Ruth Marie "Marian" Schoonover, age 93, of Gallipolis died Thursday July 3, 2025 at the Laurels of Athens. Born July 10, 1931 in Akron, Ohio she was the daughter of the late Wayne A. Baker and Marita A. (Young) Baker. In addition to her parents, in 2004 she was preceded by her husband, Walter F. "Junior" Schoonover whom she married on August 6, 1955 in Gallipolis, Ohio, at the Ohio Chapel Church in the Clipper Mill Community; Stepson, Thomas Richard Schoonover; sister, Patricia A. (Baker) Compton; Father and Mother-in-law, Walter H. Schoonover and Thelma B. (Daugherty) Schoonover; Brother's and Sister's-in-law; James Compton, Bobby L. and Francis L (Saunders) Schoonover, William H. and Leah M. (Swann) Schoonover and Lester and Wanda J. (Schoonover) Lee; and by Niece and Nephew, David L. Schoonover, and Michelle M. (Compton) Landon.

Marian was born in Akron, Ohio but made frequent visits to family farms in Gallia County near Yellowtown and downriver from Clipper Mill. Two weeks after the end of WWII, the family returned to acquire a farm next to the farm of her grandparents, Charles & Addie (Boster) Baker, on Lower River Road. After graduating from GAHS in 1950, she was employed at Ohio Bell Telephone Company in Columbus, Ohio, as an Operator and was promoted to Supervisor of Operators. In 1955, she married Walter "Junior" Schoonover and they resided in Gallipolis for a short time before moving to Kanauga and raising 3 children. After her husband's death, Marian was proudly involved in the Gallia County Genealogical Society, OGS Chapter serving as Vice President for a number of years. She was instrumental in helping many families find records to join the many societies available, and made many friends along the way. She and her daughter, Trischa, made many trips to Virginia, from Covington and Lexington to Jamestown and Charles City as well as towns in between, in search of her family's genealogical records. Marian was proud of her children and grandchildren's accomplishments. She made sure to be at graduations, pinning's, or commissioning's from California to North Carolina, and Columbus, Ohio to Leo, Indiana. She could not say enough in praise of each and every one of them.

She is survived by her Children, Walter F. (Jennifer) Schoonover, Jr. of Leo, IN, Patricia J. (Ron) Reeve of Albany, OH, and Wayne W. (Adeanna) Schoonover, of Hubert, NC; Grandchildren, Thomas R. (Toni) Schoonover, Tammy Michelle Blake, Doug Moore, Tanya (Michael) Bruce, Dr. Jordan Schoonover, Madison Schoonover, Lt. Commander Telia (Jeff) Wright, Wayne (Miranda) Schoonover, Jr. and Carl (Jennifer) Schoonover ; Great Grandchildren, Stephen, Wolfgang, Elisabette, Hannelore Bruce, Waylon Wright, Wayne and Wyatt Schoonover, Payton Riley Schoonover, Jadon and Christian Peterson, Joshua (Heather) Maggard, Maggie Maggard, and T.R. Schoonover; Great-Great Grandchildren, Sam, Lilly, and Charlee Maggard, Ethan Psenak, and Emilia and Izzy Schoonover; Nieces and Nephews, Rebecca (Paul) Honaker, Alice (Scott) Atha, Freida (Ron) Greathouse, Bill Lee, Kim (John) VanMeter, Donald "Lonnie" (DongMei) Schoonover, Bobby (Teresa) Schoonover, Jeffrey (Melody) Schoonover, Deborah Compton, and Robin Mason; and by many great nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Funeral services will be 2:00 PM. Sunday July 20th,  at the Waugh-Halley-Wood Funeral Home with Larry Miller officiating. Burial will follow in the Ohio Valley Memory Gardens. Friends may call at the funeral home on Saturday July 19th from 6 PM. till 8 PM.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to either Gallia County Genealogical Society, OGS Chapter, Inc. 459 Second Avenue, Gallipolis, OH 45631 or Alzheimer's Association Central Ohio Chapter, 1379 Dublin Rd., Columbus, OH 43215.

Pallbearers will be: Wayne Schoonover Jr., Carl Schoonover, Jeff Wright, Donald "Lonnie" Schoonover, Bobby Schoonover, and Jeffrey Schoonover.

An online guest registry is available at www.waugh-halley-wood.com