Donald "Don" H. Schulenberg

Don was born on November 9th, 1934, in Madison, Wisconsin to Leonard and Maude (Goodman) Schulenberg. He was the fifth child out of eleven children. Upon graduating from high school, Don enlisted in the Army.

Don served in the Army for 20 years retiring as a Chief Warrant Officer 2. He was stationed in Missouri, Virginia, Japan, Texas, Oklahoma, Korea, France, Georgia, North Caroline, and twice in Vietnam. In 1956, while stationed in Japan, Don met his wife of 71 years, Esteline. Esteline was also stationed in Japan working in the post office where they met when he was picking up mail. Don and Esteline were married on August 25, 1956, in Japan, after a whirlwind romance.

While stationed in Ft. Belvoir, Virginia, Don stated that one of the highlights of his career was meeting President John F. Kennedy.

Don enjoyed ALL sports. His favorite teams to watch were the OU Sooners, the Wisconsin Badgers, the Atlanta Braves, and the Milwaukee Brewers. He played baseball, softball, golfed and bowled. As the years moved on, Don was a much better spectator than participant, but he was still willing to give you advice on your game. In addition, he coached two of his daughters along with many neighborhood girls in soccer for three seasons. His passion for all sports, even soccer, was evident with the number of red cards he received during several soccer games.

His passion for sports was only surpassed by his love for our country and for those who served our country. Don served many terms as the American Legion Post 88 Commander and in 2000-2001 he served as the State Commander. He was one of the best recruiters in the US because no one, absolutely no one, was safe from him asking, “Are you a Veteran?”. In 2000, Don had a dream to build a Veterans Memorial in Norman. After successfully getting approval from the Norman City Council, Don, along with several other veterans, raised the majority of the $319,000 needed to make this dream come true in 2008.

Don also believed in teaching young men about our country through the Boys State of Oklahoma. Here, he helped teach non-partisan leadership, government, and patriotism. Don volunteered for many years by attending and helping raise funds for scholarships to allow young men to attend.

He is survived by his loving wife, Esteline and four children: Pam (Tom) Whinery, Laurie (Darlowe) Todd, Tina Schulenberg and Derek Schulenberg. Don is also survived by his brothers, Ralph Schulenberg, Francis (Pat) Schulenberg and Dennis (Sherrill) Schulenberg and one sister and sister-in-law; Ruth Ann (Errol) Erstad and Della Green.

Don was blessed to have four grandchildren; Leigha Blackwell, Michelle (Whinery) Rapp, Rachel (Whinery) Oldham and Justin Schulenberg and six great grandchildren; Kyler Kelsey, Bayleigh DeJear, Amelia and Olivia Rapp, Blake and Mason Oldham.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Leonard and Maude, his brothers; James and Michael Schulenberg and his sisters; Bernice Weihert, Betty Lou Barsness, Della May Rothmann, and Jo Ann Davis.

The family would like to express their gratitude for all the kind words, stories, and prayers during this challenging time. Donations are welcome to the American Legion Post 88.

A visitation for Don will be held Wednesday, May 22, 2024 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Primrose Funeral Service, 1109 North Porter Ave, Norman, OK 73071. A funeral service will occur Thursday, May 23, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Primrose Funeral Service.