Donald E. Schoenhofen, 79, of Shawano, passed away on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016, at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Appleton following complications resulting from hip surgery.
Donald was born April 17, 1937 in the township of Norrie, Marathon County, Wisconsin, a son of the late Willard and Adelia (Pietz) Schoenhofen. On Nov. 30, 1958, he was united in marriage to Carol Gilray at Trinity Lutheran Church in Birnamwood. He began his career as a route driver at Mobil Oil Co. in Wausau. He then became constable of the village of Birnamwood and deputy sheriff for Shawano County. He joined the Shawano Police Department in 1968, retiring in 1994 as a lieutenant.
Donald is a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Shawano. He enjoyed snowmobiling, riding horse, deer hunting, four-wheeling and collecting toy tractors in his younger years. He loved watching his children and grandchildren play sports. He was a lifetime member of the Shawano Area Agriculture Society and a member of the Shawano Area Horsemen’s Association for many years. He enjoyed going to coffee with his friends at Home Plate Cafe and spending time with his fellow officers.
Survivors include his wife, Carol Schoenhofen; three children, Jim (Mary) Schoenhofen, Rick (Christa) Schoenhofen, and Rhonda (Pete) Sumnicht; four grandchildren, Jenny (Scott) Olson, Jamie Schoenhofen, Hilary Sumnicht, and Dylan Sumnicht; two great-grandchildren, Collin and Camdin Olson; brother, Eugene (Cathy Campbell) Schoenhofen of Waupaca; sister, Dorothy Fritz of Rothschild; brother-in-law, Don (Virginia) Gilray of Rothschild; sisters-in-law Ruth (Tim Rhineschmidt) Schmidt of Rothschild, Sandy Gilray of Wausau, and Barb (Gary) Kieffer of Wausau; nieces and nephews; and many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; his mother and father-in-law, Russel and Marie (Dickman) Gilray; and brothers-in-law, Kenneth Gilray and Walter Fritz.
Funeral services for Donald E. Schoenhofen will be held on Monday, Nov. 21, 2016, at 1:30 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Shawano. Pastor Scott Ludford will officiate. Interment will take place in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Shawano. Relatives and friends may call at Zion Lutheran Church on Monday from 10 a.m. until the hour of service. In lieu of flowers and plants, a memorial fund is being established in his honor.
Mickelson Funeral & Cremation Service of Shawano is assisting the family with arrangements. Please share online condolences at www.mickelsonfs.com.
“Thank you to the Shawano Ambulance Service EMT’s, Police Chief Mark Kohl, ThedaCare Shawano Medical Center Emergency Department staff, and ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Appleton ICU doctors and nurses for providing Donnie great care and respect during his last days.”