.
Mary taught at the primary grade level for 30 years in Ft. Worth, TX, Minneapolis MN and then Bellevue, WA, specializing in special education and disabled children, and retired in 1981. In the late 1980’s she and Dick converted the family’s summer home on Lopez Island, WA into their full-time residence. Mary became very involved in volunteering in the community and at the Lutheran church, as well as singing in the ecumenical choir. She and Dick were honored with the Lopez Spirit Award in 2004 for their community involvement. She enjoyed gardening, travel, outdoor adventures, and handiwork – knitting, sewing and quilting. She won several blue ribbons for her quilts at the San Juan County Fair over the years.
Mary passed away on November 13, 2017 after a short illness. She is survived by her husband, Dick, her children and step-children, 13 grandchildren: Alison Johnson; Jennifer Jaspers; Jonathan Allenby; Anna Koendarfer; David, Andy and Rob Carson; Emily Badgley; Laura Crisp; Alison and Tom Fontaine; Todd and Cassie Schoenman; and 16 great-grandchildren: Eloine and Emma Jaspers; Noah, Vincent, and Cara Koendarfer; Matthew Allenby; Mattea, Ethan and Samantha Daugherty; Emma, Jack, and James Carson; Daniel and Kathleen Carson; and Jule and Nora Schoenman.
A memorial service celebrating Mary’s life was held on Friday, December 1st at Family of Grace Lutheran Church in Auburn, WA where Mary and Dick were currently living. To share a memory of Mary, or to send private condolences, please sign the online guestbook at www.klontzfuneralhome.com. Remembrances in the form of donations should be made to Lutheran World Relief.
