Gerald Frederick Schoen

Gerald Frederick Schoen, 80, passed away December 16, 2024, after a long, valiant struggle with Lewy body dementia. He was born February 2, 1944 in Amarillo, Texas to Emmett and Erma Schoen. His mother died when he was three. He was reared by his father and wonderful stepmother, Marion Schoen. 

Gerald graduated from Amarillo High in 1962. He received a BS in physics from the University of Texas and an MBA from West Texas State University. Although he taught some management courses at WT and Amarillo College after returning to Amarillo in 2000, his career was spent primarily in the commercial nuclear power field. He worked for Westinghouse in Pittsburgh, NUS in Clearwater, Florida, The Institute of Nuclear Power Operations in Atlanta, and was an independent contractor with Vattenfall, a multi-national Swedish electric company. He was the start-up engineer for the Turkey Point plant in Florida.

His work took him to many places, both in the United States and around the world. He loved traveling and learning about different cultures and outlooks on life.

As a teenager, Gerald worked at Yellowstone National Park for several summers, an experience he always treasured. He loved the outdoors and made an annual road trip to New Mexico to camp in his tent.

He was curious about everything from astronomy (as a teenager, he built his own telescope) to religion and the fine arts. His taste in music was eclectic.

He was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. 

In 1986, he finally married his high school sweetheart, Vicki Melin Jacobs. 

Gerald is survived by his wife, a son, Jason Schoen and wife Tiffany Sims of Amarillo; a daughter, Heidi Greer and husband Curt of Minneapolis, two granddaughters, Aveena Schoen and Hallie Greer, a stepson, David Jacobs, and a special cousin, Peggy Neff.

Services will be at the UU Fellowship, 4901 Cornell Street, December 28, 2024 at 10:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, please send a gift to your favorite charity.