In Memory of Jon Schuhart(1939 - 2015)
- Name
- Jon Schuhart
- Spouse
- Sandra Lee Schuhart
- Birth Date
- August 17, 1939
- Blessing Date
- February 28, 1969
- Ascension Date
- October 9, 2015
Jon Gordon Schuhart, who received the Marriage Blessing in 1969 as part of the 43 Couples’ Holy Marriage Blessing, ascended on October 9, 2015 after a lengthy illness. He was 76 years old.
He ascended peacefully, lovingly surrounded by two of his daughters and his wife of 55 years, Sandra Lee Schuhart (nee Lamore), in a hospice care center in Fredericksburg, VA.
In 1965, after a series of setbacks and a soul-searching quest drove him far from his wife and two children in Wisconsin, Jon met the sole member of the Unification Movement who was witnessing in Phoenix.
As an intellectual and atheist, he did not expect to be impressed with the teachings of the Divine Principle. But as the young woman taught the contents, a strange event occurred—her words took shape and painted pictures of the stories of Creation and the Fall and other parts of the teachings before Jon’s eyes. He couldn’t ignore the powerful spiritual experiences, and returned to hear all the teachings.
He later went to Los Angeles and joined the center there, and convinced his wife Sandy, a devout Catholic, to bring the two children and join him. Together, they had more spiritual experiences that persuaded them that there was a great purpose associated with the movement, which was then called the Unified Family.
In the mid-1960s, Jon and Sandy laid a new foundation for the Los Angeles Unified Family, upon which the Family grew and flourished. They later pioneered the movement in Michigan, starting with the Detroit Unification Church, which at one time included a school and dorm large enough to accommodate the large teams that came through Michigan, as well as a ranch on a property in Northern Michigan.
A charismatic lecturer, Jon also led one of the One World Crusade teams in the early 1970s. Together, Jon and Sandy brought in and raised hundreds of Unificationists.
The Schuharts received the Marriage Blessing on February 28, 1969 as part of 13 American couples representing the original 13 U.S. colonies. Their group was combined with couples in Europe and Japan into the 43 Blessed Couples. These couples were the first outside Korea to participate in the Marriage Blessing Ceremony.
Jon wrote many early Unification songs, including “Gonna Build a Kingdom,” “Precious Light,” “Everybody Listen,” “Find Your Dream,” “Gonna Build a New World,” “Let’s Move, America,” “What is Your Reason?,” “Song of Reassurance,” “Marching Forward,” and “On Top of the Mountain,” which he wrote on the Holy Ground in Los Angeles during a prayer and fasting condition of devotion.
Later in life, Jon returned to his deep love of art, and as a professional artist he worked many long hours on huge murals and portraiture. Throughout his final decades, he produced numerous canvases encompassing a variety of styles and techniques, often working from photographs and composite images. He achieved local success in regional art shows.
A passionate golfer, Jon was also known for having a creative and dynamic mind, being a visionary and a poet, and a songwriter who would often regale family gatherings with his compositions.
Jon Gordon Schuhart was born on August 17, 1939, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, one of 10 children of John and Vivian Schuhart.
Jon—who was also known as “Jack”—was raised with his four brothers and five sisters, and graduated from Oshkosh High School in 1957.
He traveled the country and lived in Arizona, California, New York, Michigan, Ohio, Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia. In recent years, he and Sandy greatly enjoyed staying with their children and grandchildren in New Jersey, Michigan and Virginia.
Jon is the father of six children (Jonna Lee Schuhart, Arthur Louis Schuhart, Thelord Louis Schuhart, Maralisa Alexandrianne Gabbert, Marith Zoli Edrica Zaccarelli, and Jon-Nathan Louis Schuhart), and grandfather of seven.
Cards and letters can be sent to Sandy Schuhart at the following address:
Mrs. Sandy Schuhart
c/o Mrs. Maralisa Gabbert
487 Shore Drive
Colonial Beach, VA 22443
- Time
- N/A
- Date
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- Location
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- Viewing
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Seonghwa Ceremony
Mailing Address for Donations and Flowers
c/o Mrs. Maralisa Gabbert, 487 Shore Dr. Colonial Beach, VA 22443
Henri Schauffler
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Jon was a true pioneer for the US movement. Among other things, he and Sandy helped pioneer the way for previously married couples to attain the Blessing, paving the path for couples like Loretta and I.
