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General First nameClaude René
LastnameSchoenlank
GenderMale
CountryUnited States of America
Date of birth1943-10-03
Place of birthStaten Island, NY, United States of America
Date of death2020-06-09
Place of deathLittle Silver, United States of America


About

Claude won the KCAC tennis singles championship in both 1962 and 1963. After attending medical school in Germany, he returned home to Staten Island, New York, to become head tennis professional for 27 years at Richmond Country Club while playing competitive tennis for 20 of those years. Schoenlank won the New York City Public Parks singles championship two times. He won the Staten Island closed tennis tournament in singles 20 times and won many men's doubles and mixed doubles. Claude has played against and with such players as Arthur Ashe, Chuck McKinley, Donald Dell, Illie Nastasi, Peter Fleming, and Ron Holmberg. He once won the Bermuda Open. Schoenlank is the only tennis player to be inducted into the Staten Island Sports Hall of Fame.

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Claude Schoenlank Obituary

Little Silver - Claude René Schoenlank, 76, of Little Silver, passed away peacefully on June 9, 2020, surrounded by his family. He was born and raised in Staten Island, NY. Claude graduated from Curtis High School in 1961 and went on to study abroad in Germany for four years before returning to complete his Bachelor's degree at Wagner College.

Claude first found his love of tennis after stepping on the court at the age of just seven. He had a 30-year career as the Tennis Pro at Richmond County Country Club in Staten Island. During his lifetime, he won 41 Staten Island Championships in singles, doubles and mixed doubles, which included four Staten Island Triple Crowns. He also won two NYC Championships, along with the Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association's International Open in 1974. He won his last title 31 years after winning his first. Claude would tell you, however, that his greatest accomplishment was having the opportunity to shape so many rising tennis stars.

Claude met the love of his life and wife of 40 years, Jodi, in 1976 at Jimmy Byrne's in Sea Girt, NJ. The two married in 1979 and later welcomed two beautiful daughters, Casey and Kristy. Jodi and Claude raised their family together in their Little Silver home for the last 23 years.

Claude's second passion was hunting in the Catskill Mountains each fall, where he ultimately fulfilled his lifelong dream of building a log cabin with the help of his brother, Peter. He was happiest when he could share weekends there with friends and family. Claude made everyone feel like part of his family, regaling friends and strangers alike with irreverent jokes and strong cocktails. The twinkle in his eye and smile in his heart left an indelible mark on so many; he will be greatly missed.

He is predeceased by his parents, Arthur and Inge (Boldt) Schoenlank, as well as his brother, Peter Schoenlank. Surviving are his beloved wife, Jodi (Ryan) Schoenlank; his loving daughters and their husbands, Casey and Patrick Getze and Kristy and Gavin Duffy; and his cherished grandson, Liam Claude Getze.

Media


Archive statistics Career1959 - 1975
Tournament wins2
Matches63
Match wins18


Tournament wins 1974 - Bermuda Championships (Amateur)
1968 - New York Parks Department (Amateur)


Tournaments Schenectady Racket Club Open - 1975 New York State Championships - 1974 New York State Championships - 1973 Eastern Indoors - 1973 New York Indoor - 1973 Eastern Indoors - 1972 Glens Falls - 1972 New York State Championships - 1971 Eastern Indoors - 1971 Long Island Championships - 1971 Tamiment Invitation - 1971 IBM Invitation - 1971 Westport Invitation - 1971 Eastern Clay Court Championships - 1970 New Jersey State Championships - 1970 New York State Championships - 1970 Eastern Indoors - 1970 Long Island Championships - 1970 Pioneer Valley - 1970 Nassau Indoors - 1970 Brooklyn - 1969 Western New England - 1969 Eastern Indoors - 1969 New York Indoor - 1969 Tamiment Invitation - 1969 New York City Public Parks - 1969 New Jersey State Indoors - 1969 Eastern Indoors - 1968 Empire State Indoors - 1968 Eastern Hardcourts - 1968 Park Lakes Invitation - 1968 New York Parks Department - 1968 Concord Indoor Championships - 1967 Connecticut State Indoors - 1967 Northern Westchester - 1967 Perth Amboy Invitation - 1964 Marktredwitz General Tournament - 1964 New Jersey State Championships - 1963 New York State Clay Courts - 1963 Southern New England Championships - 1963 Brooklyn - 1962 New York State Championships - 1962 Heart of America - 1962 Perth Amboy Invitation - 1960 Perth Amboy Invitation - 1959 Charles M. Sager Cup - 1959