The world lost a wonderful man, Harry Schoen, on Sunday, May 14, 2017, but the heavens gained an angel.

Harry was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas on May 12, 1941. He grew up in Fort Smith and moved to Barling, Arkansas in 1969 where he lived the rest of his entire life. He graduated from Fort Smith High School in 1959, enlisted in the military in 1959 just a couple of years prior to the Berlin call-up, and married his high school sweetheart, Earnestine Reynolds, on November 22, 1962. Harry and Earnestine were blessed with one daughter, Angela. Harry spent his teenage years laying carpet for Schoen’s Carpets, the family business. After marrying Earnestine, he worked in the automotive industry, Frisco Railroad for a number of years, and eventually as a civil service mechanic at the Air National Guard base in Fort Smith. He obtained the rank of Master Sergeant and was Motor Vehicle Supervisor for the logistics squadron of the 188th fighter wing. Harry was deployed in training missions all over the world including Turkey, England, Gulfport, Mississippi, and Nellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas. He almost always took his wife and daughter with him. He retired in 2001 just a few days shy of 42 years military service. When he was not traveling with the military, he spent many long weekends traveling and taking his wife and daughter on camping trips, many times with other friends and their children making great memories. He and his wife especially loved traveling to Branson, having season passes every year. After retirement, he continued to spend time traveling, loved working on his cars, and was actively involved with the VW Club and the Old Guard 188th Wing. You could also find Harry at Barling City Council meetings contributing time for his community. He tinkered with all kinds of projects around the house and loved wood-working and collecting aircraft and train memorabilia. He has model airplanes hanging from the ceiling and enough model trains to circle the block. He had many friends who turned to him on many occasions for advice or help with fixing cars or making repairs to just about anything. He was a Christian and at the time of his death had been a member of East Side Baptist Church for many years.

Harry is survived by his wife Earnestine Schoen; his daughter Angela Sowell and her husband Mark of Tulsa, OK; two grandchildren Amanda Sowell of Fayetteville, AR and Jack Sowell of Tulsa, OK; three brothers David Schoen and his wife Eunice of Fort Smith, AR, Phillip Schoen of Orange County, CA, Paul Schoen and his wife Beverly of Houston, TX, and numerous other family members and friends who will miss him dearly.

The funeral will be held 10:30 A.M. Thursday, May 18, 2017 at East Side Baptist Church in Fort Smith with burial in U.S. National Cemetery in Fort Smith with full military honors under the direction of Ocker-Putman Funeral Home of Fort Smith. Viewing will also be from 9:30 until 10:30 A.M. prior to service at the church.

The Family will visit with friends from 6:00 until 8:00 P.M. Wednesday May 17, 2017 at Ocker-Putman Funeral Home in Fort Smith.

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