Jon – you will be missed but never forgotten. God’s speed!
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Betsy Orman
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May True Parents guide your steps to heaven as you continue to join our army of brothers and sisters who have ascended. I know you will work together to help build the kingdom of heaven and watch over your beautiful wife and family on the earth. Thank you for the foundation you have laid for so many to come and follow our True Parents. You life was the path of a true pioneer.
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Antonín Rozkopal
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R.I.P.
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Lisa Take
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Jon, although our lives went different paths as we established our own families, I will always remember that time in 1967 in Hollywood, California on Virgil Street, when you rescued a poor frightened and distraught young 19 year old who was scared of what her future might be.
Unbeknownst to me at the time, God was calling and that was when my life truly began…
thanks to you and Sandy.
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Luther Mitchell
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Beloved Sister Sandy, Please except my deepest heartfelt love for you and Jon. You taught me most of the Divine Principle back in 1973 when I expected the True Parents.I want to continue to thank you for love and care when I was with you. I hope you can remember me.Love you guys always!
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Joy Morrow
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Dear Sandy and family, I have fond memories of the many conversations and different experiences we shared over the years. Your spiritual support and mentoring meant a lot to me and I know to many others. You gave true meaning to the understanding of elder brother and sister. Heaven’s Blessings to you and your family. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Joy Morrow
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Regis Hanna
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Dear Sandy and Family,
I remember so clearly meeting John at 1907 “S” Street, N.W. in May of 1968. He was so charismatic and warm, I was immediately drawn to him as a person and role model when I was hearing DP for the first time. While I never had a chance to work with him, I visited in Detroit, and in Los Angeles.
One conversation we had in New York City stood out. Denise Schnepps was just a teen at that time and was listening in. Jon challenged us, “If you found out DP was not true, would you still follow Father?” I responded, “No,” and Jon insisted that he would. His spiritual experiences were so profound that he could never change.
Godspeed, Jon, on your new, eternal adventure with True Father in the Spirit World!
Regis
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Gary Fleisher
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Jon and Sandy you saved me. Thank you for loving someone as unlovable as I was!
Jon, congratulations on your new life; I look forward to seeing you again. I see you whenever I sing your songs – they still move me, especially “There is a giant.”
Rusty
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Michel Vlasic
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Jon, I will miss you. When I was a spoiled, arrogant and narcissistic youngster of 26 years, you and Sandy brought me under the loving care and kindness of your family. There is no doubt I would not have remained involved in the various activities of the church for any length of time had it not been for your spiritual mentoring. You and I had a lot of laughs on making those ski trails at Sky Valley Ranch and working. Thanks, Jon, for teaching me how to be a man and intellectual and how to have courage of making a stand for something important. I will miss you brother. Peace
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Mary Beltrami
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Jon and Sandy. My life began with you and many brothers and sisters high in the hills of L.A. It was a
magical place for me, especially remembering the powerful lectures Jon gave, and the beautiful songs
Sandy would sing. We had so many people coming to dinner every night, and hearing the Principle.
You gave so much to all of us, with your dynamic personality and untiring effort to spread God’s
Word.
Bless you, and I know now you’re really” Gonna Build A Kingdom.”
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Bill Sommerville
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I was a member of Jon’s One World Crusade bus team in 1973. We covered Florida, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Alabama. In October 1973 I was in DC getting my teeth fixed and campaigning for Rev Moon, during the Watergate fiasco. I couldn’t reconcile myself with Moon supporting Nixon during Watergate, so I left the church and married one of my potential converts.
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Bill Sommerville
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I was a member of Jon’s One World Crusade bus team in 1973. We covered Florida, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Alabama. In October 1973 I was in DC getting my teeth fixed and campaigning for Rev Moon, during the Watergate fiasco. I couldn’t reconcile myself with Moon supporting Nixon during Watergate, so I left the church and married one of my potential converts. May Jon Rest in peace and enjoy eternal astral travel.
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