|
| |
Donald Eugene Schuneman © Enid News and Eagle 02-14-2014 Submitted by: Glenn
|
ENID, OK — Donald Eugene Schuneman was born Oct. 3, 1923, in the southeast bedroom of his parents’ farmhouse. Don was the second child of four born to Joseph George Schuneman and Grace Lorena (Lowe) Schuneman. The family did lose dad’s youngest sister, Dorothy when she was five years old.
Along with his sister, Evelyne and his brother Ralph, dad attended school through eighth grade at the one-room schoolhouse of New Hope District 21. The school was conveniently located about one mile west of the Schuneman farm, making the walk quite easy. Dad spent his high school days in Caldwell, Kan.
He gained confidence at Caldwell in part because the family owned a black Model T Ford with red wheels and an add-on radio. Still needing some extra attention, dad initiated some minor problems that would cause conflict with his teacher, Mr. Jim Berr.
Life on the farm was hard during the Depression. Dad and his sister Evelyne had to plow the field with a team of horses named Dick and Babe.
In spite of the difficult times, the family never went hungry, since they were able to provide for themselves from the food and animals that they raised. It was not unusual for dad’s mother to provide extended housing for one of her 12 siblings. This meant the children had to sleep on the floor.
When dad was ready for college, his Aunt Beulah Sullivan encouraged him to attend Bethany Peniel College, with his cousin Mabel Shields. Because dad was so shy, he was completely devastated when Cousin Mabel got married right before school started and left dad on campus alone.
Had it not been for the encouragement of his roommate, Double E. Hill, dad would have stayed in his room and not gone to class.
During dad’s sophomore year, he first met Millie Akin, a pastor’s daughter from Texas. Because she was so beautiful, dad was surprised that she would even pay him any attention. He fell in love with mom, but mom had another young man in mind.
Never giving up, dad won mom’s heart back shortly after he returned from World War II. They were married on Aug. 22, 1947, at the Nazarene parsonage by mom’s father, the Rev. E.P. Akin. They celebrated 66 years of marriage on Aug. 22, 2013. In their final days together, their love for each other became even more obvious.
During World War II, the sergeant in dad’s company disliked dad so much that he took dad’s new boots away from him.
The freezing temperatures caused dad to have frost-bite. He was evacuated to an Army hospital shortly before the Battle of the Bulge began. Many of the men from his company were killed, including the sergeant.
No one could have had a better father than Judy and I have had. The pickup rides to the farm became a classroom for lessons on life. Mom and dad have been perfect examples of the Christian life, marriage, love for the church and safety of the home.
Dad also enjoyed his role as Poppy to his grandchildren. Jennie, Robbie, Jonathan and Mendy enjoyed coming home for Christmas to carriage rides around Medford, wonderful meals around the family table and trips to the farm.
Although dad was a farmer at heart, dad’s greatest impact on people will be as principal of the Medford School System. Mr. Schuneman will long be remembered for the impact he had on young people’s lives, even if they learned about his paddle first-hand.
General Dennis Reimer commented, “Outside of my parents, Don Schuneman was the greatest influence on my life.”
Beth Blubaugh Morrison said, “Our parents worked together to keep us in line outside the school. Mr. Schuneman kept us in line inside the school.”
Dad’s relationship with Christ was never clearer than in the last five weeks of his life. He asked every nurse, doctor and aide if they knew Jesus. Right before he died, Dad told Jonathan, “God told me I have done a good job and it is time to come home.” He then added, “Do you hear the singing? Who is singing?” It doesn’t get better than that!
Funeral service for Donald is 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, 2014, at Medford Church of the Nazarene. Burial will be in Rosemound Cemetery, with arrangements by Lanman Funeral home Inc., Medford.
Viewing will be 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. today, Feb. 14. (www.lanmanmemorials.com)
Memorials may be given to the church through the funeral home.
(Submitted by family)
Mildred Laverne Akin Schuneman © Lanman Funeral Home, Inc. 06-2019 Submitted by: Glenn
© Lanman Funeral Home, Inc.
September 16, 1924 ~ June 8, 2019
Mildred "Millie" Laverne (Akin) Schuneman
Funeral service for Millie will be Friday, June 14, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. at Medford Church of the Nazarene Arrangements are by Lanman Funeral Home, Inc. of Medford. www.lanmanmemorials.com Facebook: Lanman Funeral Home Inc. Viewing will be Thursday, June 13, 2019 from 10:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. with family present from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.
