Joyce Jean Schoonover

Joyce Jean Schoonover (Kunzmann), of Mount Prospect, IL, passed away peacefully embraced by family. Her 88 years bore beautiful witness to her love as a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

Joyce’s greatest fulfillment and constant delight in life was nurturing and spending time with her family. Joyce was married for 66 years to the love of her life, Richard John Schoonover (Dick). He passed away with Joy at his side last June, 2025. One cannot describe Joyce without speaking of Richard; they loved each other unceasingly. Together, they built a family filled with love, learning, and adventure.

With characteristic determination and a love of learning, Joyce pursued higher education and earned her degree in mathematics and philosophy with high-honors from Rosary College in River Forest, IL. She was a stay-at-home mom caring for, raising, and educating their five children. After her youngest entered high school, she worked as executive assistant to the dean at Harper College. Joyce had a sharp analytical mind, a keen memory, and an enduring quest for logic. Finding solutions to complex ideas was her delight. Joyce was always striving for better, or as she liked to say, “Perfect isn’t good enough.”

Travel was one of Joy’s greatest joys. From simple family excursions and spontaneous road trips to international destinations, she delighted in discovering what each place had to offer and inspired her family to approach the world with curiosity. Drawn to adventure and possibility, Joyce was quick to turn inspiration into spontaneous plans. On one occasion she declared, “Our tax refund just arrived, we have credit on the gas cards, and the station wagon is packed; let’s head to Florida in the morning!” That spirit of spontaneity gave rise to the beloved family refrain: “Quickly, hurry up and pack!”

Joyce formed lifelong friendships and shared her joy freely, her laughter bright and contagious. She loved to dance and was known for her exuberant irrepressible laugh, drawing friends and family naturally into her delight. She loved community and sharing activities together. She was an avid bowler and a dedicated tennis player. She coordinated and ran multiple leagues in recreational and club circuits, and numerous tennis trophies decorated her room and her memories later in life.

Joyce was the loving daughter of George and Jean Kunzmann, and cherished by her two brothers, George and Bob Kunzmann.

Joy is survived by her five children and their families:

● Rick, partner Colleen, children Nicholas and Amanda

● Greg, spouse Lisa, child Ava

● Cherie, spouse Jim, children Jennifer, Eric, and Daniel

● Bob, child Siara, grandchildren Tavin, Zoe, and Jaxson; child Brooke, grandchild Westin

● Bill, spouse Shelley, children Jess and Sydney

● Josephine Schoonover, daughter-in-law

● Angie Schoonover, daughter-in-law

An intimate family burial service was held the morning of Saturday, February 7. She was interred along with her husband Richard in the family’s section of Queen of Heaven cemetery in Hillside, Illinois.