Methuselah

According to the Hebrew bible, Methuselah was 969 years old when he died. He is the oldest person mentioned in the bible and has become the symbol of longevity. Schosers have not quite yet reached such biblical age, but two Schosers - with the biblical names Mary and Josef - are almost centenarians.


Methuselah -

the oldest living tree

Mary Alice was born on 23 September 1905 in Durango, Colorado and died there on 6 September 2001 at the age of almost 96. She was the eldest of six children of Dora and Ludwig Schoser. She married Elmer Schumacher in October 1924 at the age of 19. The couple had three children and their marriage lasted 44 years until Elmer died in November 1968.

The longest living male Schoser appears to be Josef Schoser of Friedrichshafen. He turned 95 years on 27 September 2008. The local Südkurier mentions him also as one of the oldest participants in the local music festival in September 2008. If still alive Josef would now be 97 years old and the longest living Schoser ever recorded. Knowing that the region around Lake Constance where Friedrichshafen is situated is famous for its favourable and mild climate there is a chance that he is.

Naturalizing Schoser

According to the Durango Naturalization Records, Ludwig Schoser was seeking citizenship in the United States between 1904 and 1906. These records typically include information on the precise date of naturalization, the nation of origin and the number of years the person had resided in the United States. Unfortunately, this information is not available online so that one would have to consult the paper archives at the Fort Lewis College Foundation, Center of Southwest Studies in Durango to know what Ludwig's country of origin was and when he emigrated to the U.S..

What we do know about Ludwig from other sources is that he was married to Dora (Schirmer) and had four sons (John, Otto 'Barney', Leo and Frank Joseph) and two daughters (Mary and Emma). In fact, he is the progenitor of a substantial number of Schosers in the U.S. some of whom still live in the area of Durango, Colorado.

Obituary for Frank Joseph Schoser

Frank Joseph Schoser, of Durango, died of natural causes on Wednesday, May 5, 2004, at Mercy Medical Center. He was 89. Mr. Schoser was born Nov. 15, 1914, in Durango, the youngest child of Ludwig and Dora Schoser. He married Howeta Roacher on Sept. 5, 1938, and in 1942 the couple moved to California where Mr. Schoser worked in the shipyards during World War II. They returned to Durango when his father became ill.

The Schosers had five children, Frankie, Sandi, Sharon, Carol and Tom. Mrs. Schoser died in March 1957.

Mr. Schoser bought an auto repair shop in Durango in 1944 and ran it with his brother John until 1947. He met Gordon and Priscilla Burnett in 1948 when he supplied logs for their house, and the following year went to work for Mr. Burnett's construction company as a heavy equipment operator and crusher foreman. He worked for the firm until it was sold in 1968.

Mr. Schoser went to work immediately for Hamer Construction where he worked for 12 years. Throughout the years he worked in construction, Mr. Schoser cut and hauled firewood.

Mr. Schoser married Ella Virginia Ashridge on April 12, 1960. The couple had one son, Sam.

Mr. Schoser is remembered by his family for his love of fishing, hunting and baseball. He also built many clocks, which have become treasured by family members.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Schoser is survived by sons, Frankie and Tom Schoser both of Durango and Sam Schoser of Bloomfield, N.M. He also is survived by daughters, Sharon Hamer of Durango, and Carol O'Donnal of Mesa, Ariz. Stepchildren Michael Cordary of Grand Junction, Roger Cordary of Hesperus, Kathy Gardner of Salt Lake City and Sylvia Reynolds of Kearn, Utah, also survive Mr. Schoser.

Mr. Schoser is survived by grandchildren Scott and Butch Hamer, Jeff O'Donnal, Sean Waddell, Chance and Chase Schoser, Tracie DeBoer, Darell Cordary, Alicia Cordary, Laurie Hartley, Joustin Cordary, Terry Schoser, Tyke Schoser, Samantha Schoser and Frank Frank" Schoser. He also is survived by nieces, nephews and great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by brothers, John, Barney and Leo Schoser; sisters, Mary Schumacher and Emma Redman; and a daughter, Sandi Waddell.

A memorial service is scheduled at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the Iron Horse Inn in Durango. Memorial contributions may be made to the La Plata County Humane Society, P.O. Box 2164, Durango 81302 or the Four Corners Rehabilitation Center, 2911 Junction St., Durango 81301.

The Durango Herald, May 2004