Marguerite Schneider

Marguerite (Matthews) Schneider died peacefully Sept. 1, 2009. The youngest daughter of Francis Patrick and Mary Claire (Hughes) Matthews, she was born May 13, 1931 in Omaha, NE. Margy attended Duchesne Convent of the Sacred Heart in Omaha and completed high school at Villa Duchesne in Clayton, MO. She spent two years at Manhattanville College of the Sacred Heart in New York City during which time her father was appointed Secretary of the Navy by President Harry S. Truman. Transferring to Trinity College in Washington D.C. for her junior year, she accompanied her parents to Ireland in 1951 when her father was appointed U.S. Ambassador. Margy received her B.A. (with Hons.) in History from University College Dublin. She also attended the Katherine Gibbs School in Chicago and worked at the J. Walter Thompson Agency in that city until her marriage to Robert G. Schneider in 1954. After living in Long Island for five years, the couple and their four sons moved to Houston in 1960 where a fifth son was born. On July 9, 1971, Margy received the gift of sobriety in the fellowship of the La Branch Group of Alcoholics Anonymous. In 1976, she began work at Houston's St. Joseph Hospital as a certified drug and alcohol dependency counselor. Margy continued her involvement in AA at the Post Oak Group until moving to Austin in 1992. She celebrated her 38th year of sobriety this past July at the Northland Group. Margy was especially devoted to Northland's Thursday women's meeting. Believing that "with God, all things are possible" and "being sober is a lot more fun than drinking ever was," she continued to share her experience, strength and hope with others until called home by God. Margy is survived by sons Richard of Port Angeles, WA; John and wife Janey of Sugarland, TX; Stephen of Houston, TX; Michael of Austin, TX; and Karl and wife Alessandra of Plano, TX. Grandchildren include Brad Petrie and Jon Erik Schneider of Sugarland, and Caitlin and Matteo Schneider of Plano. Thanks to Brad, Margy also counts as her great-grandchildren Daisy Martinez, and Matthew and Gabriel Petrie. Survivors also include her sister Kathleen Irvine of Rochester, MN; her brother Frank Matthews and wife Helen of Omaha, NE; and many cherished nieces and nephews. Margy was preceded in death by her beloved sisters Mary Claire Dwyer of Erie, PA; Patricia Belvin of Bermuda and Santa Fe, NM; and Marian Howard of El Cajon, CA. The family is deeply grateful to Dr. Larry Kravitz, Margy's "number one doc" of 17 years; Dr. John Sandbach and everyone at Texas Oncology; and a host of angels collectively known as the staff of Hospice Austin and Christopher House, especially Chaplain Beverly Lawson. They gave Margy a loving and compassionate final journey. Family, friends and those she knew in recovery will celebrate Margy's life on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 3pm at the Weed Corley Funeral Home, 3125 N. Lamar Blvd. A funeral Mass will be held for family and Margy's Catholic friends on Friday, Sept. 11 at 2 pm at St. Catherine of Siena Church, 4800 Convict Hill Rd. in Oak Hill. Margy's ashes will be spread at three of her favorite places in Ireland – Glencree, Co. Wicklow; Kells in Ossory , Co. Kilkenny and on the grounds of the Park Hotel Kenmare. In lieu of flowers, Margy wanted friends and family to donate to Hospice Austin or vote Democrat.