Leif Auburn Schold's Obituary
On February 11, 2019, Leif Auburn Schold, 66, beloved husband of 43 years to Judy (Lowery) Schold, passed peacefully into the next chapter. He was born December 14, 1952 to the late Jessey-Wayne (Gandy) Schold Davis and Warren E. Schold. Besides his wife Judy, he is survived by his son, Dustin Auburn Schold and his wife Sheree, and daughter Juliana; son, Jesse Vincent Schold; brothers, Maury Schold and his wife Yvonne Lanagan, and Eric Schold and his wife Kim; sisters, Lynda Schold, Lesley (Schold) Bourque and her husband Bob, and Jan-Maya Schold; many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends; and his beloved four legged friend Jack. He was predeceased by his step-father, Emerson B. Davis. Auburn attended school in the Town of Stafford, CT, where he lived for much of his life. Through Auburn's adolescent years, he was adventurous and often found himself in precarious situations, often of his own doing. When he entered high school, he was not interested in conformity or becoming another “cog in the wheel” from his accounts, as there were many. This way of thinking was not always well received by those in positions of authority. For this time period in his life, he lovingly received the nickname "freshman" from his friends and those closest to him. Auburn spent many of his formative years hitchhiking to the West Coast. Some of the places he often reflected on were times spent in California, where he lived in the caves over-looking Laguna Beach, the Red Wood Forests in Big Sur National Park, and Salmon Beach in Tacoma, WA, but he always returned from these grand adventures to Stafford Springs, CT. On one of those trips home, he met the love of his life, Judy Lowery, who he courted and later married on May 1, 1976. It was a rainy day in the back yard of Judy's parent’s home in Marlborough, CT, but love that strong could not be interrupted by inclement weather. They made the best of it, and with nearly the whole Town of Stafford, it was a celebration that was not soon forgotten. After marrying his soul mate, together they embarked on this journey called life. They lived in a number of unusual but comfortable places, a school bus, chicken coup, the Orcutts Train Station, and a cabin on Spellman Road, to name a few. Now to some, these places might seem crude or uninhabitable, but for Auburn and Judy, they were affectionately known as home. Auburn held many jobs in construction, farming, and grounds keeping. It was at this time in his life that he rescued a down on his luck German Sheppard, and named him Skip. Skip was a true companion and would not be left out of anything. Wherever Judy and Auburn went, Skip was going too. Eventually Auburn settled in with the Town of Stafford in the highway garage, and later the transfer station for 15 years. In the spring of 1987, Auburn and Judy took the next step. They finally achieved the lifetime goal of designing and later building a beautiful home on the Old Springfield Road in Stafford Springs, CT. In the time leading up to this on June 7, 1983, Auburn and Judy brought Dustin Auburn Schold (35) into the world. Six years later, they again brought a life into the world, Jesse Vincent Schold (29) on February 24, 1989. In the years to come, Auburn spent countless hours molding the property on Old Springfield Road like a piece of clay into a utopia, complete with a man made pond, beach, and elaborate shrubbery. The adventure wasn’t over. Twelve years later, Auburn, Judy and the family sold their house in Stafford Springs, CT, and purchased the “Pika”, a 45 foot wooden boat and moved to Cocoa Beach, FL. Auburn and Judy loved the warm weather, but the draw to Stafford Springs, CT, our quaint country town, could not be forgotten that easily. In the winter of 2002, Auburn and family would return to Stafford Springs, CT, where they again began to put down roots, and this time on Wales Road in Stafford Springs, CT. At first glance, the house was a distressed, rundown cottage nestled into the bank consumed by years of overgrowth along Staffordville Lake. But Auburn didn’t see what most people saw. If you remember, Auburn didn't like the words "you can't". In fact, I think if you told him that, it would just fuel him to prove you wrong. Auburn looked at this distressed cottage and had a vision, “a diamond in the rough”. He knew what it could be. With hard work, he would take this blank canvas, as he would commonly refer to it, and transform it into what it is today. Auburn would spend the remainder of his years, and up until he could no longer sit on his tractor, completing his masterpiece. With that being said, Auburn lived a pretty extraordinary life, and was an inspiration to all. Even with all his health issues, he was not going to let even a doctor tell him "you can't". He loved his wife and his two sons more than any series of words could ever describe. His words and memories will live on in his son’s forever. As most who knew my father would agree, he was not one for formalities. His final wishes were to not mourn his death, but to celebrate his life, and in the summer to come, the Schold family will host a memorial gathering at their home on Staffordville Lake, to celebrate the life of Auburn Schold. "It may be important to great thinkers to examine the world, to explain and despise it. But I think it is only important to love the world, not to despise it, not for us to hate each other, but to be able to regard the world and ourselves and all beings with love, admiration and respect.” – Hermann Hesse (Siddhartha) In lieu of flowers or memorial donations, the family asks that you "pay it forward" by performing a thoughtful and meaningful act of kindness. In doing so, the positive impact will make a difference in the world as Auburns life on earth has made to all of us. Introvigne Funeral Home, Inc., Stafford Springs, CT, has care of the arrangements. To leave a condolence online for the family, please visit: www.introvignefuneralhome.com
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