David Schoen

1943 - 2020

David Schoen
God called home the most talented, kind and gentle man, David Schoen, on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020. His spirit lives on with the beautiful memories and art he left us.
David was born Feb. 17, 1943, in Fort Smith. He grew up in Fort Smith and graduated from Fort Smith High School in 1961. David spent his teenage years helping his dad sell and lay carpet for the family business, Schoen Carpets. After graduation, he moved to Fayetteville and worked as manager for Hutcheson Shoes until 1966, when he was drafted into the U.S. Army. He was in the 5th Infantry Division, where he received the Army Commendation Medal and six promotions in the two years he served.
He met the love of his life, Eunice Mulkey, in 1968 while he was manager at Lloyd's Shoes. The shoe store was located inside Walmart, where Eunice worked. They were engaged many years and married in 1978. They lived in Springdale until 1985, when they moved to David's childhood home in Fort Smith, where he lived the rest of his life.
After the army and managing shoe stores, David was a multi-state merchandise distributor, owned a wedding cake and floral design business. His last business venture was Schoen's Cleaning Service, retiring in 2017 after 20 years. He was a talented artist and loved acrylic painting with his specialty being country scenes with beautiful farmhouses, covered bridges and red barns. He especially loved snowscapes and fall scenes with colorful leaves. Sometimes he would discreetly include a person sitting in a boat or on the banks of a pond. He said this person was him. He always said art was whatever a person saw, so if you saw a different person or a lake instead of a meadow, he was fine with that. He was a gifted florist and decorator. His home was decorated for every season with attention to every little detail. And boy, was he a baker. He made the best pies, cakes, cookies and fudge. He was known best for his lemon meringue pie and fudge, but he loved German chocolate cake — his was the best, hands down. No one made better meringue and he insisted banana pudding must have meringue on it. He loved his flower gardens at his home. He tended to them himself, and rightly so, because no one could do it better.
After he retired in 2017, he continued to paint, decorate and tend to his beautiful gardens. He and his wife loved shows and musicals. They traveled everywhere, sometimes with their church, which he especially loved. Their favorite thing to do was to go to the airport and watch airplanes take off and land. Between planes, he would work crossword puzzles and cryptograms while Eunice read.
He was actively involved with East Side Baptist Church, where he was a member for many years. We're not sure how the Sunday school class will survive without their coffee maker. David would love knowing the following members of his Sunday school class are honorary pallbearers: Willie Wickman, David Hardt, Ron Featherstone, Jerry Clemons, Chuck Craft, Michael Wilhelm, Doug Farris, Dennis Tittle, Chad Colley and Roy Vanderpool.
David is survived by his wife Eunice Schoen; his brothers, Phillip Schoen and Paul Schoen and wife Beverly; and his nieces and nephews, who he loved dearly.
Funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 6, 2020, at East Side Baptist Church in Fort Smith. Interment will follow at Barling Cemetery with military honors.
Visitation will be 2-4 p.m. Sunday at Ocker-Putnam Funeral Home in Fort Smith as well as immediately prior to the funeral service.
Online tributes may be made at www.ockerputmanfuneralhome.com.