Connie Rose Schneider

Born on August 23, 1934, Connie’s life was a blend of strength, humor, deep faith, and an unmistakable sass that carried her through every season of life. At just seventeen years old, she embraced the vocation of religious life by entering the convent of the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate, where she spent ten years devoted to faith and service, joyfully educating students and shaping young lives.

After leaving the convent, Connie moved forward with the same strength and determination that defined her life. She put herself through Quincy College and began her professional career as a lab technician at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, Illinois. Though she excelled in her work, teaching was never far from her heart. The classroom continued to call to her, and before long, she returned to teaching, accepting a position at Auburn Elementary School as a fifth- and later sixth-grade teacher. There generations of students and fellow teachers came to know her as an exceptional educator, a steady guide, a compassionate encourager, and a joyful source of humor.

Connie possessed a remarkable ability to see children for who they truly were. She understood that not every student measured success through academics, and she believed deeply that this never made any child less worthy of care, respect, or encouragement. She recognized struggles others might miss, sensed unspoken needs, and met each student with patience, compassion, and unwavering belief in their value. Under her guidance, learning became an adventure, and her classroom overflowed with curiosity, creativity, and unforgettable moments. Students still smile when recalling the puppy the children “rescued” that Connie gladly welcomed as her pet, along with her legendary eraser tosses that kept everyone on their toes. More than lessons or experiments, Connie cultivated a sense of belonging. She instilled in her students the certainty that every child deserved acceptance, support, and kindness from both peers and adults alike. In every playful exchange and gentle correction, she was teaching something far greater than academics. She was teaching confidence, dignity, and the joy of discovery.

It was also at Auburn Elementary where Connie’s life took a beautiful and unexpected turn. Annette, one of her beloved students, introduced her to her dad, Gene. That introduction grew into a loving partnership, and Connie and Gene were married on December 28, 1976. They remained devoted to one another until his death in 2007. It was in their marriage that her acceptance and unconditional love was most evident as she welcomed into her heart her five heart children born during Gene’s marriage to Lucille. She spent the rest of her life loving them as her own while continuing to keep the spirit of their mother alive.

Connie’s faith was not simply something she professed. It was something she lived. She taught far more through her actions than her words, embodying generosity, forgiveness, and selfless care for others. She gave freely of her time and heart, caring for family and friends who needed support, leading the Auburn Food Pantry, volunteering with Mission Outreach, and later, in Indianapolis, continuing her service to others at the Sharing Place food pantry and St. Augustine’s. Her life reflected an unwavering commitment to serving others with humor, humanity, and grace.

Connie’s strength, sense of humor, and spirited nature remained constant, even in the face of hardship. She carried life’s burdens with courage, met challenges with resilience, and often softened difficult moments with wit, laughter, and a dash of dark humor. Her generosity knew no limits, her forgiveness came freely, and her ability to make others feel valued was one of her most extraordinary gifts.

Reunited now with her beloved husband, Gene, her grandson, Roger Untrauer, and her mother, Eva Schust, Connie is cherished in loving memory by all who knew her.

She leaves behind a family that was the center of her world. Her children are Gene (Phyllis), Bob (Joni), Carol (Joe) Untrauer, Cindy, Annette (Richard) Rhine, and Kristin (Eric) Borgert. She is also lovingly remembered by her twelve grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren, each of whom carries on her love, strength, and joyful spirit.

Connie will be remembered for her deep faith, her fierce love, her lively humor, her affection for all animals, and the unmistakable light she brought into the lives of everyone around her. Her legacy is written not only in memories but in the countless lives she shaped through kindness, patience, and love. As we celebrate her life, may we carry her spirit forward, echoing her laughter in every act of patience, her generosity in every kindness we extend, and her light in every life we touch.

While her absence leaves an immeasurable space in our hearts, we find comfort in faith and peace in knowing she now rests in God’s eternal embrace.

Connie will be remembered in a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Pius X Church, 7200 Sarto Drive, Indianapolis on February 21, 2026, at 11:00 am. A visitation will be held on February 21, 2026, at 9:00 am at St. Pius. A graveside service and burial will be held at a later date in the Virden Cemetery in Virden, Illinois.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Roger's Smile at rogerssmile.org or P.O. Box 73, Mccordsville, IN 46055