Marian F. (Fletcher) Schoonmaker

Troy - Marian Fletcher Schoonmaker, 92, beloved wife and mother, died on June 23, 2016.

She was born in Troy, NY, daughter of Basil and Minnie Fletcher. She graduated from Troy High School, attended a year of business school, and worked in the shipping department of the Boston and Maine Railroad. On a train outing to NYC she had to share a double seat with a stranger, and after a courtship mostly through letters, she married the man she had sat with, Edward B. Schoonmaker, a Long Island native. She raised her family in East Rochester, NY while her husband worked as a product designer for Kodak. Their marriage lasted for 67 years of shared interests and holding hands.

Her children give thanks for the many ways she graced their growing up, including her playing hymns on the piano, trusting God’s mercy and goodness, reading, memorizing poetry, and being interested in learning about anything and everything. A full-time homemaker, she also taught Sunday School at St. Matthias Church, was a member of the Ladies’ Auxiliary there, and took part in Faith Alive weekends.

She and Ned offered their home to various people who needed a place to stay for months or even years, regularly visited long-term residents of Monroe Community Hospital and nursing homes, and reached out to people in their local area. In recent years she moved to Troy to be closer to her grown children.

She is survived by her daughter, Lea Schneider and her husband, Dale of Deep River, CT; three sons, Jeff and his wife, Doris of Albany, Greg and his wife, Nora of Troy, and Renny and his wife, Nancy of Marion, Indiana; and 13 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Calling hour will be from 1-2 PM on June 30 at Brunswick Church, 42 White Church Lane, Brunswick, NY, followed immediately by her funeral service at 2 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Care Team of Brunswick Church. 

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