The Life of John Scheer Schoelen
Funeral services will be held on Friday, January 12, 2007 at a 1:00 PM Mass of Christian Burial in St. Mary Catholic Church in Lafayette, Louisiana for John S. Schoelen, 78, who passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 9, 2007.Interment will be in Holy Mary Mother of God Cemetery in Lafayette.Reverend Robie Robichaux, JCL, Pastor of St. Mary Church, will be the Celebrant of the funeral Mass and will conduct the funeral services, assisted by Deacon Jim Kincel. Lectors will be Christine Montesano and Mikel John Schoelen. Giftbearers will be Shirley Miller and Marilyn Turner. Altar Servers will be Mike Montesano and Tyler Kragle.Monica Melancon, accompanied on the organ by Deborah Duhon, will sing for the Funeral Mass, "Here I Am, Lord", "The Lord Is My Shepherd", "You are Mine", "One Bread, One Body", "Surely the Presence" and "Amazing Grace".A native of Kingfisher, Oklahoma and a resident of Lafayette for the majority of his life, Mr. Schoelen was the son of the late, Godfrey "Fred" Schoelen and Catherine Scheer Schoelen.He was a retired Petroleum Geologist who worked subsurface exploration for Ultramar Oil and Gas, Elf Acquitaine Petroleum, SLAPCO, (Celeron), Dawson-Schneider, Texas Pacific Oil Co., Skelly Oil Co., Texas Eastern Transmission Corp., Arkansas Fuel Oil (Cities Services), and Atlantic Refining Company. Prior to his retirement, Mr. Schoelen was an Independent Geologist and originated onshore South Louisiana prospects, as well as worked as a consultant.Survivors include his beloved wife of 55 years, Rosemary Fath Schoelen; his daughters, Avis Domingue and her husband, Frank J. Domingue, Carla Montesano and her husband, Bubba Montesano, and Dina Segura and her husband, Butch Segura; one son Mikel John Schoelen of Boulder, Colorado; a sister, Carol Ann Coats; ten grandchildren, Dave DeSoto and his wife, Stacy DeSoto, Bob DeSoto, Nick Montesano and his wife, Rebecca Montesano, Christine Montesano, Andy Montesano, Mike Montesano, Tony Montesano, Clay Montesano, Stewart Segura, and Whitney Segura; and one great grandchild, Sarah Elias.A Veteran of military service, Mr. Schoelen served in the U.S. Air Force from 1946 to 1949, spending most of his enlistment as a Cryptographer in Weisbaden, Germany in the occupation army. He was recalled to active duty at Sampson Air Force Base in New York until 1951, where he was honorably discharged.As a Dean''''s Honor Roll student, Mr. Schoelen attended Northern Oklahoma Junior College in Tonkawa, Oklahoma. He also graduated from the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology, where he was also on the Dean''''s Honor Roll. At the University of Oklahoma, Mr. Schoelen was a member of Sigma Gamma Epsilon honorary earth society.Locally, Mr. Schoelen was a Life member in the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, and served as Lafayette District Representative for three consecutive years in 1965, 1966, and 1967. He also served as Lafayette Chapter President of the American Institute of Petroleum Geologists in 1979. He was a member of SIPES (Society of Independent Professional Earth Scientists) and Lafayette Geological Society, where he served as an officer for two years. Mr. Schoelen was a member of GCAGS, and treasurer in 1967.Mr. Schoelen was an American Legion Member, an active member of the Knights of Columbus and on the Our Lady of Fatima Church Newcomers Welcoming Committee, where he served as President in 1972, as well as on the Parish Council. He was selected as one of the first Lay Eucharistic Ministers at Fatima Church. He also served at St. Mary Catholic Church as a Eucharistic Minister for eleven years.A charter member of the Civitan Club of Lafayette, Mr. Schoelen held many positions in the club including Treasurer, President, Fruitcake Chairman, and Photographer. On the district level in Civitan International, he was Secretary-Treasurer in 1963, Lieutenant Governor in 1966, and Bulletin Editor. He continued his service in 1983 as Civitan Governor of Louisiana District South. He was active in Special Olympics and was honored to be "official photographer" for the track and field summer games in Baton Rouge.Mr. Schoelen was preceded in death by his daughter, Barbara Lynn Schoelen; his sister, Evelyn Schoelen Kelly; two brothers, Russell and Thomas W. Schoelen; and his parents, Godfrey and Catherine Schoelen.He was known by his friends and family as "Big John", not for his small stature, but for his gentle character and caring personality.Pallbearers will be Dave DeSoto, Bob DeSoto, Nick Montesano, Andy Montesano, Stewart Segura, Whitney Segura, Walter Broussard, and Rudy Sellers. Honorary pallbearers are Paul Cassity, Jim Krantz, Jim Cooper, Jim Underwood, and George Scott.A Rosary will be prayed at 5:00 PM and a special Rosary will be prayed by the Knights of Columbus Council # 3470 at 7:00 PM on Thursday, January 11, 2007 in Martin & Castille Funeral Home in Lafayette.The family requests that visitation be observed on Thursday from 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM and on Friday from 9:00 AM until time of services.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mr. Schoelen''''s name to Hospice of Acadiana, 2600 Johnston Street Suite 200, Lafayette, Louisiana 70503, or the Civitan International Research Center, One Civitan Place Birmingham, Alabama 35213. Martin & Castille Funeral Home, Inc. of Lafayette has been chosen to help with the arrangements. 337-234-2311
