Donald P. Schneider
St. Joseph
Dec. 17, 1926-Sept. 22, 2019
Donald P. Schneider, 92, of St. Joseph died Sept. 22 at the VA Medical Center, St. Cloud. His funeral was held Oct. 3 in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in St. Joseph. The Rev. Jerry Weiss officiated. Inurnment with military honors was in the parish cemetery.
Schneider was born on Dec. 17, 1926 in St. Joseph to the late Jacob and Agnes (Zeurlein) Schneider. He served in the U.S. Navy prior to marrying Gladys I. Pfannenstein on Oct. 1, 1949 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in St. Joseph. Schneider was a lifelong member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and a lifelong resident of St. Joseph. He was employed at St. Regis Paper Mill for nearly 40 years. He was also a member of American Legion Post #328 of St. Joseph.
Schneider loved baseball, especially the St. Joseph “Joes,” the “Saints” and the Minnesota Twins. He was responsible for field maintenance for the St. Joseph “Joes” for many years and the field was dedicated in his name in 2005. He also helped Gladys run the concession stand for more than 40 years.
Schneider was a renowned handyman and people were amazed at his ability to build and fix almost anything. He was a loving and devoted husband, father and grandfather who has now joined his beloved wife, Gladys. He will be dearly missed and never forgotten. His legacy is family and a passion for life, country and baseball.
Survivors include his children, Mick of St. Joseph, Pat (Cindi) of St. Joseph, Barbara (Scott) Fritz of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Gerald “Bud” (Therese) of Grand Rapids; 14 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and friends.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Gladys in 2015; daughter-in-law, Zoe; granddaughter, Jaclyn Schneider; and his granddaughter Wendy’s husband, Brian Klinefelter; and brothers, Herman “Boodie,”,John, Sylvester, Ray, Cyril and Alfred.
Memorials are preferred in lieu of flowers.
A heartfelt thank you to the amazing staff of Building 49 at the VA Medical Center.
