Gary Lewis Schoening, 73, died peacefully Feb. 4, 2020.
He was born Oct. 1, 1946 to Lewis and Jeanne Stedman Schoening in Winona, Minnesota.
He graduated from Winona State University in December 1969 with a dual degree in biology and chemistry.
From there, he went to Officer Candidate School for the U.S. Navy in Pensacola, Florida. Due to an injury during training, he was honorably discharged in February 1970.
He soon found work as a chemist for Ashland Chemical Company. His career with Ashland would take him from Minneapolis to Fords, New Jersey and finally to Dublin, Ohio. He retired in 2008 as a Senior Research Chemist after a 38-year career with Ashland, Inc.
He was active in Boy Scouts of America for over 50 years. His greatest joy was taking boys and young men on wilderness canoe trips in the Boundary Waters and northern Ontario and teaching them wilderness survival skills.
He served as Scoutmaster in Troop 185 (Dublin) and Troop 125 (Unionville Center). He was also an adult leader in Boy Scout Camporees and Cub Scout Day Camps.
He is survived by his wife of nearly 47 years, Sheryl “Sherrie” Halloran Schoening; sons, Bret (Nicole) and Grant (Karie); grandchildren, Isabella, Jack and Adam; brother, Donald L. (Valerie); nephews, Joel (Krista) and his son Asher, and Nolan (Gretchen) and his sons Owen and Mason; brother-in-law, Kevin (Liz) Halloran and his children Julie Barta (James) and Logan.
Those who wish to make a donation to Parkinson’s Foundation may visit www.parkinson.org and click on “Ways to Contribute.”
A Celebration of Life will take place at Dublin Community Church Gladden Chapel (old church), 81 W. Bridge Street, Dublin, Ohio at 2 p.m. July 11. Burial will take place in Ridgeway, Minnesota on July 16.