Karl A. Schellenberg

Karl A Schellenberg, age 92, of Virginia Beach passed away peacefully on April 10th, 2024 at his home. He was born in Hillsboro, Kansas on July 13, 1931. Karl was predeceased by his parents Alma (Groening) and T.R. Schellenberg and his wife of 57 years Elizabeth B. Schellenberg. He is survived by his four children Robert (Cindy) of Red Oak, NC; Betty Ann Galway (Bob) of Rockingham, VA; Richard (Carol) of Richmond, VA; and Margi Schellenberg (Michael) of Berlin, Germany. Karl is also survived by his grade school sweetheart Virginia Conger, who he reconnected with later in life. Also surviving are eight grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
He grew up in Arlington, Virginia and graduated from William & Mary in 1953, earned a Doctor of Medicine from Johns Hopkins University in 1957, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry from Harvard University in 1963. He was an associate professor of chemistry at Johns Hopkins University from 1963-1973. He was recruited as the original Chairman of Biochemistry at the newly formed Eastern Virginia Medical School in 1973 and remained as the longest tenured Chairman until his retirement in 1997. During his career, he earned numerous awards including induction into Phi Beta Kappa in 1953 and Alpha Omega Alpha in 1996. He also earned six patents including new medications, solid chromatography, and the coke bottle cap liner.
In later life he served in the Virginia Beach Widowed Persons Service group to help others in bereavement. Karl also served the Lakeview Shores Civic League for the neighborhood where he resided for over 50 years. He remained independent and active, attending the Virginia Beach Recreational Center daily, even several hours before his passing. Always relentlessly curious, he continued pursuing many different ventures including electronic toys for his great-grandchildren, new synthesizers, healthy baking, and botany.
A celebration of his life will be held at 11am, Saturday, April 20th, 2024 in the Chapel of Haygood United Methodist Church (4713 Haygood Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23455) where he regularly attended. The family will receive friends and family immediately following the service.