News : Sylvia Schoonover to celebrate 100th Birthday

Iris Weekly and Sylvia Schoonover

The best part of growing up in Vinton and being in this job is that I get to talk to people that I knew as a child. As I sat to talk with Sylvia Schoonover, I said something like, "I've known you most of my life." then I realized that I had known her my whole life. I was born to parents who attended church with Sylvia so we had that shared history to begin our visit. 

Now I had known that Sylvia had been a preacher but that was about all I really knew about her past. While the church is a huge part of Sylvia's life the reason I stopped to visit was not because of that. It was for another accomplishment,

When November 1st rolls around, it will have been a century since Sylvia Schoonover made her appearance in this world. Turning 100 is a big deal for anyone. For Sylvia, this isn't the first time that someone in her family has reached that milestone. Her sister made it to her 101st birthday and passed just a few months before her 102nd birthday, Sylvia came from a family of four children. One brother born before Sylvia lived only a few weeks, so she never met him, but she also had another brother who lived into his 90s.

Sylvia has served in probably every possible position in a church. I could remember her being a Sunday school teacher in my church and being the Superintendent. I couldn't remember all of the things she did in the church at the time, but in my childhood memory, I knew that she was involved in everything. So I asked her to back up and start at the beginning. 

She was born on a farm just west of Vinton during the Depression. Unfortunately, like many at that time, her family lost their farm and had to move. The family relocated just north of Shellsburg. In her childhood she said that the family traveled by horse and carriage. She remembers that the carriage had a fringe that ran around the top, and curtains that were closed in the winter to keep the wind and some of the cold air out. The heat in the wintertime came from a large stone that was heated to keep their feet warm.

Sylvia graduated from high school and then went on to college at North Central Bible College in Minneapolis for three years. Following graduation from there, she joined up with another student named Iris Weekly who was from Ottumwa. The two set out to start an Assembly of God Church in Tama. 

It first began with a bible study in the home of some ladies in Tama. At this time they also met some missionaries from the Open Bible denomination. Pooling their resources, they worked together to bring the gospel to the Indian who lived in the area. The missionaries were excited at the prospect of having a church in the area and the ladies were more than happy to work with the missionaries. 

As most know, when starting a church you have to have a day job to survive. So the two ladies began the search.  Having had experience working at the canning/produce factory here, Sylvia found herself doing the same sort of work in Tama, even though she said she wouldn't do it again. Iris found work in a button factory for a time and then later joined the workforce at the canning/produce factory as well.

After work, the two spent time ministering in Tama wherever and however they could. Eventually, the church grew to an attendance of around 100 and reached the place that it needed to expand and build. The two women had served in the community for ten years by this time and decided it was time to hand the project off to someone else. 

Sylvia returned to Vinton and worked tirelessly in her church her whole life. Now a member of the Oak Grove Church, she continues to serve the Lord and bless others there. 

The church is organizing a celebration in her honor that will be held on October 28, 2023 at the church located at 6101 32nd Ave.,Shellsburg. The event will begin at 2 p.m. with short program at 3 p.m. If you cannot attend, you are invited to send her a card at

Sylvia Schoonover, 712 E. 9th St., Vinton, IA 52349.

NO GIFTS PLEASE.