Paul Schoenweiss

October 3, 1956 - January 11, 2020

Paul Schoenweiss, 63, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family and friends, on January 11, 2020 at Mid-Hudson Regional Hospital. Paul was born on October 3, 1956 in East Hanover, NJ to Jean (Ulrich) and Raymond Schoenweiss. He lived an interesting life, living in New Jersey, New York City and placing roots in Saugerties, NY. Back in his hell-raising days, he was a boy scout, worked as a taxi driver, a bridge inspector, a cook and sandwich maker extraordinaire. He was also part of a motorcycle club, enjoying the feel of the open road and the wind at his back. After settling in Saugerties, he worked for Ulster Greene ARC. He was head of maintenance, eventually moving to transportation where he supervised drivers and found his extended family. He was also 19-A certified. Paul was a staunch supporter of the 2nd amendment and an avid outdoorsman. He was President for many years of the Upper Esopus Fish and Game Club, one of his favorite places to spend time. He was the organizer of the Shandaken Primitive Biathlon and came in first place for his tomahawk throwing superpowers. He enjoyed shooting black powder guns and was a member of various muzzleloader associations. Paul was also a member of the Saugerties Fish and Game Club, where he organized various black power shoots and a member of the Federated Sportsmen’s Club of Ulster County. When not working, Paul was teaching hunter safety to people of all ages, as a certified instructor through DEC or trapping. Paul was also a member of the ARRL, as a HAM radio operator. Paul will be remembered as a humble, patient, gentle giant who never hesitated to lend a hand to others. He was a modern day MacGyver, believing anything could be fixed with some duct tape and zippy ties. Paul enjoyed sharing his love of the sport of hunting and trapping and passed his wisdom to those who were willing to learn. He was an avid hunter, even though his family is pretty sure he fell asleep in the tree stand, most of the time. Paul loved putting his camping skills to the test, making camping more like a suite at the Ritz. Paul was a prepper and always had a go bag ready in case of an emergency. He enjoyed going to firearm shows, where he purchased pepper spray for the women in his life. Paul was the best firestarter and could never be too warm. He could be found, most days, wearing camo and overalls, sleeping in his recliner with his beagle or throwing the bone for his granddog. When not outdoors, Paul was cooking up a mean grilled cheese sandwich, grilling up ribs, or dishing up his infamous parm garlic wings. Paul always made sure to make an extra plate for his dogs. He was a foodie, who loved to eat at Pizza Star/Starway Café and Subway. He always took the time for dessert, especially a thick, chocolate shake from Boice’s Ice Cream. Paul’s favorite time of the year was Halloween and would take great pride in decorating the house. He could usually be found under the hood of his daughter’s car because he could never say no to a pair of brown eyes. Paul embraced all types of music from the Paul Luke Band to Eminem, Jimi Hendrix and Willie Nelson. He played his music, loud and proud, until the walls shook and even had a photo of Jimi Hendrix hanging proudly in his living room. The most endearing thing about Paul was he never stopped learning and was teaching himself how to play the fiddle. He was also an avid reader and couldn’t learn enough about the French and Indian war. Paul fought a long, hard battle for six years with Liposarcoma but he did so as a warrior, with bravery and humor. He never let cancer define who he was and refused to let it beat him. He would want everyone to know the cancer did not defeat him, he defeated cancer and, as always in life, did things on his own terms. Paul is survived by his wife, Patricia Schoenweiss (Williams), who he taught what true love was, his daughter, Tinamarie Williams and her boyfriend, Thomas Godfrey, his best friend Schultz the beagle, his other furry companions, Snow, Milo and Murphy, along with his granddogs, Princess and Trapper. He is also survived by his estranged daughter, Stacey Schoenweiss. Having no grandchildren of his own, he is survived by his adopted grandchildren, Ryan, Dakota, Emma and Jasmine. He is also survived by his special niece, who shares his love for the outdoors, Miley Short. Paul was welcome with open arms by his dear friend, Terry (Perv) O’Connell, who pre-deceased him. A funeral service will be celebrated 7:00 pm Wednesday, January 15, 2020 at Buono Funeral Service, Inc. Friends may call Wednesday from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm at Buono Funeral Service, Inc. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the family for setting up a scholarship in his honor or be made to the Saugerties Public Library.