Matthew Charles Schoenecker

Matthew Charles Schoenecker, 50, of New York, NY, passed away on June 18, 2025, due to drowning while trying to save a friend during a hike in Rattlesnake Falls near Lake Tahoe, California. He was the beloved son of Linda (Bruce) Grasso and David J. (Rebecca) Schoenecker. He is preceded in death by his grandparents Jack and Pat Schoenecker and Connie and Carl Weber, as well as his uncle John Schoenecker. He is survived by his brother David J. Schoenecker II and sister Noël (Scott) Blaszczyk, by numerous other relatives, including aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, cousins, and by his countless friends from over the years. All of them will greatly miss him.
Matt was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on November 30, 1974, the youngest of three children. He graduated as class valedictorian from Wauwatosa West High School in 1993. He also won the 1993 Wisconsin High School State Diving Championship, while also playing on the school football team.
He studied electrical engineering at University of Wisconsin at Madison, and dove for the diving team, graduating in 1998. He obtained a Master's degree, also in electric engineering, at Marquette University in 2001. After additional graduate studies at Columbia University in New York, he obtained a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering in 2010 at the University of California, Berkeley. His research focused on improving cochlear implants, electronic medical devices that can help people with severe hearing loss regain the ability to hear.
From 2010 until his death he served in several administrative positions for the Catholic Prelature Opus Dei in Los Angeles (2010-2024) and at the national headquarters in New York (2024-2025), where he oversaw the programs for married men. In 2011 he became the director of Tilden Study Center in Los Angeles, running academic and character development programs as well as mentoring hundreds of high school and college students whom he deeply impacted. He loved advising these young men and taking them on hikes and camping trips. They loved Matt for his fun-loving playful attitude.
Matt was a joyful person. He served others tirelessly with generous self-giving and would share his knowledge and his humor in any situation. He was strong and serene, a support to those around him, both family and friends. He had a passion for helping people, especially the many young men whose formation he oversaw during his years at Tilden. He was a wonderful listener, giving his full attention to the person he talked to. His humility, which hid a keen intellect, led him to always seek out others' opinion and advice. Even though he was far away from his immediate family, he was a wonderful communicator who kept in touch with his family despite his challenging work. He was known for being very intentional in everything he did.
Perhaps Matt's most defining traits were his infinite patience and his infectious cheerfulness, which led him to see the humorous side of any situation. He loved the outdoors and he enjoyed hiking and backpacking with friends.
Matt lived his Catholic faith deeply and consistently. He died the way he lived: trying to help someone else in an act of selfless courage.
A visitation will be held on Thursday July 17, 2025 at the Becker Ritter Funeral Home from 4 PM until 6 PM. Additional visitation on Friday July 18, 2025 at St. Margaret Mary Parish, 3970 N 92nd St, Milwaukee, from 10 AM until the time of Matthew's Mass of Christian Burial at 11 AM. The burial will be held on Saturday July 19th at St. Mary's Visitation Cemetery, 13205 Watertown Plank Rd, Elm Grove, at 10 AM.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate a gift to the Woodlawn Foundation in support of water safety training and equipment at Opus Dei programs, 56 Harrison St., Suite 401, New Rochelle, NY 10801.