High School Graduation

95. Louis John⁶ Schneider (Louis James⁵, Peter⁴, Martin³, Anton², Nickolaus¹) was born in Detroit, MI 2/21/1924, a Thursday. Lou died 3/4/2006 in South Lyon, Michigan, at home. He had been in the middle of cancer treatment, radiation and chemo-therapy, for bladder cancer. His wife Audrey and their 8 children and 7 grandchildren survive him. (Last photo of Lou with youngest daughter Marylou, wife Audrey, taken by oldest daughter, Lynn, in February, 2006.)

Photo List
1. Lou Schneider's headstone
2. Lou Schneider's family portrait, 1998
3. Wedding Photos, 1946
4. Lou & Audrey -- When They Were Young
5. Lou's military history 1942-1945
6. Schneider Family Photos, 1970s
7. Schneider Grave Markers

Lou's birth certificate shows that at birth he was given the name Louis James Schneider, the same as his father. However, when he was baptized 10 days later on March 2, 1924, his middle name was changed to John (see copy here), and he went by that name ever since (see his written attestation of this that he stapled to this copy of his birth certificate). He was baptized at the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer by the Rev. Edward K. Cantwell, sponsors were Raymond J. Affeld and Hilda Golata.

Lou married Audrey Kathryn Lynn in Detroit, MI, 6/19/1948. A copy of their Marriage License is here. (Note, Audrey always used the "Kathryn" spelling of her middle name, rather than the way it was spelled here.) Audrey was born in Detroit, MI 3/19/1926. She is the daughter of William Nicholas Lynn ( 12/27/1888 - 1/19/1955) and Catherine Clare McCabe (1890 -- buried 9/8/1954). They were married when he was 24 years old and she was 23 years of age. Catherine died in 1954, from diabetes, William died 4 months later from prostate cancer in 1955, before his son, James, celebrated his first Mass (on June 3, 1956) after ordination from St. John's Seminary, Plymouth, Michigan (ordained June 2, 1956). They are buried in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery (25800 W 10 Mile Rd, at the intersection of West 10 Mile Rd. and Beech Rd.), Detroit, section 3, lot #37, grave 11 and 12. See this link for their gravemarkers.

From the 1930 Federal Census:
William and Catherine, 40 years of age and 39 respectively, rented a house for $65.00 / month on Twelfth Street, Detroit, with their first two children, Paul, 14 years, and Audrey, 4 years (James not yet born). They had moved from Pennsylvania, and were married at the ages of 24 and 23 respectively. William was currently a wage earner as an electrician for a Realty Company.

Audrey graduated from Marygrove College, Detroit, MI, in 1948, with a degree in Journalism. Before meeting Lou, she coached a year of basketball, the girls team at St. Agnes High School, Detroit, where she had played a year herself. After coaching for a season she refereed a few games the next season.

Lou graduated from the University of Detroit High School in 1942 and entered the University of Detroit in the Fall studying engineering. With World War II raging, he joined a branch of the Organized Reserve Corps for those with technical skills. He was called up for service in March 3, 1943, served in the US Army Air Corps, and was honorably discharged in December 24, 1945 from Chicago, Illinois, with the rank of Corporal, E-4. His Service Number was 16114886. (See this record of service letter.) A summary of his military history and the documents of his military personnel file are here. (Note: there are 33 pages and the images average around 160kb each.)

Lou wrote the following in an edition of California Breeze, a family newsletter started by son Michael, dated November 1995:

"I had enlisted in the Reserve Corps while attending my first year at the University of Detroit. Shortly after the 2nd semester was underway in March of 1943, we were called to active duty and I was assigned to the U.S. Army Air Corps as it was known as back then. They decided I was needed as an airplane mechanic, so alter some brief basic training in Florida, I was sent to Gulfport, Mississippi, to Airplane and Engine School. Next, at Long Beach, California, at the Douglas plant, I learned about caring for the B-17 bombers. After a brief furlough home I went to Seattle to the Boeing plant to learn about the B-29 Superfortress bombers."

Lou was there through the Christmas of 1943. His father visited with him over the Christmas holiday.

"From there I was sent to Salina, Kansas, where they were forming B-29 squadrons for the eventual missions of winning back the land and islands Japan had invaded and taken over, and on to bombing Japan itself, 1600 miles away from the Island of Saipan, where I was sent. We arrived via troop ship shortly after the Marines had secured the island after bitter fighting. [On June 15, 1944, U.S. troops make an amphibious assault on the Japanese-held island of Saipan in the Marianas.] An airfield was quickly built and soon B-29s were flying in and we were getting them ready for action."

Here is a flier like many dropped on Japan to warn civilians of impending bombings.

Lou was stationed across the strait from Tinian Island, where the Enola Gay departed for the atomic bomb attacks on Japan.

