Lew Schoeneman

1935 - 2025

Lew Allen Schoeneman, age 90 of Brooklyn Park, MN, passed away peacefully with his family by his side at North Memorial Hospital on October 11, 2025. He was born March 10, 1935 in Bismarck, North Dakota to Don and Helen (Giese) Schoeneman. His father Don served as the chief of police in Bismarck for 12 years before his passing in 1961. His mother Helen passed away in 1964. His family included two siblings, his twin sister Mary (Duerre) and brother Don (Gloria), both of which preceded him in death. He also enjoyed all of his nieces and nephews in addition to his sister-in-law Gloria Schoeneman: Vicki (John) Schoeneman, Sandy Schmidt (Gary), Bob (Carolyn) Schoeneman, Don (Anna) Schoeneman, Julie Schoeneman, Mark (Monica) Duerre, Steve (Natalie) Duerre, Deanna (Greg) Duerre and all of their children.

Lew graduated from Bismarck High school with the class of 1953. He also enlisted with the ND Army National Guard for 5 years beginning in his senior year of high school. He went on to attend the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks and graduated with his Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Management and Accounting. He moved to Minneapolis, MN several years later to begin work with the US Govt. He began working for the US Customs Service in 1970 as an Import Specialist in Minneapolis. He held many positions with Customs throughout the years and truly enjoyed his work. Lew was also the District Marketing Coordinator for many years allowing him to give over 200 presentations to the public about the Customs Service which he enjoyed very much. He spent the last six years of his time there as the Senior Inspector and the Minneapolis International Airport and retired after 28 years in 1998.

In 1965 he was united in marriage to Cleo (Burgett) Schoeneman of Maple Plain, MN and together they built a life filled with love and had two cherished sons, Craig (Beth) and Dan (Angela Berchem) Schoeneman residing in St Louis Park, MN. He is survived by several loving grandchildren – Dan's children Joshua and Laura Schoeneman and Craig's step-daughter Alena Johnson and husband Joey Nesbitt and one great grandchild Marshall Lincoln Nesbitt. Lew was a committed and loving husband and father, spending countless hours supporting his family and coaching his sons in baseball, hockey and basketball for many years and working countless hours building his career and continuing to serve in the Army National Guard. He endured the loss of his loving wife Cleo of 37 years in 2002 to illness. By God's grace, he rediscovered love once more in the following years and moved back to his home town of Bismarck. He was married to his dear high school classmate Betty Franklund in 2010 and they resided so happily together in their home "up on the hill". He cherished Betty immensely and her family became as one to him. He developed loving relationships with his daughter-in laws Diane (Franklund) Enger and her husband Ward, Terri (Franklund) Hegel and husband Bruce, and cherished son-in-law Greg Franklund. He is also survived by loving grandchildren Ben Hegel (Nicole) and Chad Hegel and great grandchildren Kyler Hegel (friend Sera), Marcus (Leah) Hegel, and Parker Hegel. Together our families got to know each other, spent wonderful times together and we cherish those relationships now forever. Lew lost his dear and sweet Betty in 2014 after a year-long battle with cancer and his friend and special son-in law Greg in 2020.

In 2020, he sold his "house on the hill" and moved to Edgewood, a wonderful assisted living community in Bismarck at the age of 85. He made many friends there and especially two very special friends Connie Bye and Adeline Schwab. In 2023, Lew made the big move back to MN and resided at Urbana Place Senior Living so be closer to his two sons. The care he received up until his passing at Urbana was a true blessing as he aged into his older years. The time and caring he spent with his two sons was unmatched and also one of the biggest blessings of our life. We enjoyed seeing him every week and having the time to talk about life in his older years, share past memories, laugh together, listen to his jokes, and become close friends again. I would give anything to tie his shoes for him one more time!!!!! We love you deep in our hearts dad, we cherish every moment we spent together, and life will never be the same without you in this world and in our lives. We will miss your "Lewie Jokes" and most of all we will miss your love, your physical presence, and your smile. Rest in peace now our friend, our father, our supporter, our leader, our everything. Laugh lots in heaven reunited now with Jesus and all of those that have gone before you dear dad. Look down on us and guide us to heal and be happy once again – teach us from above and watch over us as you always have. We love you and will miss you deep in our broken hearts forever.

Funeral will be held Sunday, October 19, 2025 at 2 p.m. at The Peterson Chapel, St. Michael/Albertville Funeral Home. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service. Interment with military rites will follow at Elmwood Cemetery, Rockford, MN.

The Peterson Chapel, St. Michael/Albertville Funeral Home served the family.