Born in Phillips, Wisconsin, he was the son of the late Otto Ferdinand Schonfelder and Ruby Gertrude Beyers Schonfelder.
His desire to serve others started at a young age. Even as a young boy, he helped to provide for his twelve brothers and sisters. By the age of nine, he was hunting, trapping, and selling pelts to give his mother her first washing machine.
Otto was a member of Iron Workers Local 498 out of Rockford, IL, and worked for United States Steel and American Bridge on monumental projects in the Midwest, including the Sears Tower in Chicago.
Otto began dating Ginger in 1971 after being introduced to him by his sister, Linda. After nearly ten months, they sat down for pre-marital counseling with Pastor Russell Schumacher. At their first meeting, the Pastor shared the plan of salvation, and Otto trusted in Jesus as His Savior in the Pastor's study of First Baptist Church in Polo, IL, in 1972. He and Ginger were married in that same Church on December 2nd, of that year. They shared over 50 years of marriage, raising their two children, Otto Jason and Angela Dawn. He beamed with pride, watching Jason and Angela serve the local church and use their gifts to expand the Kingdom of God.
Otto was watching Reverend Jerry Falwell on the Old Time Gospel Hour when he decided to move his young family to Lynchburg in August 1978 to be a student at Liberty Bible Institute.
Otto was the General Contractor of the foundational level of Demoss Hall, the original library for Liberty University, and many of the early dorm buildings spread across Liberty Mountain. He met all of the deadlines Dr. Falwell gave, no matter how tight the timeline.
Otto was a true outdoorsman, earning the nickname 'Bull Of The Woods.' He loved hunting, trapping, and fishing and was the ultimate mountain man. Whether it was cutting firewood or exploring, his knowledge of nature was something he loved to share with others.
For the last decade, Otto's great passion was being the General Contractor at the Thomas Road Outpost youth camp in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Whether it was giving direction or enjoying sharing stories with Camp Staff, 'Whistler' put his heart and soul into every inch and detail that went into carving a camp out of a side of a mountain.
His proudest accomplishment was being Papa to his six grandsons. Whether attending a swim meet, football game, baseball game, lacrosse match, or a play at a theater, he was the most prominent and loudest fan in the room. He cheered his grandsons on fearlessly and with abandon. He believed in them with every fiber of his being and that with Jesus, nothing would be out of their reach.
Known for his laugh and gregarious energy for life, he never missed an opportunity to share a story or give an illustration to teach a lesson and leave a lasting imprint.
His greatest desire was that everyone he encountered would come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Otto believed that no one was ever too far gone for Jesus to come in and transform their life. He believed that everyone who called on the name of the Lord would be saved and be recipients of God's Amazing Grace.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Ginger Schonfelder; his son, Otto Jason Schonfelder and his wife Heather; his daughter, Angela Dawn Richardson and her husband Paul; six grandchildren, Otto Sutton Schonfelder, Jack Thomas Schonfelder, William Franklin Richardson, Evan Charles Schonfelder, John Wesley Richardson and Maxwell Christian Schonfelder; seven sisters, Anna Mae Hoffman, Delores Risberg, Kim Grennan, Cathy Wood, Linda Kereven, Marge Pearson and Barbara Buck; and two brothers, Terry Schonfelder and Dave Schonfelder.
A service celebrating his life and faith will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, August 30, 2023 at Thomas Road Baptist Church with Pastor Jonathan Falwell officiating. Interment will follow in Virginia Memorial Park.
The family will receive friends for one hour prior to the service.
Those wishing to make memorial contributions are asked to consider Thomas Road Outpost, www.tro.camp.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.whittentimberlake.com for the Schonfelder family.
