John Matthew Schneider Jr., of Lewes, Del., and formerly of Newburgh, N.Y., and Williamstown, N.J., passed away peacefully on Sept. 11, 2017, in Milford, Del. He was born and raised in Atlantic City and neighboring Brigantine, N.J.
Schneider attended Holy Spirit High School in Atlantic City, playing football for the Spartans. He joined the U.S. Marines in 1966, achieving the rank of sergeant (E-5) before being honorably discharged in 1970. He spent the majority of his career working as a service technician and kerf designer for IBM in Cherry Hill, N.J., and East Fishkill, N.Y.
Schneider was an avid golfer, playing every course he could, and had numerous golfing buddies. He also enjoyed fishing in the bays of the Jersey shore with his father and his family, catching bluefish, flounder and weakfish.
He purchased a cake every year on Nov. 10 to celebrate the birth of the Marine Corps, sharing it with his friends and family. With his vast knowledge of all trivia (especially history), Schneider bested all challengers in games of Trivial Pursuit. He was a voracious reader, enjoying the works of Shelby Foote and James Michener, and was also a die-hard fan of both the Philadelphia Eagles and the Flyers.
Schneider is survived by his wife of 49 years, Patricia; his children, John and Jennifer; and his grandson, Alex.
A private memorial will be held to celebrate his life. In lieu of flowers, the family requested that memorial donations be made to one of the following charitable organizations: Hospice of Delaware; 100 Patriots Way; Milford, DE 19963 and www.delawarehospice.org, or the Michael J. Fox Parkinson’s Foundation; P.O. Box 5014; Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014 and michaeljfox.org. Condolences may be sent online at www.melsonfuneralservices.com.