Orvil Quenton Schoonover

Orvil grew up on a farm in Elkhurst West Virginia. There are many tales of the mischievous boy who on Halloween took apart a neighbors wagon and put it together on top of their barn to skinning a snake at recess and then letting the teacher use the knife to cut her apple. He also ‘fibbed’ about his age and enlisted in WWII when he was 14. At 15 he was in the Navy serving his country. After serving his first term, he returned to Elkhurst and married Sharon Young. He enlisted again, now he was legally allowed to enlist, for another term and served in the Korean War as well. As he returned again to Elkhurst, he owned gas stations and a restaurant/bar, ran for sheriff, was in charge of state roads which brings us to 1964 when he moved to Florida to work at Kennedy Space Center. He worked for several contractors and worked his way up to Branch Manager of Roads & Grounds. During that time he suffered heartache with the passing of his son and then his wife. He remarried Carolyn Townsend in 1975 and meshed her family and ours together. He retired in 1993 because he didn’t like the ‘politics’ and just wanted to do his job. Orvil & Carolyn enjoyed many cruises and trips and adventures throughout their marriage. They built a cabin in Boone, North Carolina, which only gave us ‘part time’ parents/grandparents in Florida. They had a blast building and furnishing it and enjoying the great Appalachin Mountains and all that went with them. Sadly tragedy hit again and he lost Carolyn in 2002. Since then he wintered in Florida and summered in North Carolina. During the last years of his life he struggled with dementia but that did not take away from who he was. He still wanted things cleaned and helped when he could and he always wanted to make sure everyone had something to eat and a place to stay. That was his nature to the end and we miss him very much. We love you Daddy.

Orvil was born in Elkhurst, West Virginia on March 31, 1929 to Henry Harrison & Orfa Marie Schoonover. He is survived by his sister Carole Schoonover, daughter Brenda LaRoche and husband Duane, son Terry Schoonover and wife Ramona, daughter Christine Noy and husband Scott, son David Townsend and wife Cheryl, son Dan Townsend and wife Justine. Also his grandchildren Brooke Wilson, Jason Laroche wife Maureen, Quenton Noy, Hunter Noy, Maya Townsend, Alec Townsend, and Chase Townsend. He has 2 great grandchildren Annalise and Ian LaRoche. And also many nieces and nephews that he dearly loved.

Visitation will be on Saturday, December 12, 2020 at Brevard Memorial Funeral Home 10:00 – 11:00 am with a service to follow at 11:00 am in the chapel. Burial at Brevard Memorial Park, Cocoa, FL.