Schoenberg, Col. Irving

SCHOENBERG, Col. Irving B. (USAF Ret.)

Col. (USAF Ret.) Irving B. Schoenberg, 98, born November 5, 1925, in St. Joseph, MO, passed away on June 1, 2024. He was the oldest child of Morris and Mary Schoenberg, and brother to Darlyne Fagin Gilmartin and Ronald Schoenberg. He was raised with dozens of Hochman relatives and was a beloved "Uncle Sonny" to many of their offspring.

Irv was a husband, father, grandfather, and proud graduate of West Point Class of 1948, and a leader in the Atlanta community. Throughout his life, his care, concern and love made him a binding pillar of his extended family.

Irv's military career began in high school, where he was ROTC Captain. He enlisted in the Army straight out of Central High School, in 1943. He received an appointment to West Point in 1944. The West Point motto, "Duty Honor Country" shaped his life. His service spanned three wars (WWII, Korea and Vietnam). Among his career highlights were Eisenhower White House Aide, senior staff in the offices of the Secretary and Undersecretary of the Air Force (Pentagon), Missile Command, and Material Management and Logistics in Dayton, OH and Warner Robins, GA. His decorations included three Legions of Merit. He earned both an MA in Political Science and an MBA, and was an honor graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

Irv retired to Dunwoody, where he began a second career in business as an executive at Abrams Industries. He became a national leader in investor relations, chairing a NASDAQ committee and organizing a graduate program at Emory business school.

Irv was past president of the Downtown Atlanta Kiwanis Club and was a long-serving leader and board member of both USO Georgia and Hillside Hospital. He also served on the boards of Georgia College and the Metro Atlanta Boys and Girls Clubs. Irv was a pillar of the Temple Sinai community and a patron of the West Point Jewish Chapel. Each of these organizations benefited from his wisdom, leadership and tireless work to improve on their performance. He never just joined; Irv led by example.

Irv loved playing sports – tennis, handball, squash, bowling – even into his 80s. In his retirement, Irv dedicated himself to writing his autobiography, "My Family, My Life" with over 1,400 typewritten pages, and updating his family tree which contains nearly 2,000 relatives.

Irv is survived by his wife of 68 years, Ann; his three sons, David, Eric (Cheryl), and Jeff; and four granddaughters, Alex, Maia (Jelte), Josie, and Rachel. Memorial donations to any of the charities Irv supported would be appropriate to his spirit and deeply appreciated by his family. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM, on Tuesday, June 4, at Temple Sinai, followed by burial at Arlington Memorial Park. Dressler's Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

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