Raymond John Schneider

Raymond John Schneider was born on June 7, 1923, in Detroit, Michigan. Ray entered the Jesuit Order after high school and earned Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in English from Loyola University of Chicago. In 1960, he left the Jesuit Order. He received a Doctorate in Communication from the University of Michigan in 1963.

Following his 1960 marriage to Sandra Marx of Grosse Pointe, Michigan, Ray taught the Performance of Literature for 5 years at Eastern Illinois University and for 31 years at the University of South Florida. His Celebration of Literature festivals at USF ran for over 25 years. In his professional career, Ray adapted and directed 100 performance pieces, breathing life into novels, short stories, poetry, and accounts of actual events. His shows ranged from performances of Paradise Lost to a musical adaptation of The Wind in the Willows, which he directed off Broadway. He also taught in London as part of the State of Florida’s program for studies abroad. He was active in both state and national academic organizations, and was honored with the Leslie Irene Coger national award in Performance. He retired in 1999 as a Professor Emeritus.

In 2002, after his retirement from USF, Ray and Sandy moved to Apex, NC, where he was an active member of St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church. Ray died peacefully at home on April 12, 2015.

Funeral Mass will be celebrated on April 17th at 11:00 AM at St. Andrew the Apostle Church in Apex. A graveside service will be held on April 20th at 10:30 AM at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Detroit, Michigan.

Ray is survived by his loving wife, Sandy, and their four sons: Christopher Sheldon (married to Cindy Branscum) of Nevada City, CA; Mark Lawrence (married to Ellen Caylor) and grandsons Michael of Roanoke, VA, and Daniel of Raleigh; Kevin Michael (married to Susan Anderson) and grandchildren Dylan and Katelyn of Asheville; and Scot Evan of San Francisco.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church, 3008 Old Raleigh Road, Apex, 27502, in memory of Raymond J. Schneider.