Robert Schoenlank

Robert Schoenlank – 91, of San Rafael, passed away peacefully on September 12, 2014 after a brief illness. He is lovingly remembered by his wife of 52 years, Ellen; his daughter, Ingrid Schoenlank; grandchildren, Maia and Grant Perry; and his son-in-law, Steve Perry.

Robert was born on July 9, 1923 on Long Island, NY and resided in Cedarhurst, NY for 18 years. He graduated in 1944 from Renneslaer Polytechnic Institute in NY with a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. In college, during WW2, he enlisted in the US Marine Corps and was sent to Camp Pendleton, CA. After the service and college, he moved to San Francisco and worked as an engineer until 1950. He then moved to Okinawa, Japan and worked with the Corp of Army Engineers for 7 years. He met his business partner, Vincent O’Kelly in Japan and together they formed the Consulting Engineering firm, O’Kelly and Schoenlank in San Francisco, in 1959. He retired in 1998.

His interests were golf, bicycle touring and antiquarian and rare book collecting in the field of English poetry. After retirement, he took up plein-air landscape painting as a hobby. He was a member of the San Rafael Sirs and the Western Business Golf Club.

We will miss him immensely. His appreciation of the absurd, his dry wit, his curiosity and his sense of fairness made him a unique and wonderful person.

Please make any memorial donations to the charity of your choice or to Doctors without Borders.

There will be a remembrance for friends and family on October 13, 2014 at the Marin Art and Garden Center at 11 am.