Mildred “Millie” Laverne Schuneman was born on September 16, 1924 in a farmhouse on her Grandfather Akin’s farm, just outside of Culleoke, Texas. She was the second of four children born to Everett Pascal Akin and Lela Ailene (Davis) Akin. Millie and her older sister Edith enjoyed playing on the farm, walking to church and the security of plenty of food on the table.
When Millie’s father was called to preach, it was near the beginning of the Great Depression. Millie’s transition from a farmer’s daughter to a “Preacher’s Kid” would bring a major change to the rest of her childhood and her teen years. Living on a pastor’s salary with a wife and four children (brothers Leonard and Charles) would mean that there were times when there wasn’t any food in the house. Millie remembered numerous times when church people would bring a meal over at just the right time. God was faithful to provide for the family’s needs.
Being a preacher’s daughter also required numerous moves throughout her time at home.
Millie attended nine different schools throughout her school years. Ironically, Millie enjoyed every move, because it meant an adventure where she could meet new people. Everywhere she went, Millie made life-long friends.
Millie graduated from Bethany Peniel College (now Southern Nazarene University) with a degree in Home Economics (She later earned her teaching certificate from Northwest Oklahoma University in Alva). She made life-long friends at college who would continue to meet together every Christmas for many years. Most importantly, Millie met Don Schuneman whom she would marry on August 22, 1947. They would be married for 66 years. While Don was completing his college degree at BPC after coming back from World War II, Millie taught one year in Yukon.
After Don’s graduation, Millie and Don moved to Medford, Oklahoma where they would raise their family: Judith Ann and Randal Don. Medford would become their life-long home. Millie taught two years at Medford before finishing her teaching career at Deer Creek, serving there for twenty-seven years. She loved teaching small classes of third-graders. She began each day by reading a Bible Story and prayer.
Millie was an amazing wife and mother. She was a great cook, specializing in roast beef with mashed potatoes and a wonderful cherry pie. Millie and Don established a strong Christian home where their example made it much easier for their children to accept Christ. Millie loved the Lord with all her heart and had an unquestionable relationship with Christ.
Millie also loved the church. It was common practice for her family to be 45 minutes early to church where they would sit quietly until the pastor arrived. Millie served as Missionary Society President, a Church Board member and a Sunday School teacher. She loved her church and made sure the family attended “every time the church doors were open.”
Millie also enjoyed having coffee with her lady friends each day after getting home from school. Coffee time would become a part of her life until she moved from Medford. Millie would move from Medford to Southern Plaza in Bethany, Oklahoma in November 2017. Millie was reunited with friends from college and even a childhood best friend who Millie had known since she was 12. She was loved by all and never missed Sunday Morning church.
Millie died with her children, their spouses and a grandson by her side on June 8, 2019 at the age of 94 at Southern Plaza in Bethany, Oklahoma.
Millie is survived by her daughter, Judy Meisner (husband Wes), her son Randy Schuneman (wife Bonnie), three grandchildren: Robb (Sarah) Schuneman, Jonathan (Michelle) Meisner and Mendy (Tomy) Cummins, six great-grandchildren: Truett Meisner, Axell Meisner, Laney Cummins, Lydia Tahfi, Alliyah Tahfi and Miriam Tahfi and numerous friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband Don, her granddaughter Jennifer Schuneman, her parents, E. P. and Aline Akin, her sister Edith Borgeson and her brothers, Leonard and Charles Akin.
A memorial fund has been established for Medford Church of the Nazarene. Thanks especially to the town of Medford for the love and care you gave to Mom and Dad over nearly 70 years. Also, thanks to Southern Plaza Assisted Living and Mercy Hospice in Oklahoma City for your care for Mom in her final days.
|Rosemound Cemetery Page| |Grant County Cemetery Page| |Home|
This site may be freely linked, but not duplicated in any way without consent.
All rights reserved! Commercial use of material within this site is prohibited!
© 2000-2024 Oklahoma CemeteriesThe information on this site is provided free for the purpose of researching your genealogy. This material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, for your own research, as long as this message remains on all copied material. The information contained in this site may not be copied to any other site without written "snail-mail" permission. If you wish to have a copy of a donor's material, you must have their permission. All information found on these pages is under copyright of Oklahoma Cemeteries. This is to protect any and all information donated. The original submitter or source of the information will retain their copyright. Unless otherwise stated, any donated material is given to Oklahoma Cemeteries to make it available online. This material will always be available at no cost, it will always remain free to the researcher.