Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Schneider, Bernard "Gene" Paul February 5, 2021
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Nan Wheaton wheaton1624@yahoo.com March 15, 2022, 4:58 am

Ionia Sentinel-Std. Sat. Feb. 13, 2021

February 5, 2021 was the day the world lost Gene Schneider of Lansing. Born 
Bernard Paul Schneider on October 1, 1939 in Lansing, he was the fourth child of 
Joseph D. and Genevieve E. (Westhoff) Schneider. Bernard was born in a time and 
place when little boys could ride their bikes down to the end of the street to 
catch pollywogs, or play pick up baseball, go ice-skating or just play marbles 
in the dirt. He did all of these things and more. In the summer he went with his 
family to their cottage in Cadillac where he loved to fish, and generally cause 
havoc with a local boy he was mentoring in the ways of boyhood mischief. That 
little boy eventually married into the family. 

He attended Holy Cross School through the eighth grade, when he felt a calling 
to religious life. He spent 13 years in the seminary before being ordained as 
Father Gene in 1965. He was assigned to a parish in California where he served 
for several years. He then became restless, and longed for regular family life. 
He left the priesthood, keeping the name Gene, and got married. After three 
unsuccessful tries he finally saw his great love "across a crowded room." 
Patricia Fitzner did him in and they married, living a happy, content life up 
until the end. He never lost his religious fervor. He and Patricia were members 
of St. Gerard church. Gene was a Eucharistic minister delivering communion to 
the homebound. He was also a member of the choir, and he missed this terribly 
when he was no longer able to participate. 

Gene retired from the State of Michigan, and his career always involved helping 
children and adults. He established a Meals on Wheels route with his fellow 
workers and continued as a volunteer until he could no longer do it. He was also 
an active Red Cross volunteer and donated countless gallons of blood. 

Gene is survived by his loving wife of 34 years, Patricia, step-daughter 
Melinda, grandson Christopher, sisters Margaret Herrera and Christine (Jim) 
Brown, beloved god-daughter Susan Jensen, and sister-in-law Jeanne Anne. He also 
leaves many well-loved nieces and nephews, as well as friends and neighbors from 
church, dance club, and other various activities he belonged to. He was preceded 
in death by his parents, Joseph and Genevieve, brother Lawrence, sister Caroline 
and her husband Leroy Clemens, his brother-in-law Armando Herrera, and daughter-
in-law Virlena Reed. Memorials may be made in his name to the St. Gerard choir 
or the Capital Area Humane Society.

Additional Comments:
Age: 81

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