Joanne Marie (Maixner) Schoonover, 76, a longtime resident of Waynesboro, died on the first day of spring, Sunday, March 20, 2011, with her family by her side. She passed away peacefully amid the chirping of birds as they welcomed the first crocus blooms of the season.
Born in New York in 1934 to Frederick and Julia Maixner, she attended Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic School and Dominican Commercial High School, both in Queens, N.Y. She held many interesting positions with General Motors, AT&T, New York Telephone and United Airlines.
In 1958 she married Stanley C. Schoonover. They lived in Chester, Vt., before moving to Waynesboro in 1967. Together they raised eight children and enjoyed traveling throughout the United States and abroad. For more than 30 years she ran the family endeavor of delivering The Record Herald along a route in the Eastland Hills area of Waynesboro.
She was an accomplished expert in the textile crafts. Mrs. Schoonover taught quilting locally and demonstrated crafts as a volunteer for the National Park Service at Catoctin Mountain Park, in Thurmont, Md. As one of the founders of the Buchanan Trail Quilt Club, she taught textile crafts to senior citizens through the Hagerstown Junior College. Her enthusiastic approach to craftwork was unmatched. She always had time for those desiring to learn and her unselfish teaching and outreach brought much joy to many. In her later years she enjoyed piecing many quilts which were finished by her daughter, AnnMarie Cowley.
An accomplished gardener, she is remembered for the flowery front lawn at her East Main Street home. She shared this love with anyone willing to stop and talk. She also had a passion for cooking. Through her culinary skills, she brought a variety of food experiences to her family. With such a breadth of cooking expertise, it was often said that family meals were rarely prepared the same. Joanne always had room for one more at every table she set.
She kept a home filled with love and great joy and relished being surrounded by her large family. Through an impressive Lego collection she fostered creativity and imagination in her grandchildren and many other children from the community. She was a member of St. Andrew’s Roman Catholic Church. She is preceded in death by her parents and an infant brother, Harry.
Born in New York in 1934 to Frederick and Julia Maixner, she attended Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic School and Dominican Commercial High School, both in Queens, N.Y. She held many interesting positions with General Motors, AT&T, New York Telephone and United Airlines.
In 1958 she married Stanley C. Schoonover. They lived in Chester, Vt., before moving to Waynesboro in 1967. Together they raised eight children and enjoyed traveling throughout the United States and abroad. For more than 30 years she ran the family endeavor of delivering The Record Herald along a route in the Eastland Hills area of Waynesboro.
She was an accomplished expert in the textile crafts. Mrs. Schoonover taught quilting locally and demonstrated crafts as a volunteer for the National Park Service at Catoctin Mountain Park, in Thurmont, Md. As one of the founders of the Buchanan Trail Quilt Club, she taught textile crafts to senior citizens through the Hagerstown Junior College. Her enthusiastic approach to craftwork was unmatched. She always had time for those desiring to learn and her unselfish teaching and outreach brought much joy to many. In her later years she enjoyed piecing many quilts which were finished by her daughter, AnnMarie Cowley.
An accomplished gardener, she is remembered for the flowery front lawn at her East Main Street home. She shared this love with anyone willing to stop and talk. She also had a passion for cooking. Through her culinary skills, she brought a variety of food experiences to her family. With such a breadth of cooking expertise, it was often said that family meals were rarely prepared the same. Joanne always had room for one more at every table she set.
She kept a home filled with love and great joy and relished being surrounded by her large family. Through an impressive Lego collection she fostered creativity and imagination in her grandchildren and many other children from the community. She was a member of St. Andrew’s Roman Catholic Church. She is preceded in death by her parents and an infant brother, Harry.
In addition to her husband of more than 50 years, she is survived by eight married children, AnnMarie (Kevin) Cowley, Hillsboro, Ore., Donna (Larry) VanWert, Springfield, Va., William (Andrea) Schoonover, Deale, Md., Johnathan (Vivian) Schoonover, Radcliff, Ky., Stephen (Laura) Schoonover, Waynesboro, Pa., Christine (John) Sanbower, Chambersburg, Pa., Irene (Brian) Slater, Lindley, N.Y., and Frances (Paul) Shehadi, Wallingford, Pa., along with 23 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. She is also survived by two brothers, Frederick (Louise) Maixner, Spring Garden, Fla., and Raymond Maixner, Houston, Texas.
A memorial Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 26, at St. Andrew’s RC Church, Waynesboro, Pa., with a reception following. In addition, friends may visit with the family from 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the parish hall. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Waynesboro Area Gala Cancer Auction, P.O. Box 244, Waynesboro, Pa. 17268.
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