Mary Schonfield: She Had a Love of Medicine and Worked at Redwoods Rural Health Center

This section includes announcements of important events in our lives–births, graduations, engagements, marriages, and deaths. If you want to share an event with your community, please send a photo and a written piece to [email protected].

Mary Schonfield

Mary Schonfield unexpectedly passed away September 12th, 2020 at the age of 72.

Mary moved to Southern Humboldt in 1971 where she met and married Stuart. They built their dome home from scratch and then proceeded to bring into this world two lovely daughters, Laurel and Johanna.

Mary worked at Redwoods Rural Health Center, where she started out at the front desk and moved on to work as a medical assistant. In her late forties Mary took her love of medicine and caring for people to the next level, attending UC Davis Medical school and graduating with her Physician Assistant (PA) license. Mary brought her new expertise back to Southern Humboldt where she served the community for many years as a PA.

Mary and Stuart eventually moved to Santa Cruz to be near their two daughters. Mary continued her work in providing accessible health care to everyone, working at a Planned Parenthood Clinic on the Central Coast.

Mary was an avid gardener, turning every greenspace into a lush bounty for birds, bees and butterflies alike. She inspired her neighbors to rip out their lawns and gifted her children with an endless supply of plant clippings to make their yards beautiful. As a voracious reader, Mary was often reading multiple books at once and used books to show her children and grandchildren the endless possibilities in the world.

Mary and Stuart built a marriage based on love, respect and equality, and their match may have even been destiny, for when Stuart needed a kidney transplant, not only was Mary willing but she was a match.  She gave Stuart a kidney and nearly 20 more years of health by her selfless act. She loved her family deeply and she will be greatly missed by family and friends.

If Mary had one parting thing to say, it would be…

“Vote him out.”

Mary is survived by her husband Stuart Schonfield, daughters Laurel and Johanna, and three beautiful granddaughters.

Due to Covid-19 there will be no Memorial service. If you would like to communicate with Mary’s family and/or share a story or memory of Mary please email [email protected].