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September 17, 2010
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Thursday, September 23, 2010 from 2-4 & 7-9 PM.
Funeral Services will be held at 8:30 PM at the funeral home during the evening visiting hours.
Ernest J. Schneider, age 71 of Bangor, PA and formerly of Saddle Brook, NJ, died on September 17, 2010 in Arizona with his devoted companion Gerda and loving daughters at his side.
Ernest was born in Germany and emigrated to the United States at the age of 17. His brother Heinz had already been in America for a few years and the opportunities here were much better than post-war Germany. In fact, it was the families plan to come to America only for a short time and then return to Germany, but they all ended up staying here. Ernest settled in West New York and then Saddle Brook where he lived for thirty five years.
In Germany, he attended trade school and was a very skilled plumber. He became employed with the Plumbers Local 14 in Lodi and remained there for thirty seven years before retiring at the age of fifty seven.
Ernest had a sharp sense of humor and really enjoyed joking around, kidding with you, and he simply loved to laugh. He was an avid reader, typically novels and history. He loved German history and keeping up with current events back in the homeland. He was fond of good German music too. In fact, his grandson had put together a playlist of German songs on an iPod for him and Ernest and his family were listening to that music when he passed away.
Ernest also enjoyed card games. Their household was always hosting a card game on Saturday nights, and he enjoyed teaching his kids and grandchildren how to play. He particularly loved nature too – just watching the hummingbirds or listening to the songbirds. He would often call his daughters to tell them about the deer or bears he had visiting his yard in Pennsylvania, and in Arizona he liked to hear the coyotes howl off in the distance. He enjoyed travelling in recent years too; driving from Pennsylvania to Arizona to Florida, and everywhere in between – he had been all over.
In 2000, Ernest’s wife Gerda passed away after forty years of marriage. Thereafter, Ernest was blessed with the love and devotion of another dear friend, who is coincidentally also named Gerda, and they spent that last ten years together. They would summer in Bangor, Pennsylvania and winter in the mountains of Arizona. The joy and happiness that Gerda brought into his life during these recent years will be cherished forever.
Ernest is survived by his three loving children; Fred Schneider of Vernon, Sandra Chicarella and her husband Michael of Saddle Brook, NJ, and Susan Westerberg and her husband Rick of Woodland Park, NJ, his dear and beloved Gerda Burchert, three grandchildren; Michael Ernest Chicarella, Amanda Jean Schneider, and Katelyn Diane Chicarella, two brothers; Paul Schneider and his wife Nylah of New Hyde Park, NY and Heinz and his wife Trautel of Pennsylvania, one sister Anneliese Kovacs and her husband Stefan of New York, as well as many loving nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother Fred, his sister Maria, and his grandson Johnny Arce of Saddle Brook, NJ.
As expressions of sympathy, if friends so wish, donations may be made in Ernest’s memory to St. John’s Lutheran Church, 140 Lexington Avenue, Passaic, NJ 07055.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Thursday, September 23, 2010 from 2-4 & 7-9 PM.
Funeral Services will be held at 8:30 PM at the funeral home during the evening visiting hours.
September 17, 2010
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Thursday, September 23, 2010 from 2-4 & 7-9 PM.
Funeral Services will be held at 8:30 PM at the funeral home during the evening visiting hours.
Ernest J. Schneider, age 71 of Bangor, PA and formerly of Saddle Brook, NJ, died on September 17, 2010 in Arizona with his devoted companion Gerda and loving daughters at his side.
Ernest was born in Germany and emigrated to the United States at the age of 17. His brother Heinz had already been in America for a few years and the opportunities here were much better than post-war Germany. In fact, it was the families plan to come to America only for a short time and then return to Germany, but they all ended up staying here. Ernest settled in West New York and then Saddle Brook where he lived for thirty five years.
In Germany, he attended trade school and was a very skilled plumber. He became employed with the Plumbers Local 14 in Lodi and remained there for thirty seven years before retiring at the age of fifty seven.
Ernest had a sharp sense of humor and really enjoyed joking around, kidding with you, and he simply loved to laugh. He was an avid reader, typically novels and history. He loved German history and keeping up with current events back in the homeland. He was fond of good German music too. In fact, his grandson had put together a playlist of German songs on an iPod for him and Ernest and his family were listening to that music when he passed away.
Ernest also enjoyed card games. Their household was always hosting a card game on Saturday nights, and he enjoyed teaching his kids and grandchildren how to play. He particularly loved nature too – just watching the hummingbirds or listening to the songbirds. He would often call his daughters to tell them about the deer or bears he had visiting his yard in Pennsylvania, and in Arizona he liked to hear the coyotes howl off in the distance. He enjoyed travelling in recent years too; driving from Pennsylvania to Arizona to Florida, and everywhere in between – he had been all over.
In 2000, Ernest’s wife Gerda passed away after forty years of marriage. Thereafter, Ernest was blessed with the love and devotion of another dear friend, who is coincidentally also named Gerda, and they spent that last ten years together. They would summer in Bangor, Pennsylvania and winter in the mountains of Arizona. The joy and happiness that Gerda brought into his life during these recent years will be cherished forever.
Ernest is survived by his three loving children; Fred Schneider of Vernon, Sandra Chicarella and her husband Michael of Saddle Brook, NJ, and Susan Westerberg and her husband Rick of Woodland Park, NJ, his dear and beloved Gerda Burchert, three grandchildren; Michael Ernest Chicarella, Amanda Jean Schneider, and Katelyn Diane Chicarella, two brothers; Paul Schneider and his wife Nylah of New Hyde Park, NY and Heinz and his wife Trautel of Pennsylvania, one sister Anneliese Kovacs and her husband Stefan of New York, as well as many loving nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother Fred, his sister Maria, and his grandson Johnny Arce of Saddle Brook, NJ.
As expressions of sympathy, if friends so wish, donations may be made in Ernest’s memory to St. John’s Lutheran Church, 140 Lexington Avenue, Passaic, NJ 07055.
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