We all have a story to tell. Our next couple have had ups and downs but through it all they have had a steadfast in their love for the Lord and each other. Meet John and Joyce Schmook.
Murray & Edna Coleman gave birth to their first child, Joyce Lee Coleman in Eagle Grove, Iowa. Joyce had one other sibling seven years later. The family moved often because of Joyce’s dad having a career as a Radio Engineer. They finally landed in Enid, Oklahoma working for KCRC Radio which was heralded as the only station anyone could receive northwest and west of Enid, Oklahoma. After graduating from Enid High School in 1954, Joyce went on to Phillips University for two years as a voice major. During that time, she met a young man, Peter Wylie. It didn’t take long for them to know this was going to be a forever relationship. They married July 15, 1956. Peter pursued a career in opera fulltime which eventually took them to New York where he acted in films like “Wall Street”. Joyce was supporting him at a law firm as a legal secretary. Unfortunately, Peter got cancer so they moved back to Tow, Texas. Ten years after being back, Joyce received news her dad fell and broke his hip just a few days before Peter passed in 2006. They were married for 50 years. Two weeks after his passing, Joyce would go back and forth to Dallas, Texas to care for her aging parents and her bachelor brother. Her father passed at age 96 in 2008 and her mother passed at age 99 in 2014.
John Schmook was born December 14, 1928 at Masonic Hospital in Cherokee, Oklahoma to John Anthony & Cora Faye Schmook. His granddad came in on the Cherokee-Strip, September 16, 1893 and was very instrumental in the development of the communities of Timber Lake and Helena, Oklahoma. John was an only boy with two older sisters. As a result of the family heritage John was spoiled and he was reminded often that if he could be half the man his granddad was he would be highly successful.
His mother who was a devote Christian died when he was fifteen. She had requested that John go to college one year even though she knew John could not read because of dyslexia. One year after his mother’s death, John’s dad moved back to Missouri to care for his aging parents and turned the family farm over to John at age sixteen. Keeping his mother’s promise, John went onto college for two years and kept the family farm. He courted his first wife, Maryluella, a friend of his sister. They dated and three days after their first date they were engaged to be married. Maryluella was a city girl and had to learn farm life quickly. They experienced a blizzard the first year they were married and no electricity for six weeks. They farmed for 10 years during the drought of 1950’s and almost went broke. Luella said the only thing that prospered was our two sons and one daughter. At 28 years of age Luella said to John, “you have to finish college to educate our three children and the one on the way.” John graduated college with fifty-five semester hours in one year and a 3.4 grade average in Vocational Agriculture, even with dyslexia. After college he began work for Metropolitan Life as a Farm Mortgage Appraiser which led to other opportunities and eventually his final career stop – his own company in Commercial Appraising. John and Luella were married for sixty-one years when Luella passed away with cancer.
Two years after John’s wife Luella passed, he was at his granddaughter, Elizabeth’s, graduation party when in walked Joyce Wylie. They found out Elizabeth was also Joyce’s grandniece! The waitress at the party leaned over to John and asked what would your wife like to order, not knowing they had just met. That made them laugh. They visited and John gave Joyce his business card, and said, “Call if you want to talk.” Joyce did call and they visited quite often. When John met Joyce’s mother she looked at John and said take good care of my daughter. Which made them laugh again. One month after Joyce’s mother passed away Joyce went to John’s birthday weekend at University Village. John asked Joyce if she had considered a second marriage and with a very strong smile she answered “I was wondering when you’d get to that!” With the approval of both families they were married on July 26, 2015. Their story continues and is filled with joy!
John and Joyce said, “University Village has been a great blessing to us. The many friendships, activities, and love expressed by so many makes this a great place to live.”
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