"We lost B-29s but none to which our ground crew was assigned. Early on Saipan was attacked by Japanese planes and we lost a few B-29s on the ground. Fortunately I was not on the "line" during these attacks, although I saw Jap planes fly in low over the coastline very close to our camp as they headed for our airfield."

Lou was separated from the Army on December 24, Christmas Eve, 1945, discharged in Chicago, IL. His father drove him and some army buddies back home from there.

In another reminiscence, Lou wrote in the December 1996 California Breeze:

One of my most memorable Christmases was in 1945. My dad drove to Chicago to pick me up after I received my honorable discharge from the Army Air Force. It was December 24th, and we expected to be home that evening [in Detroit]. But snow and icy conditions and finally a defective generator on the car caused us to barely make it to Coldwater [Michigan], about halfway home. It was way after dark, but we got a room at the hotel. We went to Midnight Mass and spent the night in Coldwater. In the morning, the hotel manager found a mechanic who graciously agreed to replace the generator, and we were finally on our way again. Luckily, the weather warmed enough to make the roads safe once more. We arrived home late Christmas afternoon, just as Christmas dinner was being served. WOW!

Lou resumed his schooling after being honorably discharged from the Army. It was after his military service he met Audrey Lynn. He graduated from the University of Detroit in June, 1950 with the degree of BEE (Bachelor of Electronic Engineering). The University of Detroit is a Roman Catholic school, and is located a short distance from Marygrove College, also a Catholic school. It was on a blind date that Lou met Audrey, a student at Marygrove and soon his bride-to-be; both had mutual friends from the two schools who arranged the blind date.

Louis's occupation: Electrical Engineer in Detroit, MI. After graduation, he worked for The Electrical Association of Detroit, a group sponsored by the Detroit Edison Company. After about 16 years the Association was disbanded and Lou worked directly for the Edison Company, first in the Marketing Department acquiring a certification in heating and air-conditioning. After a time he transferred to the Construction Department working on construction estimating, in the Detroit office and in Troy, and on construction sites in the Metro Detroit area and Ann Arbor.

He retired in March 1986 and moved in November 1988 with Audrey to South Lyon, MI, to Colonial Acres, a retirement community just north of town.

I saved this email info Dad gave me dated July 20, 2001, concerning his grandmother Clara's lineage:
Bridget Meagher, 1797-1876, married Michael Hackett, [d.?] 1975. Both born in Ireland. Had the following children; John, Michael, Mary, Margaret, Patrick Charles. Patrick Hackett married Dora Egan and they had the following offspring: Maire (Markey), Dora (Minahan), Wiliam, Gertrude (McNamara), Robert, Lucy (O'Hearn), Ella(Norton), Daniel, John, Clara (Schneider) my grandmother. I remember her when I was very young. You know the rest- Clara married Peter and had Viola (Haner) Hilda Golata (Jan's Mother), Harry, Marcus Clarence and my dad, Louis. I don't know how much if any of this is news but here you have it. So Bridget would be your great-great-great grandmother. Right?
Dad

Louis John Schneider and Audrey Kathryn Lynn had the following children:

123 i. Lynn Marie⁷ Schneider was born in Detroit, MI 5/4/1949. She married twice. She married Robert Wisnewski in Morristown, NJ, 11/3/1973. Robert was divorced from Lynn Marie Schneider in Lake Shawnee, NJ, July 1983. She married Sherwood Stevens in Morristown, NJ, 9/24/1994.

She graduated from college in Detroit, MI, May 1973. School: Marygrove College. Lynn had moved to Morristown, NJ in 1973 and married Robert Wisnewski. She found work at the Morristown Bank a short walk from where she lived. She retired from a job in the payroll & personnel departments at that bank to work part time in the finance department of Dialogic Corp., in NJ. Presently (the year 2001) she is the proud step-grandma of little Woody & Tyler Stevens, the children of her husband's son and his wife, also named Sherwood and Lynn.

+ 124 ii. James Paul⁷ Schneider was born 7/30/1950.

125 iii. John Joseph⁷ Schneider was born in Inkster, MI 5/21/1952. Born at 1:30 am May 21, 1952 in Providence Hospital, Detroit; 7lb. 4oz, 18-3/4" long, according to his mother. He married Melissa Anne Wambach in Ann Arbor, MI, 8/29/1981. Melissa was born in Cincinnati, OH 6/29/1956. She is the daughter of Joseph Wambach, Jr. and Gertrude Imogene Kuykendall.

Having had enough of the cold Michigan winters, Melissa & John relocated to Savannah, GA, Melissa having secured a promotion/transfer from Sales Manager in the Ann Arbor branch of Kelly Services, to running the Savannah branch as City Manager, starting Feb 29,1998. At the end of February 2000 she left this job to pursue her talent as an artist. Along with having made polymer clay jewelry, she paints furniture, makes pillows, and other decorative home furnishings. She currently works for the Savannah Magazine, where she writes and contributes her artistic creativity in photo shoots.

