Helen Schnell

Helen was born January 21, 1939 to Michael and Agnes Wota of Manhattan, NY at Jewish Maternity Hospital at 7:28 p.m., just two minutes before her identical sister Stella. Their brother Michael came along in 1941. There were many stories shared around holiday meals of how “the twins” would swap places with each other and no one was the wiser. Even when they began dating. It was said that, at times, their young children had difficulty determining who was who.

Helen met, and married, the love of her life Philip A. Schnell on February 17, 1962 at the Calvary Church of the Brethren in Brooklyn, NY. They went on to raise two children, first in Kings Park, and then in Middletown, NY where Helen spent 42 years in the same house with the same wonderful neighbors, prior to moving to the Carolinas.

In her younger days Helen worked as a Bank Teller on Wall Street. Later in life she could be found planting flowers in a rainbow fashion up the front walkway and meticulously tending to her yard.

Helen is survived by her son Matthew P. Schnell and his wife Jodi Stotz of Plainfield, Illinois; her daughter Victoria A. Edwards and her husband Barry Edwards of Monroe, NC; her five grandchildren, Dustin J. Sullivan of Monroe, NC; Daniel J. Sullivan of Lynnwood, Washington; Ella M. Edwards and partner Logan Brunner of Cincinnati, Ohio; Philip C. Schnell and partner Justine Horton of Ravenna, Ohio; Morgan Schnell of Akron, Ohio; and five great-grandchildren – Decklan Schnell, Madyson Hinton, Owen Hinton, Cooper Hinton and Achilles Fox.

The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to the staff of Union County Counsel on the Aging and VIA Health Partners Hospice & Palliative Care, Charlotte for their wonderful care and support. Memorial donations may be made in memory to Union County Counsel on the Aging, 1401 Skyway Drive, Monroe, NC 28110, or [email protected]; or VIA Health Partners, PO Box 470408, Charlotte, NC 28247, or donatehospice.org.