Jeff Schoenberg: "ZO6Jeff"
10-05-2012, 04:07 PM
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Jeff Schoenberg: "ZO6Jeff"
My dad, ZO6Jeff, lost his 9 year battle with cancer on 9/15/12 at the age of 70.
He was a Corvette fan from when they were first introduced and was finally able to buy his first one in '85. He was soon autocrossing and going to shows. Then in 1990 he decided to go for the King of the Hill and got a new ZR-1. He allowed me to start autocrossing the '85 at age 15 and I learned how to drive stick and continued autcrossing the '90 ZR-1.
He was happy with the ZR-1 for many years until after his first round of treatments and surgery for lung cancer he wanted to get a C6. At first it was going to a C6 vert but after hearing about the Z06 that is what he had to have. So in October of '05, I went with him to do the museum delivery of his new LeMans Blue '06 Z06. He enjoyed that car for a while, but then the cancer returned with more surgery, radiation, and new drugs.
The new drugs seemed to be doing the trick, the cancer was being held in check, and there was talk of an even faster Vette, the Blue Devil. That was the one he had to have next. In Nov of '08 he took delivery a Cyber Gray ZR1. This car seemed to complete the circle with the '90 ZR-1 he still owned. Though his track driving days were behind him, he was extremely proud when his ZR1, with his son driving, was the first stock ZR1 to run a 10 sec 1/4 mile time. He loved taking the car to shows and watching me run it at the track. He enjoyed it in pretty good health for a few years until the cancer made its way to the brain. One of the hardest things for him to do was giving up driving that car when the time came.
For the funeral I drove the ZR1 right behind the hearse, since he couldn't take his last ride in it at least it followed him. When we pulled into the cemetery and parked I gave him one last long rev of the LS9.
I am going to miss you dad.
He was a Corvette fan from when they were first introduced and was finally able to buy his first one in '85. He was soon autocrossing and going to shows. Then in 1990 he decided to go for the King of the Hill and got a new ZR-1. He allowed me to start autocrossing the '85 at age 15 and I learned how to drive stick and continued autcrossing the '90 ZR-1.
He was happy with the ZR-1 for many years until after his first round of treatments and surgery for lung cancer he wanted to get a C6. At first it was going to a C6 vert but after hearing about the Z06 that is what he had to have. So in October of '05, I went with him to do the museum delivery of his new LeMans Blue '06 Z06. He enjoyed that car for a while, but then the cancer returned with more surgery, radiation, and new drugs.
The new drugs seemed to be doing the trick, the cancer was being held in check, and there was talk of an even faster Vette, the Blue Devil. That was the one he had to have next. In Nov of '08 he took delivery a Cyber Gray ZR1. This car seemed to complete the circle with the '90 ZR-1 he still owned. Though his track driving days were behind him, he was extremely proud when his ZR1, with his son driving, was the first stock ZR1 to run a 10 sec 1/4 mile time. He loved taking the car to shows and watching me run it at the track. He enjoyed it in pretty good health for a few years until the cancer made its way to the brain. One of the hardest things for him to do was giving up driving that car when the time came.
For the funeral I drove the ZR1 right behind the hearse, since he couldn't take his last ride in it at least it followed him. When we pulled into the cemetery and parked I gave him one last long rev of the LS9.
I am going to miss you dad.
Last edited by racerns; 10-05-2012 at 04:14 PM.
Sorry for you & your families loss Neil. I will miss talking to him.:
for the way you saw him out!
