Nancy Ann (Aldridge) Schneider passed away on August 2, 2011, at the age of 80. She was surrounded by her husband Ed, four children and many other beloved family members and friends during the last days of her long battle with cancer.
Nancy was born on Apr 20, 1931 in Traverse City and raised in South Boardman, the daughter of Gordon D and Gretchen E. (Niehardt) Aldridge. She graduated from Kalkaska High School with the Class of 1949. On August 1, 1955, she married Edward A. Schneider of Kalkaska. Trained at the Bronson School of Nursing at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Nancy was a registered nurse who worked both at a Traverse City clinic affiliated with Munson Hospital and at the Mala Strana Health Care Center in New Prague, MN. Her life’s joy, and main job, was the raising of her four children, first in Minnesota and later on the family homestead in Manistee.
She was skilled in many traditional crafts and was an active member of the Victorian Quilters Guild in Manistee. An avid quilter, initter, home canner, and lace maker, she made treasured quilts as wedding gifts for each of her children and high school graduation gifts for each grandchild. Her hand made cards, some with tatted lace were like collector’s items among the long list of people with whom she carried on a life long correspondence.
Nancy was a known by fortunate family members for her extensive recipe collection. She also was a bird enthusiast, human society volunteer, and Audubon Society member who treasured the wide variety of birds who came daily to the many feeders under her large window. A personal joy that delighted visitors to the farm was the morning march of wild turkeys and occasional appearance of fawns and flying squirrels.
Nancy is survived by her husband, Edward; her children, Mark (Pamela) Schneider, Karl (Kim) Schneider, Susan (Cynthius) Schneider, Thomas (Debbie) Schneider and eight grandchildren.
A graveside service was held at 1pm on Sat, Aug 6, 2011 at the Boardman Township Cemetery in South Boardman with her nephew Charles W. McDaniel of the Church of Christ officiating. A luncheon gathering immediately followed.
Memorials in her memory may be directed to the U of M Comprehensive Cancer Center.
