KINGSTON, NY— Clifford Schoonmaker of Flotilla 20-4 was presented with the Membership Service Award recently for 40 years of continuous service to the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. His date of enrollment is 17 November 1970. Auxiliarist Schoonmaker is a past Division Captain and the Immediate Past Commander of Flotilla 20-4. He is still actively involved in the Auxiliary as a coxswain and boat crew member. He is also a vessel examiner, and deeply involved in administrative procedures, leadership and management, and as a verifier of aids to navigation. Being an operational Auxiliarist, AUXOP, Schoonmaker had to qualify and master communications, patrols, seamanship, weather, coastal navigation and search coordination. On hand to mark this day was his wife, Grace Schoonmaker, who is currently the Flotilla Staff Officer for publications. She is a Past Commander of Flotilla 20-4 and is also qualified as boat crew member, instructor and vessel examiner. Cliff and Grace Schoonmaker are both retired and live in Stone Ridge, New York. Cliff retired as an Eastern Airlines captain, and Grace retired from teaching. They were married in 1945, and, to save on the wedding expenses, Grace made her own bridal gown out of parachute material. Sixty-six years later, they have six children, 14 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. |
|
