Kenneth Poe Funeral Services

September 23, 2021

Kathleen Ann Rheingans Schneider was born October 20, 1947, in Rochester, MN, to Margaret and Bernard Rheingans, second generation German-Irish immigrants. Kathleen was the middle child in a family of three daughters. Her sisters, Karen and Karmen, survive her. Kathleen was passionate in every role she experienced throughout her life: daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, friend, nurse, writer, activist and faithful servant of the Lord.

Kathleen’s family lived in Millville, MN, a tiny town on the Zumbro River that her grandparents helped found in the late 1800s. Farming was the way of life on both sides of the family, and her mom’s family also raised horses and later owned the Millville John Deere shop. Kathleen’s mom, Margaret, a born educator, passionately taught second grade for 50 years. Kathleen’s dad, Bernard, a Marine Veteran of Iwo-Jima, owned the local gas station and later the grocery store. They grew up surrounded by family. Stories of hosting each other for the holidays, fishing on the Zumbro river, climbing the bluff that overlooked Millville, canning and pickling, making jam, all these memorable experiences created a tapestry of gifts Kathleen shared with her children.

Kathleen graduated from Elgin High School in 1965 and pursued a career in nursing. She was intrigued by cardiology and cardiac nursing, and began her career in the cardiac intensive care unit at Methodist-Kahler Hospital in Rochester, MN, after graduating from their nursing school in 1968.

Kathleen inherited an adventurous spirit from her mother. In 1971 she moved to Boston to work in the cardiac intensive care unit at Massachusetts General Hospital. A year later she took the opportunity to join the staff of the SS HOPE, a medical ship that was part of the international nonprofit Project HOPE. Working on the front lines of the world’s health challenges, HOPE partners hand-in-hand with communities to deliver medical care, humanitarian assistance and health education. The 1972 SS HOPE voyage from Baltimore to Natal, Brazil provided 10 months of updated medical care and education to Brazilian healthcare workers. Already an activist, Kathleen worked in the ship’s intensive care unit and took every opportunity to learn about and immerse herself in Brazilian culture. She documented her experiences and her insights in a series of audio tapes she sent to her family back in Minnesota.

Working aboard the SS HOPE, Kathleen met her husband of 47 years, Robert Schneider, a urology resident who joined the voyage for a three month rotation in July, 1972. They fell in love and married on November 28, 1975, in Columbia, Missouri. Their love of travel and exploring different cultures was a big part of their lives together, and a passion they shared with their children and grandchildren.

In 1976, Kathleen and Bob settled in Winchester, VA, a small town in the Shenandoah Valley. They were often joined by Bob’s daughter from his first marriage, Erin, before adding to their family in 1979 with the birth of a second daughter, Lauren, and in 1983, with the birth of a son, Ian. Kathleen embraced her role as a full time mother and channeled her passion for activism by spearheading the foundation for the Winchester Battered Women’s Shelter. Kathleen raised money from local philanthropic individuals and went door to door to garner additional funding that assured the completion of the project.

In 1985, Kathleen and Bob moved to Charlotte, NC. As hard as it was to leave their close knit community in Winchester, they were happy to find Charlotte filled with more friends to add to their heart’s wealth. Kathleen’s involvement in the Charlotte community blossomed through her volunteer work with the PTA at Sharon Elementary School, and through her faith journey of service at Trinity Presbyterian Church, the family’s church home. Kathleen was privileged to serve for 36 years as a member of the Trinity Session, the Pastor Nominating Committee, the Education Committee, the Worship Committee, the Communications Team, the Capital Campaign, the Prayer Team, the Stewardship Committee, the Congregational Life Committee, the Flower Committee, the Thursday Bible Study Class, the Communion Team, and as Chair of Worship. She was also actively involved in several mission projects, which included serving lunches at Urban Ministry, painting the residential floors of the Charlotte YWCA, and the church painting outreaches in Anson County.

Kathleen was known to her grandchildren as “Gram K.” They loved spending time with her, and treasure the 2019 family trip to London and Paris, their first time traveling abroad. They will surely miss the many ways she made them feel so special. Not a holiday went by without each of them receiving a special card from her. Like her mom, Kathleen always took time to write special notes in the many cards she frequently sent to those she loved.

