Frank Edward Schoenen Sr.

LITCHFIELD PARK, Ariz. - Former Great Falls resident Frank Edward Schoenen Sr., 68, of Litch-field Park, Ariz., an Army veteran, died of colon cancer Dec. 29 in a Goodyear, Ariz., hospice center.
A celebration of his life is 10 a.m. May 29 at the University of Great Falls Trinitas Chapel, with burial in the veterans section of Mount Olivet Cemetery. A reception will follow at the Ursuline Centre.
Survivors include his wife, Patty Schoenen of Litchfield Park; sons, Frank "Ed" (Beth) Schoenen Jr., and Patrick (Melissa) Schoenen, both of Great Falls, Jeff (Pam) Schoenen of Livingston and Chris-topher (Angela) Schoenen of Ridgecrest, Calif.; daughters, Terri (Howard) Brown of Prescott, Ariz., and Elizabeth (Wes) Prochniewski of Litchfield Park; sisters Rose-mary Robinson of Carter, Wilma Hardenburg of Missoula, Fran Heady of Boulder City, Nev., and Dianne Altenburg of Bremerton, Wash.; brothers William Schoenen and Ted Schoenen, both of Great Falls; and 12 grandchildren.
Frank was born May 27, 1938, in Great Falls. He met his beloved wife, Patty Allen, of Missoula, during his service in the Army at Fort Ord, Calif., in 1960. They married Jan. 4, 1961, and spent 44 of nearly 46 years of marriage in Great Falls, including 39 as owner of Frank Schoenen Painting and Decorating and Dynamic Interiors.
He retired to Litchfield Park, Ariz., in 2004. There, he immedi-ately became involved in St. Tho-mas Aquinas Catholic Church, attending daily Mass and family cenacles of the rosary. A man of tremendous faith, passion and inner strength, his life will be forever remembered and celebrated by his family and the thousands of friends made through his kindness and dedication to the church, the Ursuline Centre and through his profession.
His life and family were richly blessed by his work in prison ministry, and through his support of unwed mothers with Lutheran Social Services, his ministry to cancer patients through hospice and decades of fellowship through the Cursillo, where he and Patty made lifelong friends.
He was appointed to the Mon-tana Human Rights Commission in 1979 by Gov. Tom Judge and at-tended several Presidential Prayer Breakfasts in Washington, D.C., and toured the state promoting Christian artists.
A die-hard fan of New York Yankees baseball and Baltimore Colts and Notre Dame football, his favorite pastimes included attend-ing his sons' college football games and supporting the University of Montana Grizzlies.
His wife is most grateful for his unshakeable love and compassion, his desire to do right, his talent for taking videos of family and friends, his love for music and his smooth moves on the dance floor.
His children will always remem-ber - and give thanks for - his tireless support, wisdom and love. His grandchildren will remember him for his missing finger, trips to the airport to watch planes and "secret" visits to Dairy Queen.
Patty and their six children wish to extend their gratitude for the outpouring of love from the many friends and family in Montana and around the country.
Frank was preceded in death by his parents and younger brother Frederick.
Donations may be sent to the Trinitas Chapel or the Ursuline Centre in Great Falls.
Condolences may be sent online to greatfallstrib-une.com/obituaries.