John Rossi Schenck

John was born and raised in Austin, Texas where he developed an affinity for athletics and academia. He graduated from Stephen F. Austin High School in Austin, Texas before earning his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin, with honors, in 2007 in finance with a minor in accounting.

After graduating college, John earned an officer commission in the United States Marine Corps, where he served honorably for nearly nine years. His tours of duty included platoon commander in Helmand Province, Afghanistan from 2009-2010. Later in 2010 he played an instrumental role in a peacekeeping tour in Haiti, and throughout Central and South America, for which he received an Achievement Medal for going above and beyond his duties. John was an instructor at the United States Marine Corps Basic School from 2011-2014 where he earned the respect of newly-commissioned officers under his tutelage, as well as his peers and superior officers. There, he earned a Commendation Medal for meritorious service as an instructor.

As one of the top twenty percent of Marine Captains, John was selected to attend Expeditionary Warfare School, the Marine version of graduate school. There, he completed the program as a distinguished graduate, being one of the top ten percent of his class, and became a published author with his article on hybrid ultra-large aircrafts (HULAs) selected for publication in the Marine Corps Gazette.

In 2015, John was stationed in Okinawa, Japan as a company commander where he led, mentored, and ensured the safety of hundreds of enlisted marines and junior officers. John was honorably discharged from the Marines in 2016 at the rank of Captain.

After his service in the United States Marine Corps, John earned his Master of Science degree in Technology Commercialization from the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business, graduating as valedictorian of his 92-student class, to further pursue his passion for leadership and innovation.

While John's professional and scholastic accomplishments are defining in their own right, they do not fully encompass the man he was. What defines John's spirit most were his love for learning, his friends and family, and most deeply, the love he had for his late wife, Kaema, and their son, Junior.

John and Kaema met while in Virginia, 2011. They quickly connected over their enthusiasm for travel, food, physical fitness, history, and literature. John proposed marriage to Kaema in 2013 in Paris while the two vacationed in France. They were married in Montego Bay, Jamaica on June 6, 2015. Throughout their relationship, they shared a deep emotional bond living together in the United States and abroad. In March 2019, Kaema suffered a sudden brain aneurysm while five months pregnant. John was continuously by Kaema's side as she remained in the hospital until their son was safely delivered and she passed away, May 12, 2019.

John resided in Austin, Texas and is survived by his son, John Rossi Akpan "Junior" Schenck; parents, Nina and Bill Schenck; brother, Beau Schenck; sister-in-law, Jana Schenck; nephews, Cortland and Marshall; loyal dog, Flash; and countless friends and extended family who loved him dearly.

The family would like to invite John's friends to attend an informal memorial gathering with military honors to be held from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home at 14501 North Interstate 35, Pflugerville, TX 78660. John's remains will be laid to rest at a later date.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cookwaldencapitalparks.com for the Schenck family.