Helen Arthur Schoenick

Schoenick, Helen A. VERONA- Wednesday morning, September 4, 2013, after nearly 92 years of strength, love, and family, Helen Jeanette Arline Hanson Arthur Schoenick passed into her eternity of peace while at Oak Park in Madison, with her family nearby and present. Born on November 4, 1921, at home in Madison, she was the oldest child of Fred G. and Hazel (Napstad) Hanson. She was united in marriage in 1950 to O.F. “Dick” Arthur in Madison. They lived in Connellsville, Pa., where daughters Holly and Kristy were born. Helen and her family lived in Pennsylvania for several years and Silver Spring, Md., and then Toledo, Ohio, before moving back to Madison a year following the death of her husband in 1970. In Wisconsin, she met and married John Schoenick, with whom she lived in Verona for several years until his death in 2001. Helen is also survived by John’s two sons, Steve and Scott Schoenick, their wives, and several children. Her lifelong love of sewing was a hobby, as well as professionally for several years as a seamstress manager for a bridal shop in Toledo, Ohio. Helen’s daughters rarely wore store bought clothes. She was once approached by a buyer for expensive NewYork children’s clothes, who wondered where she had purchased her daughters’ wool coats. Helen became quite skilled at office work for her first husband’s engineering and manufacturing companies. She also became quite a gardener with her second husband. Helen never lost her love of sewing. Due to declining self-care abilities, Helen spent several years at Willow Point in Verona, and the last year under the gentle and attentive care of the staff at Oak Park Memory Care in Madison, which was attached to the Arbors apartments where her daughter lives. She is survived by her daughters, Holly Draper and Kristy (Jim) Gish; grandchildren, Chris Draper and Matt (Colette) Draper, Heather (Joshua) Lott, Rebecca and Alexander Gish; great-grandchildren, Olivette Draper, Kane, Tabi and Paige Lott; brothers, James B. (Ann) Hanson and Frank (Bev) Hanson; several nieces and nephews; and inlaws, Jane and Ken Manson. Helen was preceded in death by her parents; two husbands; one brother; and two sisters. Visitation will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 13, 2013, at St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church, 427 S. Main Street, Verona with a Memorial Service following at 11 a.m., presided over by the Rev. Kurt Billings. A luncheon to celebrate Helen’s life will follow the service. Interment will follow at Blooming Grove Cemetery in Madison. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com. Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care 5203 Monona Dr. (608) 221-5420