Leone Schonack

Leone was born to Elsa and Friedrich Panter on February 28, 1930.  She was baptized December 14, 1930 in Milwaukee, WI and confirmed into the Lutheran faith in 1944 in Milwaukee, WI.

On April 15, 1950 Leone married the love of her life who just happened to be her long time neighbor Russell Schonack.  Their union was blessed with 3 children,  Linda (Schonack) Renk married to Andy Renk, Janesville, WI; Gwen (Schonack) Magner married to Richard Magner, Little Elm, TX; and Mark Schonack married to Becky (Hodson) Schonack, Aurora, CO.   Russell and Leone have been blessed with 6 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.

Leone always had an entrepreneurial spirit and in 1972, the family moved from Milwaukee, WI to Aurora CO to open an ice cream store.  Yes, they moved from the only home they ever knew in Wisconsin to start a new adventure in Colorado.  They owned the ice cream store in Aurora, long enough for Gwen to scoop her way through college and Mark to get some extra money through high school.  At one point, Russ went to work at the school district and after selling the store, Leone followed him to Cherry Creek Schools to work in accounts payable.  Russ and Leone have been members of Mt. Olive Lutheran in Aurora since 1972 and Leone served the Lord through Stephen’s Ministry, small group bible study, choir and  LWML.  She was also actively involved in the Women’s Auxiliary of the VFW.

Leone loved to travel and was the family vacation planner, even planning a 3 week road trip to the west coast and seeing us safely back to Milwaukee.  Amazingly no blood was shed with 3 kids sharing the back seat.  In 1993 Leone planned a trip to Germany with Russ.  Leone was very interested in the history of our family and this trip gave her the opportunity to visit the sites where their parents’ families lived. They even rekindled some relationships with family members they didn’t even know about until she researched the genealogy of the family.

Leone had a heart for people.  She ministered to those who were not able to go to church and was always willing to bake cookies for college students and make a meal for those who needed it.

In 2017 Leone suffered a stroke which left her in a wheelchair and minimal use of her right arm.  She did remain alert and aware of her surroundings since the stroke  until May 16, 2021 when she peacefully passed away.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation - AMDF. Details can be found below.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8: 38-39