Grandpa's Passing
My maternal grandfather passed away today. Robert (Bob) William Schneider, September 9, 1935 to October 13, 2020. My mother wanted to write his obituary as she did with her mother, but we learned my grandfather had arranged his obituary years ago. His obituary was posted online by the memorial group he had chosen:
Robert W. Schneider died on October 13, 2020 under the care of Larksfield Place Hospice. He was born in Boone, Iowa to the Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Henry C. Schneider, Sr. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Wanda R. Schneider, brother, Henry C. Schneider, Jr. and an infant sister. A graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, Mr. Schneider excelled in the field of advertising sales and after obtaining his commercial pilots license became a flight instructor. Mr. Schneider is survived by his wife, Dorothy A. Schneider, daughters Cynthia (Kevin) Hanks of Davis, Ca., Stephanie (Daniel) Schaeffer of Mt. View, Ca., granddaughter Briannon Schaeffer (fiancé Daniel Mendoza), Seattle, Wa., Rylan Schaeffer of Mt. View, Ca. in addition to several nieces and nephews. Since moving to Wichita in 2013, he and his wife have been members of First Presbyterian Church of Wichita. Cremation as requested will be private.
Some Photos
Grandpa with Granny (Wanda Reed, his first wife and my grandmother)
Grandpa on the tandem with Granny
Grandpa with Dottie (his second wife)
Cindy and Kevin with Grandpa
Grandpa with Dottie
My Memories of Grandpa
To be honest, I don’t remember much about my grandfather. I know he cheated on my maternal grandmother. He left California when she died and I was 7. He moved across the country to marry someone else without warning. He broke my mother’s heart. For the past decade, he’s been in a nursing home with progressively worsening Alzheimer’s. Years ago, he used to say that if he was ever a vegetable, he’d rather be killed. Instead, we kept him alive to the point that he was eating his teeth. The lessons I learned from him and his actions:
- Don’t abandon your children or your family.
- Invest in real estate. It’s the only thing they can’t make more of.
- If you don’t want to live without a brain for a decade, (a) make this clear to your children and your attorney, and (b) live someplace with physician-assisted suicide.
- Talk to your grandchildren. Tell them stories about your life. Tell them what you’ve learned. Be honest about the mistakes you made.