In the evening of December 1, 2020, Coach Michael Alan “Schoney” Schonewolf died unexpectedly in Lady Lake, Florida, at the age of 63.
Mike leaves behind many survivors. His parents, John Schonewolf and Beverly Hulett, live in The Villages, Florida. His wife of 25 years, Kristina Schonewolf, lives in Lady Lake, Florida. He leaves seven grandchildren and four children: John Schonewolf and his wife Hollee live in Augusta, Georgia; Joe Schonewolf lives in Naples, Florida; Erin Gaertner and her husband Peter live in Wilmington, Delaware; Ryan Schonewolf and his wife Natsumi live in Hinesville, Georgia. Mike’s sister Robyn Chamberlain and her husband Skip live in Tyrone, Pennsylvania. His brother Dick Schonewolf and his wife Cindy in Granite Falls, North Carolina. Mike is preceded in death by his brother Doug Schonewolf of Hampden Township, Pennsylvania, where Doug’s widow Caroline still resides.
Coach Schoney was born March 18, 1957 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. A talented athlete coached by his father, he graduated from Reading High School in 1975 with a full scholarship to play football at the University of Delaware. In 1979 he played on Delaware’s NCAA Division II national championship and graduated with a degree in education. He proceeded to earn a master’s degree in sports administration from the United States Sports Academy.
Schonewolf served as a coach for 35 years. A college head coach at Marietta College, and an assistant coach at Princeton University, he spent the bulk of his coaching career at Caesar Rodney High School in Camden, Delaware, from which all four of his children graduated. Schonewolf was the Riders’ head coach for eight seasons, finishing with a record of 49-37 and leading Caesar Rodney to six DIAA state tournament appearances.
Upon his 2015 retirement, Schonewolf moved to The Villages, Florida where he worked part time for The Villages Recreational Department. Director of Recreation John Rohan remarked, “Coach was a man who was capable of uplifting a room and bringing people together. His love for serving others and being a mentor to so many staff shone through every day. He left an everlasting impact on all of us.”
His sudden death sent shockwaves revealing the vast influence and impact he wielded during his decades as an educator, coach, and athletic director. Mike’s wife Kristina posted the news of his death on social media on December 2nd and the post soon attracted hundreds of shares and hundreds of interactions from former colleagues, athletes, students, and fellow believers, illuminating his reach and legacy.
A virtual memorial will take place Saturday December 12th at 2PM, officiated by Pastor Debbie Nelson. In May, an in-person outdoor memorial will take place at Caesar Rodney’s Rider Stadium, date TBA. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Mike’s life. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to his wife’s prison ministry, The Oasis at Lowell Correctional Institution via https://theoasislci.org/give-now or the University of Delaware’s Blue Hens Football via https://ud.alumniq.com/giving/to/bluehens
Topic: Mike Schonewolf Memorial Service Time: Dec 12, 2020 02:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
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