Ronald Dean Schofield, 72

Ronald Dean Schofield, 72, of Forsyth, died Dec. 17, 2019, at Cox South Hospital in Springfield. Services will be private.

He was born, Sept. 22, 1947, in Portola, California, the son of John Adam and Willard Gladys Taber Schofield. He attended school in Thornfield and graduated from Gainesville High School in 1965. He attended College of the Ozarks and finished his undergraduate work in education from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar. He taught elementary school in Buffalo and later at Lutie in Theodosia. He earned a master’s degree in administration from Drury University in Springfield. He was principal at Lutie for three years and then taught social studies in high school. 

After deciding to give up teaching in public school, he attended the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service in Dallas, Texas. When he returned from Dallas, he became a licensed embalmer and funeral director in Missouri and practiced in Carthage for five years before moving to Mountain Home, Arkansas, becoming a licensed embalmer and funeral director in Arkansas.

His teaching, funeral and administrative experience were key when he became director and an instructor in a new program for funeral service at Arkansas State University in Mountain Home in 1997. He led the program to become ranked fourth in the nation as an outstanding funeral science program. He has taught hundreds of students throughout the United States to become professional embalmers. 

In 2006, Mr. Schofield and Ted Eakins purchased the Kissee-Schofield-Eakins Funeral Home in Forsyth. 

In 2010, he retired from ASU. He has been active through the years in several clubs and organizations. He was a board member of the Forsyth Chamber of Commerce, a member of the BPOE Lake Taneycomo Elks Lodge 2597 of Forsyth, a member of the United Methodist Church and many professional organizations.

He is survived by his husband, Ted Eakins of Forsyth; one son, Paul Schofield and fiancée Sara Wells of Jefferson City; one daughter, Kate Quinton and husband Daryle of Richland; one sister, Norma Pratt and husband Gene of Perryville; two step-sons, Joshua Eakins of Forsyth and Alex Eakins of Springfield; two step-daughters, Amanda Schwarzentraub and husband Phil of Nashville, Tennessee, and Jessica Wagner and fiancé Scott Dygert of Branson; six grandchildren, Levi and Macie Quinton, Will and Jason Schwarzentraub, Judah Wagner, and Roman Fields; and  many nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Leonard Schofield.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 (stjude.org).

Arrangements by Kissee-Schofield-Eakins Funeral Home.

Ozark County Times

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