Donald J Schoenbeck

Donald J. Schoenbeck, age 81, Watertown, died in the Veteran Medical Center in Minneapolis, surrounded by his loving family, on Sunday afternoon, February 26, 2012. Memorial services will be held on Saturday, March 3, 2012 at 1:30PM in the Mt. Olive Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, Watertown, with The Reverend Iver Possehl officiating. The organist will be Sharon Falk with Kristin Possehl as soloist. There also will be congregational singing. A private burial will be held at a later date in the Acacia Park Cemetery in Mendota Heights, MN. A time of fellowship and lunch will follow the Church services at the County Fair Banquet Hall in uptown Watertown, all are welcome. There will be no visitation. The Furness Funeral Home of Clark, SD is serving the family. For further information please visit www.furnessfuneralhome.com He was born Donald John Schoenbeck on December 11, 1930 at Lily, SD, the son of John and Ann (Solberg) Schoenbeck. He attended school at Lily graduating from Lily High School in 1948. Don then attended Huron College majoring in Political Science and Education. He began teaching in Lily in 1951 and then graduated from Huron College in 1953, taking night classes. He was united in marriage to Joy Rasmussen in 1951. Don served his country in the United State Marine Corps during the Korean War from July of 1953 to July of 1955. The couple lived in Huron, Lily and then moved to the Minneapolis area where Don sold insurance. Joy died in 1984. On September 5, 1996 he was united in marriage to Joyce Riter Bjerke Amdahl. The couple has lived in Watertown since their marriage. Don enjoyed watching sports on television, especially all Minnesota teams, the Twins, Timberwolves and Vikings, attending high school sporting activities, playing cards and sitting and relaxing in his sun porch area. He will long be remembered as a friend to all, his favorite saying was "A stranger is a friend he hasn't yet met". Preceding him in death were his parents, wife Joy, son, Douglas Lee, and a sister, Doris (Bob) Dale. Grateful for having shared in his life is his wife Joyce of Watertown, a son, David (Kathy) Schoenbeck of Apple Valley, MN and a daughter, Julie (Mark) Mattson of Eagan, MN, a brother, Chet (Connie) Schoenbeck of Oakland, IA, Step-daughters, Patty (Ken) Tarbox and Susan (Don) Olson all of Bradley, daughter-in-law, Vicki (Bill) Tschida of Roseville, MN, 6 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren, 8 step-grandchildren and 16 step-great-grandchildren. www.furnessfuneralhome.com