Loretta Jean Greenwalt Schoonover

Loretta Jean Greenwalt Schoonover went to our Lord on Tuesday, Nov., 2019 with her daughter Mary Ann (Punkie) at her side. She was residing at DeSansos Assisted Living in Jerome, Idaho in their loving care at the time of her death.

Loretta was born on July 28, 1934, on her grandparents’—Jacob and Caroline (Hochstatter) Greenwalt Sr.—homestead west of Ritzville. Her parents Henry and Hilda (Schaal) Greenwalt had worked the harvest, Hilda chopping wood and cooking for the harvest crew that day. She was delivered by her grandmother’s loving hands, setting up a special bond.

Henry moved his family to a ranch close to Latah, WA in 1940, where Loretta went to school and completed her education though her sophmore year. She had met Charles Lee Schoonover on the ranch of her uncle Jacob Jr. and Lydia Greenwalt. They promised their parents to wait until Loretta was 18 to marry. On Sept. 14, 1952, Charles Lee Schoonover of Odessa married Loretta Jean. Dad said it was love at first sight for him.

They lived in Montana, Latah, Lind, Irby, Spokane and Ralston. Loretta was a farmer’s wife for many years, raising two daughters, Mary Ann (Punkie) and Lori. She trained in Irby under Lois Iksic’s guidance to be a nurse’s aide, which she loved. She was her husband’s right-hand man, driving the wheat truck, running for parts, and being a partner in CL Meats and their German sausage.

Loretta was a longstanding member of the Ralston Grange and Emanuel Lutheran Church, being active in the Rose Circle and the Choir. She loved to sing. Her greatest joy was her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who she followed to the Magic Valley in Idaho. She figured she had time to come back to cuddle the great-grandchildren to come from her grandchildren in Spokane, but God called her home.

She was proceeded in death by: her parents, Henry H. and Hilda Pauline Schaal Greenwalt; and her loving husband Charles Lee Schoonover. She missed him so terribly but they are both with our Lord, as it should be.

She is survived by: two daughters, Mary Ann (Punkie) Schoonover Wilks, and Lois (Lori) Lorraine Schoonover Jeske; six grandchildren, Kyle McQuire, Justin Wilks, Megan Wilks, Shannon McQuire, Elvin (Zene) Wilks Jr and Lisa Wilks Barton; seven great-grandchildren: Jaden Wilks, Wade Ford, Ashley Murphy, Christopher Wilks, Bella Wilks, Kayla Mensch and Aaron Wilks; and three great-great-grandchildren.

Loretta is survived by four siblings and was the eldest and the mother-hen of the group especially after the loss of their parents: Margaret Greenwalt Addington, Ralph Greenwalt, Larry Greenwalt and Gail Ann Greenwalt O’Connell. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews and cousins, too numerous to mention.

On March 2, Loretta Jean Greenwalt Schoonover will be laid to rest at 11:15 a.m. at the German Cemetery (east of the golf course) with Memorial Services to follow at 12 p.m. with a luncheon to follow. Pastor Bob Kenyon is officiating.

In lieu of flowers, Loretta had asked for donations to be earmarked for where the need was greatest, in the church or for the family to defray costs.