John served in the military in Ft. Knox, KY; Ft. Bliss, TX; Ft. Lee, VA; Hanau, Germany, 1972 to 1974. In the last draft call of the Vietnam Era, John received a lottery number of 12. Induction papers followed shortly. Processed in the Fort Wayne Induction Station, Detroit, he entered the U.S. Army on April 24, 1972 for a 2 year term. Spent Basic Training at Fort Knox, KY. Upon completion, was ordered to report to Fort Bliss, TX, in El Paso, on July 9, 1972 for Advanced Individual Training, to train as a Nike Hercules Electronics Mechanic. Was removed from school for violating his security clearance, being caught in possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) and thereafter reassigned to Fort Lee, Virginia to train as a Subsistence Storage Specialist, completing that training on May 8, 1973. After serving temporary duty at Camp A.P. Hill, Virginia, and having 6 months left to serve, he was assigned (October, 1973) to Hanau Caserne, in Hanau, Germany, with the 3rd Armored Division, delivering rations to mess halls in the Frankfurt area. Hanau is located about 20 miles east of Frankfurt along the Rhine River. He was released from active duty April 23, 1974 with an honorable discharge. Highest rank achieved: Private E-2.

He was released from active duty in Ft. Dix, NJ, 4/23/1974. John graduated in Ypsilanti, MI, 4/28/1984. Institution: Eastern Michigan University. He graduated Cum Laud majoring in History and Political Science with a concentration on Early American History. Met Melissa in the first class the first day of school, Dr. Goff's 400 level, The Age of Washington & Jefferson.

John's occupation: 8/6/1984 - 3/12/98, Edwards Brothers, Inc., book and journal manufacturing since 1893, of Ann Arbor, MI, as a Buyer in their Purchasing Department. Became a Senior Buyer in 1988. Remained one of a 4 person purchasing department until 3/12/98 when he and Melissa moved to Savannah, GA, with Melissa's transfer by Kelly Services.

After a number of temporary jobs through Kelly Services, John gained employment with Information Technology Services (ITS) on 12/14/98. ITS, a company based in Greenville, SC, was contracted by Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. to scan documents and drawings to electronic (digital) format. John was hired to run a scanner. In February 1999 he was promoted to on-site supervisor. In August of 1999 he quit ITS to hire permanently with Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation in their Service Center Purchasing Department as a Buyer, purchasing softgoods (leathers, fabrics, and customer comfort items like sinks, toilets, veneers, countertops, cabinets, etc.) for the support of customer's aircraft.

126 iv. William Peter⁷ Schneider was born 8/17/1953. He was a student in Ypsilanti, MI, 1973. School: Eastern Michigan University. William graduated in Ypsilanti, MI, 1979. Institution: Eastern Michigan University. BA degree in Anthropology.

William's occupation: Respiratory Therapist in Traverse City, MI. He worked for Munson Hospital, Traverse City, MI. Left to travel the country serving a number of hospitals for an employment agency serving the medical field. Some locations were Seattle, Indianapolis, Austin, TX, Cheyenne, WY, Cleveland, OH, and back at Munson, Michigan.

127 v. Michael Patrick⁷ Schneider was born 4/6/1956. He resided in San Diego, CA 1977. Created a family newsletter during the summer of 1994. Initially called "California Breezes," the March 1995 issue settled on the permanent "California Breeze." The monthly publication continued until the last issue of January 1998, due mainly to the lack of receipt of contributing articles.

He was a student in San Diego, CA, 1982--1985. School: University of San Diego. Mike writes, "In 1982 I entered college seminary (St. Francis) at the University of San Diego, stayed for three years and graduated with a degree in philosophy. I moved to the next stage of seminary training by going to Rome, where I was there for three years, graduating with a Bachelors in Theology from the American University. I took a leave of absence, to think about the commitment I was facing and never returned to become ordained."

Michael's occupation: Marketing Manager in Costco, 1990. Mike also writes, "In 1989, I moved to Los Angeles, as I accepted a job to run a group home for juvenile delinquent boys, where I stayed for a year before taking a full-time job with Costco Wholesale. I have been there now for over 8 years, currently holding the position of Marketing Manager."

Shortly after writing that, Mike changed positions and currently runs one of the food departments at Costco.

+ 128 vi. Gregory Thomas⁷ Schneider was born 4/6/1956.

129 vii. Mark Vincent⁷ Schneider was born 7/17/1959. Mark worked for a medical supply house after high school graduation. Being familiar with a part of the medical field, Mark pursued a career as an Emergency Medical Technician, working in the Detroit metropolitan area.

He also writes music being an accomplished musician, playing classical and jazz piano as well as the guitar and flute.

+ 130 viii. Marylou⁷ Schneider was born 8/23/1962.