Jim S. Schneider

James - or Jim as he was known to his family and friends - was born October 11th, 1942 in Wausau, Wisconsin to Leo and Hazel Schneider. Jim was the third Schneider child after Jeannie and Sonny (Clarence Sonny to those who don’t know). He was followed by Carol, Mary and Leroy. Unfortunately Leroy passed away as an infant from Leukaemia

The Schneider family traveled between Wisconsin and Oregon many times in the children’s lives as they pursued economic opportunities. They stopped in many places to make a living whether that was picking beans in Idaho or picking fruit in Washington. Whether that was fishing off the Oregon coast. The family moved where the work was.

However, it was always Portland that seemed home and was the place they seemed to return to.

The Schneider’s finally settled in Portland in the mid-Fifties. The children were all enrolled in Shattuck Elementary where Jeannie, Sonny and Jim graduated. The Schneider family struggled financially so Jim left school early to help the family in anyway he could. He delivered papers and held any job he could find to help support the family.

A little about Jim now. He was a very large, strong, athletic, handsome man. He moved with the grace of an athlete and had a charming smile. His younger sister Carol has said she was allowed to hang with her older brothers until girls discovered them.

Everything changed for Jim on a day reputed to be in 1960-1961. Jim loved baseball growing up and it was said he was a very good player. He played in many baseball and softball leagues. The story is on a particular day he was playing softball in a coed league on a field at Buckman Middle School when he faced a pitcher named Sharon Mortenson. The story is she struck Jim out. Maybe Jim fanned on purpose. Maybe not. But the result was Sharon took Jim’s heart that day. And Jim took Sharon’s heart also.

They quickly began dating. However in the Mortenson family, the matriarch Margie Mortenson did not allow Jim and Sharon to date alone. When Jim came calling, Margie made sure all of Sharon’s available other six siblings were made to accompany Jim and Sharon on their date. It is said that Jim would bribe these siblings with ice cream money to secure time alone with Sharon.

The Mortenson’s moved to California around this time for employment purposes. Not surprisingly Jim followed. The Mortenson’s soon recognized there was no denying this determined man (and like many others in Jim’s life, they had fallen in love with him), they gave permission for Jim and Sharon to be married although Sharon was underage.

After marriage the new couple named Schneider moved back to Portland. Sharon soon found she was pregnant with their first child, a daughter named Lisa and Jim settled in to providing for his family. He took a job for a French chemical manufacturer in Northwest Portland named Rhone Poulenc. It was a career that would last Jim for the next 30 years until this company closed in Portland.

A little about Jim now. This work history is a bit telling of who Jim was. He was one of the most faithful, loyal, steadfast, hard working, supportive, loving, caring individuals we have known. In his career he had two long term jobs. Rhone Poulenc for 30 years. And a following job with Van Waters after the closure of his previous plant for the final 14 years of his working career. People who are not incredibly responsible and hard working simply do not have that type of employment record. Former coworkers all ascribe to Jim’s workmanship and team effort.

After settling the family in Southeast Portland, Jim and Sharon’s second child was born - a daughter named Sherry born in July of 1964. This was followed by the birth of the third and final Schneider Jimmy who was born in August of 1967. This completed the Schneider family.

A little about Jim now. As has been expressed earlier, Jim was a very athletic person who played softball, baseball, volleyball, badminton, tetherball, bowling, etc. He grew up in a swimming family that regularly swam across the Willamette River. However three children take their toll. He changed his interests to benign activities. Gambling with family and friends, finding incredible value in his ritual car purchases, and the pursuit of finding treasures at garage sales became his passions. Those along with taking care of, advising, and guiding his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. He loved to give advice.

The next landmark in Jim’s life was unfortunately the passing of the youngest Schneider child Jimmy in 2003 of an aneurism at the age of 33. The passing of Jimmy was a stroke to the entire family but particularly took a toll on Sharon. Although she had health issues of her own it is widely felt she passed later that same year from a broken heart caused by losing her baby boy. Jim and the rest of the family deeply mourned these losses.

Jim lived out the rest of his life deeply enjoying his passions. His trips to casinos and buffets with his close friends and family. His being surrounded with his much loved daughters, grand children and great-grand children. His purchases of great bargains - whether they were bargains or not. And his family cherished him. He is survived by his daughters Lisa and Sherry, his grandchildren , DJ, Nile and Faustina, and his great grandchildren Ashley, Brett, and Dayton.

A little about Jim now. Jim was a man of his generation. He didn’t openly express his feelings of love for his family. It wasn’t his way. But his love was undeniable to those close to him in his utter generosity and kindness. He was such a giving, quiet, simple, humble person that although we all will miss him deeply, we all will accept we are better people to have orbited in his universe. We all will miss James Stanley Schneider. We rest at night knowing he is reunited with Mom and Jimmy. We hope you have found peace. We love you.