Rev. Dr. William M. Schotanus

1918 - 2022

SCHOTANUS, Rev. Dr. William M., "Pastor Bill," of Richmond, Va., left this earthly world and passed peacefully into the loving arms of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Friday, February 4, 2022. Living a most amazing life, 103 years, he sadly died from COVID-19 complications. His family and friends celebrate such a great man: World War II veteran, pastor to six Presbyterian churches, loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and caring friend to so many people. Bill Schotanus was born August 30, 1918, in Stamford, Conn. His family moved to Atlanta in 1924. He attended public schools before entering Georgia Tech in 1936, receiving a degree in Engineering. After graduation, he worked in New York for a Texas Oil Co. Research Lab. In August 1941, he was called to active duty, serving as a U.S. Army Reserve Officer. Following Pearl Harbor, he spent 29 months in the Pacific, fighting for his country as Anti-Aircraft Automatic Weapons Unit Commander in New Guinea and the Philippines. He earned numerous medals of service, including Asian-Pacific Theater Medal with 2 Bronze Stars. Grateful to be alive, he returned to Atlanta in 1946 to continue his engineering career, employed by Rich's and the Foxboro Instrument Co. In March 1949, the most profound tragedy occurred when Bill's beautiful young wife "Hank" took her life due to severe Postpartum Depression, leaving his seven-month-old daughter, Nan, to his care and leaving Bill in heartbreak, grasping for answers and God's help to fill the unbearable hole in his heart and life. God most certainly took charge, and called him to enter the ministry, his new destiny. After graduating from Columbia Theological Seminary in 1953, he served as pastor to churches in Tennessee, North Carolina, Kansas City, Mo. and London, England, where he was chosen to be the organizing pastor of a new inter-denominational church, The American Church in London. He returned to the States in 1973, and was called to be Associate Minister of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Ga. After his retirement in 1983, Bill served as an Interim Pastor to several area churches.

Bill's volunteer services enriched many agencies and ministries in Atlanta. In appreciation of his service and dedication, Bill received the Community Service Award from WXIA-TV, a Distinguished Service Award from Georgia State University and the Samuel Reeves Award for Outstanding National Leadership from Shepard's Centers of America in Kansas City. This amazing man with a million-dollar smile, twinkling blue eyes, a "Hollywood handsome" countenance, a commanding voice and a spirited laugh that could be heard "round the world" had so many loves – a life-long love for the out of doors, especially the mountains, rivers, streams and waterfalls in the Blue Ridge, the West and Europe. He was a hiker, a canoer, a trout fisherman, a wood carver, a clock maker, a story teller, a jokester, an orator, an artist, a voracious reader, a raucous Georgia Tech fan, a world traveler, a lover of history, a three-time widower who cherished his wives immensely, a true American patriot, a servant leader, a caring, compassionate friend to all he met and a three-time Centenarian.

Rev. Schotanus was preceded in death by three wives, Arleen Irvine Faust of Kansas City, Mo., Nancy Lee Johnson of Nashville, Tenn. and Harriet "Hank" Irene Wilkie of Atlanta, Ga. He is survived by two children, Nan L. Boyd (John D. Boyd) of Richmond, Va. and Christian D. Schotanus (Betty Schotanus) of Olathe, Kan., two stepchildren, Melanie Griffey (Robert Griffey) of Richmond, Va. and John Faust (Nancy Faust) of Fort Collins, Colo.; nine grandchildren, Brett Miller of Glen Allen, Va., Michelle Patterson (James Patterson) of Ashland, Va., Nate, Emily Griffey Ewees (Sharif Ewees) of Richmond, Va., Jason Faust (Amie Faust), Griffin and Tayler Faust of Colorado, Nate, Sarie and Beatrice Schotanus of Kansas; six great-grandchildren, Remy Miller of Glen Allen, Va., Andy and Alli Ewees of Richmond, Va., Fisher, Mason and Kinzie Faust of Colorado. A "Celebration of Life" service for Rev. Schotanus will be held on Sunday, February 27, 2022, 3 p.m. at Second Presbyterian Church, 5 N. Fifth Street, Richmond, Va. All are welcome to attend. Masks are mandatory. Second Presbyterian will also livestream the service on their website: www.2presrichmond.org. Interment service will be conducted in the Memorial Garden of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Ga., at a later date. The family would like to thank the staff of The Hermitage and Hospice for their loving care. In lieu of flowers, Bill requested that contributions be made in his memory to "The Remy Spirit Miller Special Needs Trust" (four-year-old great-granddaughter with Spinal Muscular Atrophy), 4306 Monument Park, Richmond, Va. 23230 or to Second Presbyterian Church Outreach Programs, 5 N. Fifth Street, Richmond, Va. 23219.