Bonnie Ruth Schneider

Bonnie R. Schneider, 76, of Austin, passed away Wednesday, July 9, 2014. A visitation will be held on Monday, July 14, 2014 from 6:00 - 8:00PM at The Gabriels Funeral Chapel, 393 N IH35 Georgetown, TX. A graveside service will be held at Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Walburg, TX,at 10:30AM on Tuesday, July 15th with a service of celebration and thanksgiving honoring Bonnie's life and faith will follow at 11:00AM at Zion Lutheran Church, FM 1105, Walburg with Pastor John Davenport officiating. Honoring Bonnie's memory serving as pallbearers will be Dustin Schneider, Jordan Schneider, Dane Anderson, Lex Calhoun, Kenton Voges, Tim Voges Will Garnett, David Kurio and Jeff Schneider; along with Amber Anderson as honorary pallbearer. Bonnie was born on December 5, 1937 in Odem, Texas, to Basil and Dollie (Watkins) Garnett. Shortly after birth, the family moved to Central Texas, with her childhood spent in Dripping Springs, Driftwood and Wimberley, except for two years in Premont, Texas, where at the age of 11 she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. She graduated from San Marcos High School in 1956. After graduation she enrolled at Nixon Clay Business College in Austin. Upon completion of her courses, she worked as a secretary for the State Board of Insurance from Dec o f1956 to June of 1962. She met Arvilee Schneider while attending Nixon Clay; they quickly fell in love and were married on November 22, 1956. Two wonderful sons were born, Andrew and Stephen Schneider, and an infant daughter who died before birth in 1963. She was a stay at home mom until the boys started school, and then did a few part time jobs and lots of volunteer work at Redeemer Lutheran Church and School. In 1977, she began classes at Austin Community College, later transferring to the University of Texas at Austin. While attending college she worked for the university in the office of the Vice-President of Student Affairs. She graduated from UT in the summer of 1983 with a bachelor's degree in education. In the fall of 1983 she began her 17 year teaching career with Austin ISD; teaching grades 1 - 5 at Allan, Wooten and Walnut Creek Elementary Schools. In 2000, she retired and spent many happy years participating in her grandchildren's activities, enjoy her "ranchette" near George West, traveling and reading many books. She visited all of the 50 states except 2, with Hawaii being her favorite. Part of her retirement travels were with her best friend, Kay Walker. One day they decided to "travel Texas" and wore out a car doing just that! They visited all 254 Texas counties while singing "On The Road Again". In July 2008, she was given the opportunity to make some new friends at TX Oncology in Austin. She was forever grateful for the love, care and compassion they gave her during her years of cancer treatment. Her family was a blessing and source of great joy to her. She loved being a wife and mother, but also a sister. She was especially blessed to be a part of the Schneider family. Bonnie was very blessed to have Evelyn Frosch as a dear friend, who was "her rock" for the last six years, adding encouragement, love and laughter to her life. Bonnie is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Arvilee Schneider, her daughter and her brother, Basil D. Garnett. She leaves behind to cherish her memory: her sons: Andrew and Stephen Schneider; grandchildren: Amber Anderson and husband Dane, Dustin Schneider and Jordan Schneider; great grandson: Jensen Anderson; sisters: Lila Calhoun of Wimberley and Violet Voges and husband Leonard of New Braunfels, and other loving extended family and friends. A special thank you to Dr. Ellen Blair Smith and staff, Dr. Robert Coleman of M.D. Anderson in Houston, and to Hospice Austin and the staff at Conservatory at Wells Branch for all their special loving care of Bonnie. In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to Hope Texas Oncology in Austin, M.D. Anderson in Houston, St. Jude Children's Hospital or Zion Lutheran Church School Fund in Walburg, TX