An avid reader and writer, Kathleen loved words and had a passion for all things literary. Her book club, a small group of friends who met religiously for thirty years in Charlotte, was sacred to her. As was her writing. She participated in writing workshops and was part of a group of artists of various disciplines who met regularly to share their work. A source of great inspiration and community, her artists group helped propel her writing forward, culminating in her acceptance to the Charlotte Lit Authors Lab. Throughout the year long program, Kathleen whittled away at the multigenerational family memoir she had been working on for years. Her children will carry on her writing legacy, with plans to finish and publish the heartfelt work she so excellently penned.

Kathleen supported the arts of every discipline: she loved the theater, the symphony, the opera, and all genre of museums. An avid sports fan, there was nothing she would rather do than drink a cold beer with loved ones while cheering on her favorite Minnesota Vikings or Twins. She loved a good game of euchre or backgammon just as much as she loved tending to her garden and mowing the grass. When she set her mind to something she was all-in, she did everything with her whole heart. Kathleen was fierce in her love for her family, her friends, her faith, for justice and equality, for peace and for goodness to reign. Her strength of spirit and incredible sense of humor will be missed by all who had the good fortune to know her.

Kathleen was predeceased by her parents Bernard Joseph Rheingans and Margaret Elizabeth Springer Rheingans of Millville, MN. She is survived by her husband, Robert Edward Schneider II of Charlotte, her children Erin Elizabeth Schneider-Stucky and husband Paul of Kansas City, MO, Lauren Banuvar Schneider of Los Angeles, CA and Ian Paul Harlan Schneider of London, UK, and by her grandchildren Alexandra Stucky, Jack Stucky, Cole Stucky and Caroline Stucky. She is also survived by her sisters Karen Ann Rheingans Heise and husband Tom of Lake City, MN, and Karmen Ann Rheingans Gusa and husband Steve of Rochester, MN, along with many beloved nieces and nephews and their families.

Kathleen’s favorite prayer was a source of great strength in her life, and a gift she wished to share with all:                                                                                               

The Serenity Prayer:   "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.''

A celebration of Kathleen’s life will be held on her birthday, Wednesday, October 20, 2021, at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 3115 Providence Road, Charlotte, NC 28211 at 1:00pm EST. All who are able to attend her celebration of life are asked to wear a mask to help protect immunocompromised family members. To accommodate those who are unvaccinated, live outside of Charlotte, and outside the USA in other parts of the world, a virtual link to Kathleen's service will be active and available starting at 12:45pm EST on Wednesday, October 20, 2021.

TO ATTEND THE SERVICE VIRTUALLY:  Go to www.trinitypreschurch.org (please note it is .org, not .com) at 12:45pm EST on October 20, 2021. Click on the “Watch Worship” icon to the RIGHT in the middle of the page. Then click on the large video box at the bottom LEFT of the page to gain entry into the service.  To enlarge the video on your screen, click on the bottom of the box, then click on the 2 arrowheads connected by a straight line at the far RIGHT corner of the box. Call 704-366-3554 for help if you are unable to access the website or the service.

And finally, in lieu of flowers or other gifts of celebration, our family asks that you consider honoring Kathleen's life and memory by making a contribution to the Memorials Fund at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Kathleen’s name. These gifts, in combination with those from our family, will fund an infrastructure project at Trinity that will celebrate Kathleen’s life and honor her memory.

A GIFT IN KATHLEEN’S HONOR:  Gifts can be made by personal check or credit card:  A personal check can be made payable to Trinity Presbyterian Church with Kathleen’s name in the bottom left memo line. Please send to Trinity Presbyterian Church, 3115 Providence Road, Charlotte, NC 28211.  To make a gift by credit card, go to www.trinitypreschurch.org (please note it is .org, not .com). At the top of the page on the RIGHT - click on GIVE. Next page: click on MAKE A GIFT. Next page: complete Giving Details. Next page: under Select a fund, choose MEMORIALS; under optional memo put SCHNEIDER; then enter your email address. Next page: confirm your email address at the bottom LEFT side of the box; then click Continue as Guest at the bottom RIGHT side of the box. Next page: enter your credit card information then click GIVE at the very bottom of the page

For any questions about the service or gift giving, please contact Cheryl Jernigan at 704-366-3554.

Our family would like to thank you for your love, prayers, and repeated words of encouragement during the 6 years of Kathleen's illness. She said she never took the sentiment lightly. When someone said they were sending her love or prayers she knew they meant it. She said she could feel it. She often spoke of how supported and comforted she felt by the love and prayers sent by friends and family, a support and comfort that we now feel and for which we are equally grateful. May God hold Kathleen close and may she always rest in peace.

With blessings to all,  The Schneider and Stucky Families