Thinking of you today, Don, and so many days. Miss you always. 💗

I AM SO SORRY TO READ THIS NOTICE.  WE WERE FRIENDS FOR 22 YEARS BEFORE A DIVORCE CHANGED EVERYTHING.  SORRY THAT I NEVER REACHED OUT.  WE HAD A HELL OF A LOT OF GOOD CARD GAMES AND SPORTS GAMES AND I JUST LOVED HIS PARENTS.  MAY HE REST IN PEACE BECAUSE HE WAS A GOOD ONE

So sorry for your loss, May God keep and hold you in his arms and comfort you during your time of grief. I will always remember Don for his jokes and light heartedness.  Best regards, Dan and Cindy Schieber

Don was my dad’s cousin and my grandparents and Don’s  parents shared a cottage in Crystal Beach.  Once when I was very young, maybe 4, I went in the fun house at the amusement park with my cousins. I became frightened and somehow came out on a second story balcony of the fun house, crying, too scared to keep going. My parents weren’t there. Don was. He somehow got a ladder, climbed up it, rescued me, and carried me down. He saved a little girl from a scary situation.  I’ll always love him for that and his infectious smile and good nature is something I will never forget. 

Hiya (that’s the greeting I remember from Uncle Don).  I have so many great memories. Family get togethers in Buffalo, playing cards, berry bushes, creek walks, fishing at Sulzle camp, wedding shenanigans and so many smiles and laughs. So many laughs. 
Uncle Don was so many things to so many people.  He is so loved and will be missed so much. 

Dear Bob, Sharon, and the Schoenl family, We are so sorry to hear about Don. He was a wonderful and special man. He had a great heart .He was so caring, and had a wonderful sense of humor.         Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to all of you. All of you are in our thoughts and prayers.                                                                                                            With love, Crawford, Eva, Terry, and Anna Marie                                                                                                                      

Dear Diane and family,

So sorry to hear about your loss. It's been a very long time since I've seen you but I remember there was always fun on Southwood and Willowdale and Don was a big part of it!    I'm sending prayers your way and hope that all those happy memories bring you comfort and peace during this difficult time.

Joanne Marriott

Don 's quiet disposition was a source of strength for so many.   His dedication to his career and his family was monumental.  I enjoyed his humor during our tenure at work.  May he rest in peace and soar with the angels.  

Our deepest sympathies for the loss of Don.  I have great memories of visiting with Uncle Don and the family when I was younger.  He was always kind, patient, and funny.  The one Summer I spent in Buffalo, Don invivted me over to watch a few Sabres games.  Can't remember if they won or not, but I do recall having fun with Don every time!  He will be deeply missed by many, and we're very sorry for his passing.

With Much Love, Mark & Family

Uncle Don lit up the room.  From his constant clever jokes and deadpan expression to his love for watching golf, and the sports cards he always slipped into my birthday cards, his warmth and humor will be missed.  Uncle Don was my confirmation sponsor, predecessor in the field of social work, and an important role model.  Some of my favorite holiday gatherings were those with Uncle Don and the rest of our extended Schoenl family packed into our house every year on December 26.  Annual July 4th parties, a memorable string of Schoenl weddings, and tailgating at Buffalo Bills games will surely go down in history.  Without divulging specifics, the pranks of the Schoenl clan at these events were skillfully executed.  Uncle Don was one of several talented ringleaders in these efforts.  I wish him much peace and laughter in his soul as he moves on.  His legacy remains very much alive.

Don & Diane
Bill & Linda
Mike & Nicki
Bob & Sharon 


Darrell my deepest sympathies to you and your family. Joe Martin, Henrietta FD.

Always joking. Don and Bob posing as wrestlers at a family party. 

A few old pictures of Don with his brothers and with my brother, Tom McWhorter.

I have so many wonderful memories of Don that it’s hard to choose what to write. Don was so much more than a cousin to me. He was 10 years older than me and always treated me like a little sister. I remember when I was 4 or 5, somehow I was “influenced” (probably by Don’s brother Bob) to call Don “Lover Boy”. I was happy to do it because I truly loved Don! One day I was on the bus with my mother going somewhere, and Don got on the bus with a group of  his friends on the way home from high school.  I ran down the aisle of the bus toward Don shouting, “Lover Boy, Lover Boy!” And flung myself at him.  That would have embarrassed and annoyed most teenage boys, but Don didn’t miss a beat. He bent down and picked me up and greeted me as though his buddies were not even there.  I’m sure he took some razzing about that later (I think that became his nick name) but he never once made me feel I’d done anything wrong. That was Don - one of the kindest men I have ever known.
Don was a social worker. I grew up in the mid-late 1960s hearing him talk with compassion and respect about his clients when he would stop by to have lunch with my mom. Even as a kid, I always felt like he was doing very important work and I loved listening to him.   I found his stories so inspiring and knew that I wanted to do something like that too.  By the time I was college aged and told Don I was going to pursue a social work degree, he’d had his share of professional bumps and cautioned me about the hard work involved in advocacy. But it didn’t deter me because I always remembered his inspiring stories. When I finished my degree and began to work in Buffalo, I had the great pleasure of working together with Don on some cases.  The lessons I learned from him were invaluable and too many to write. 
I feel so fortunate to have been able to call Don my cousin, my mentor, my colleague, and always always my “Lover Boy”.   I will miss him more than I have words to express.

Don and I grew up together, so he has always been an important part of my life.   He was closest in age to me of all my cousins, and we grew up like brothers.  I spent much of my time at Aunt Erma and Uncle Bill’s house on East End Ave., where I felt as if I were part of the family, sharing special occasions, playing sports,  enjoying Aunt Irma’s cooking, and appreciating Uncle Bill’s words of wisdom. 
We were members of the same boy scout troop and went to the same high school (Bishop Timon) and took the same classes. After graduation, we both attended college at U.B., Don choosing a career in social work, and I became a teacher.
  We shared many experiences throughout our lives, all of which are now treasured memories to me. Don will always be part of my life, and I will miss my cousin, my good buddy, and my friend.
--Tom McWhorter




To the entire Schoenl family:
Please accept my deepest condolences on the passing of Donald SR.
May you be comforted knowing that he will live in peace throughout eternity.
Carlos P. Navarro

We have such wonderful , fun memories.
Remember the fishing trips to the Sulzle camp, all the Fourth of July picnics, all our travels together. 
Memories are forever!💕

we had so much fun, danced the night away! 

How could I forget the nights at Metzgers! (Ok, this one may not be there, but it might be like one there.)

There are so many memories of Uncle Don. One was when he knew I had a crush on Donnie Osmond, and after a night out with my dad, he came back with an autograph from "Donnie" for me. :) Tables lining his garage and driveway full of people playing games of pinochle; wiffleball in his front yard; days at Crystal Beach; sleepovers at his house, him calling me Linnie, and always when I left him telling me he loved me. I loved him too - like a second dad and I will miss him so much! 

OBITUARY

Donald J. Schoenl Sr.

January 29, 1945 – June 16, 2020

Hoy Funeral Home

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