May 16, 2024 – West Bend, WI – Deacon Ronald William Schneider of West Bend, WI, passed away peacefully on May 12, 2024, at Cedar Lake Health and Rehabilitation Center. He was born on December 17, 1936, to the late Alvin and Florence (nee Mayer) Schneider. At an early age, Ron’s father passed away, and after his mother remarried, he was raised by Florence and Harvey Lauters.
Ron enlisted in the United States Army in 1955 and served four years with the Military Police Corps. His assignments included a joint posting with the Tokyo Police Department in Tokyo Japan and a combat military police unit at Fort Dix NJ.
Upon his return to civilian life, he married Carol Rose in 1962; together they had three sons.
He joined Air Canada in 1961 and progressed through a variety of management and public relations positions, ending his career with Air Canada as the National Sales and Marketing Director for all Special Markets in the US.
In the fall of 1985 Ron and Erla Herman (Thelen) reacquainted at their 30th class reunion and on October 10, 1986, they married, blending Erla’s four daughters with the three Schneider boys.
After retiring from Air Canada in 1991 Ron followed a “calling” and began his formal theological schooling at the Permanent Diaconate Formation School at the National Institutes of Health and the American Cancer Institute. Ordained as a Deacon in September 1996 at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington DC and served as a Deacon to the Saint Matthias Parish in Lanham, Maryland.
He served as a Chaplain to the same Hospice programs where he and Erla had served as volunteers since the 1980s. He performed services at the National Cathedral and at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington DC. He also served as a delegate to the opening prayer service at the United States Congress.
In 2006 Ron and Erla returned to Wisconsin. Ron served as a Deacon and a Hospice Minister for St. Francis Cabrini in West Bend.
Surviving Deacon Ron are his wife, Erla, his sons, Daniel (Dawn), Bedford, TX, Terry (Deborah) Gulf Breeze, FL, Michael (Amy) Dunkirk, MD, stepdaughters, Sue (Steve) Burt, Saline, MI, Sandra (Rob) Nelson, Burlington, CT, Shari Schneider, West Bend, WI and Stacey Herman, Glenview, IL. Along with his grandchildren William Burns, Max (Polina) Burns, Adam Schneider, Samantha (Jessica) Schneider, Elliot Schneider, Spencer (Sara) Burt, Michaela Schneider, Lexie Schneider, Scoop Schneider, and Zoom Schneider. Four great-grandchildren: Ayden, Avery, Elon, and Blake Burns. His brother Dave (Ruth) and his sister Pamela Lauter along with many sisters and brother-in-laws.
Deacon Ron’s family will greet relatives and friends during visitation on Tuesday, May 21 at St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church, 1025 S. 7th Ave., West Bend from 10:30 a.m. until 12:45 p.m., with a Knights of Columbus prayer service at 12:45 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 1 p.m. at St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church. Burial will be Wednesday at 9:15 a.m. in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Port Washington.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to St. Frances Cabrini Parish or Cedar Community Foundation for the benefit of their hospice programs are appreciated.
The Schmidt Funeral Home of West Bend is serving the family. Messages of comfort and condolence may be left in an online guestbook at www.schmidtfuneralhome.com.
