Obituaries

Heaven got another Angel......Our sympathies to the Schoenbeger family with loss of your dad. He had a kind and gentle nature and an easy smile that greeted those around him. May he continue his talent of woodworking up in heaven as he reunites with his wife and becomes an Angel in Heaven for you all! Blessing to you all in this time of reflection and grief. Ken Trapp and family

I want to express my heartfelt sympathy to the family and friends on this sad occasion. Uncle Ernie was a kind and gentle person. I cannot help but comment on an expression that he used a few times during one of the last conversations I had with him. He simply chuckled and said: “I don’t know”, in reply to some of my questions. To me that stands out in my mind as one of his signature expressions. He didn’t pretend to have all the answers. He didn’t attempt to paint a picture of himself that was not genuine. I admire his honesty, humility and unobtrusiveness. He wore a long sleeve work shirt on the hottest summer days. His sleeves were rolled up however. I could never imagine him in flip flops and shorts on a Caribbean beach. He was a working man. He worked his land. It seemed he had little desire to stray far from his home but I am glad he took advantage of a few opportunities to get away. He liked Fords. They seemed to be good to him because he was good to them. I can’t say I ever saw him in a hurry. His gait was deliberate and with a purpose. To me he always seemed to be on a mission.After retirement he really enjoyed working with wood. The first time I saw his projects I was taken aback. What a constructive way to express his creative ability and skill. He liked to laugh and in my opinion preferred conversation that was light and uncomplicated. He took pride in keeping his yard orderly. I can picture him tearing around on his ride-on-mower cutting the grass but likely his mind was on other matters, perhaps on his next woodwork project. Maybe he was thinking about what was going on in the family. I am sure he was a deep thinker.Perhaps one of the most poignant moments of my life was at the service held for his dear wife. Uncle Ernie carried the urn containing her ashes down the aisle of the church. One could not help but feel a deep compassion for what he was going through at that moment. Words fail to describe the emotion that accompanied that occasion. In life we all learn and adopt practices and idiosyncrasies from people close to us. Those close to Uncle Ernie may go through life imitating his qualities and habits without realizing it until others bring it to their attention.In his 83 years he touched a lot of people. I am proud to have known him. Ken