Obituary of NOT GIVEN

Philip Michael ‘Mike’ Schoap died on January 1, 2020 at the age of 75. He was born on the San Diego Naval base March 3, 1944 to Gloria Deane and Philip Gates Schoap. He attended grade school in California, then moved to Oklahoma with his family. He attended high school in Oklahoma City. Mike loved music, playing many instruments throughout his life. While in high school in Oklahoma City, he was an usher for the symphony and heard many great classical concerts. He played in band in high school and played for many games and rodeos. Consequently later on in life he never wanted to attend any rodeos with his wife Stephanie! He attended his first year of college in Oklahoma and then enlisted in the army during the Vietnam era. Mike auditioned for an Army band position and spent his years of service in the West Point Army Band playing saxophone. The day Mike auditioned for the band, he rode with a sergeant to the audition location. It was about an hour drive and the car had no radio. That afternoon after the audition, he found out that John F. Kennedy had been assassinated while Mike was out of contact with the news. While serving at West Point Mike played under many directors, including Arthur Fiedler of the Boston Pops. Mike also played in bands in upstate New York and began studying flute in New York City. After his military service, Mike completed his college degree on the GI Bill. He graduated from the University of Oregon with a double major in Flute Performance and German. After his degree he returned to school and got his K-12 teaching certificate. He went on to teach for many years at all levels. He taught high school choir at Douglas High School in Winston, Oregon, elementary music in Roseburg, middle school band at Holcomb Elementary School in Oregon City, high school Spanish at Canby High School, middle school Spanish in Camas, Washington, and in his last year of teaching before retiring, he taught elementary music for K-5 in Camas! That was an exhausting job. After finishing up his years of service in teaching he could never allow the melody to “The Three Little muffins,” because he would get an “ear worm” and the melody would stay in his head for days. After his bachelor's degree and before the teaching certificate, he met Stephanie Neer in Eugene. They were married for 41 years and had many adventures. Mike was enthusiastic and would take on jobs and learn how to do things by reading books. Mike and Stephanie’s first house in Eugene had been moved to a different lot by his brother Chris. When Mike and Stephanie purchased that house, it was on the foundation and had no wiring and no chimney. He tackled that project and completed a chimney on the house that worked correctly! After selling that house, Mike and Stephanie moved to Roseburg and started their family. Together, they enjoyed raising their daughters and many outdoor activities, hiking, skiing and walking on the beach. Many summers were spent camping in first, tents, and later, camping trailers. One favorite place to go was to Waldo Lake where they spent many successive camping adventures over the years. In 1983 - 84 when the girls were very little, Mike applied for and received a Fulbright Teacher Exchange to Sinsheim, Germany (close to Heidelberg). That was an outstanding year; broadening their horizons, making many friends, and traveling over much of Germany and Europe during that year. After moving to Portland from Roseburg Mike continued teaching, but in one period before his final retirement he got the bright idea to build a house and convinced Stephanie that he could do it. This shows again, Mike’s can-do attitude. He completed that house on his own, only having one friend, Todd Swick, who committed to building that house with Mike. Living in Portland also enabled Mike to join a tennis club and to convince Stephanie to join as well. In the last years of his life, he took up golf, and in his true fashion practiced continually, sometimes going out every day in the week to practice and taking lessons from the golf pro at Summerfield. Music was also a continual theme in Mike’s family life. It included conducting choirs, being in choirs to sing with Stephanie, teaching music and many hours singing rounds in the car when the girls were little to make the travel go faster. Mike was a good friend and kind to everyone he interacted with. He was principled and cared about all things right. He was interested in everything, and great fun. Mike is survived by his wife, Stephanie and two daughters, Hillary Oseas (Robert) Elly Mattos (Tony) and three grandsons. He is also survived by three brothers, Chris Schoap, Tim Schoap, and Jeffrey Scott Schoap, and a sister, Reith Schoap. He was a loving father and grandfather and cared deeply for his family. All who knew him will miss him. We will miss Mike’s quiet strength and generous spirit more than we can express.