Wenona Blanche Schoolcraft

Wenona was born September 30, 1926, in East Andover, NH, the daughter of Ellen (Hersey) and Otis Schoolcraft. She was “born again” through faith in Jesus Christ in August of 1941 at Camp Joy in Rumney, NH, and dedicated her life to Christ then.

In 1944, Wenona graduated from Andover High School and that fall attended Providence Barrington Bible College from which she graduated in 1947. Providence Barrington later became a part of Gordon College of Theology and Missions. Wenona studied education at Houghton College, 1947-1949, in Western NY and then transferred to Keene State College, Keene, NH and graduated in 1951. In the summer of 1955, Wenona studied biology and other sciences with Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL, working at their science station in the Black Hills of South Dakota. In the summer of 1988 Wenona studied Church History in Europe with the Gordon College Alumni Group and spent several summers after studying and working in England and Europe.

After graduation in 1951 from Keene State, Wenona taught grades 5-8 in Canterbury, NH. For the next three years, she taught third grade in Tilton, NH. In the fall of 1955, she taught fourth grade and Elementary Science at the Dame School in Concord, NH, until 1958.

In the fall of 1958, Wenona was called by the Lord to serve with Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) of Northern NH, based in Conway, NH. In 1962, she moved with her mother to Berlin, NH, and continued with CEF to teach Good News Club, train teachers, and work with the churches of Northern NH. In the summer of 1965 Wenona attended the three-month Child Evangelism Fellowship Institute in Muskegon, MI. In 1978, Miss Winnie (as she was known by many) moved to Keene, NH to be the Southwestern local director for CEF of NH. In 1984, she graduated from CEDOT (from CEF in Stroudsburg, PA) and continued working with CEF in Southwest NH. In 1992, she moved to Greeley, CO and served as CEF local director of Northern CO for 6 years. In 1998, Miss Winnie moved back to Keene, NH and worked again in the Southwestern part of NH. On November 1, 2005, she moved to volunteer in her retirement at CEF Headquarters in Warrenton, Missouri with the CEF Mailbox Club Ministry and CEF of East Central MO. In December of 2016, she returned to live in the Keene area. Miss Winnie served the children of the US and the world and many others with her faithful prayer throughout her lifetime.

Wenona is survived by her sister-in-law, Jeanne Schoolcraft of Manchester, NH; her niece, Betty Burke and husband, John, of Manchester, NH; and her nephew, Bobby Schoolcraft and wife, Joya, of Cape Coral, FL; as well as her daughter-like friend, Sharon Skinner of Keene, NH; and many cousins, nieces, and friends. Wenona is preceded in death by her father, mother, brothers, and sister. To her family and friends, she will be loved and remembered for her own personal devotion for the Lord and for her joy in teaching children the Truth of the Gospel.

A memorial service will be held at Sturtevant Chapel, 15 Washington Avenue, Keene, NH, on Friday, November 17, at 11 a.m. with Rev. Stephen Aldrich officiating. Memorial gifts may be made out to: CEF of NH, PO Box 146, Concord, NH 03302 or to CEF Inc., PO Box 348, Warrenton, MO 63383.