Obit of Schneider, Joseph Leo - Oklahoma County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Gene Phillips 3 Apr 2005 Return to Oklahoma County Archives: http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ok/oklahoma/oklahoma.html ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm ========================================================================== Schneider, Joseph Leo Joseph Leo Schneider, longtime Oklahoma City resident, was born on July 3, 1903, to Joseph J. and Catharine A. Schneider, near Derby, KS. The oldest of seven children, he moved with his parents in 1907 to a homestead 8 miles east of Arnett, OK. In 1922, the family moved to a farm one mile south of Fargo, OK, where Joe's father died in a farm accident that same year. He quit school to help his mother on the farm and did not complete his formal education until he graduated from Fargo High School in 1927. In 1931, he married Gladys New, who preceded him in death, after 64 years of marriage, in 1995. Joe worked for the J.I. Case Company in farm and industrial equipment sales for 35 years, retiring as a District Manager in 1968. He maintained his interest in antique farm equipment through membership in the J.I. Case Heritage Foundation, and had restored a 1949 Case Model D tractor. After retirement, he devoted fulltime to his second career as a flying instructor and operator of a charter aircraft service. He had received his pilot's license in 1939 and began instructing fighter pilots in the Army Air Corps in WW II. Over the years, he logged over 23,000 hours, more than 18,000 while teaching hundreds of students how to fly. Joe received much recognition from his aviation peers, including being named Oklahoma State Pilot of the Year in 1974. He served as a safety consultant to the FAA and was a member of the Quiet Birds, Hangar 56, and the Aircraft Owners' and Pilots' Association. In 1997, he became the oldest active pilot in the United States. Joe was a member of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church and a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus. For many years, he worked in the annual Cathedral Christmas tree lot, benefiting John Carroll School's Athletic Program. For over twenty years, he managed the Sunday morning coffee socials, and he logged many hours flying members of the clergy to various meetings around the state. He joined the Knights of Columbus in 1939. Over the years, he passed out thousands of Tootsie Rolls in fund drives for the Center of Family Love, a home for mentally retarded adults sponsored by the Knights. He also served the Knights in many official capacities, including Grand Knight of Council 1038 in 1983, and was serving on the board of trustees at the time of his death. In 1993, he was named the Oklahoma State Knight of the Year and in 2001 he received the Excalibur Award, recognizing his lifetime achievements with the Knights. After a brief illness, Joe died April 14, 2003. In addition to his wife, Gladys, he was preceded in death by his great granddaughter, Cairn. He is survived by his three daughters, Sr. Joann Stuever, ASC, Wichita, KS, Linda Resnick and husband, Marvin, Oklahoma City, Mary Brown and husband, Tom, New York City; and son, Louis and life companion, John Johnson, Dallas, TX; eleven grandchildren, twelve great grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren, three brothers, two sisters, and a multitude of other members of the Schneider and New families, friends and former flying students. Wake services will be held 7:00 p.m., Sunday, April 20, 2003, at Smith Kernke Funeral, 1401 N.W. 23 Street, Oklahoma City, with Mass of Christian burial at 10:30 am, Monday, April 21, at Our Lady's Cathedral. Burial will be in the family plot at Resurrection Cemetery, Oklahoma City. Memorials may be made to Our Lady's Cathedral Education Endowment Fund or the Center of Family Love, Okarche, OK 73762. Published in the Oklahoman from 4/18/2003 - 4/20/2003. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Oklahoma County Archives: http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ok/oklahoma/oklahoma.html