The youngest of four girls, Sandra Sue Solms Schneider was born to Grace and Earl Solms in Bisbee, Arizona. She is preceded in death by her husband Philip P Schneider, and her sisters, Marjory McKinney and Elaine Hubbard. She is survived by her sister Eleanor Hill. daughters; Heidi Schneider, Shelly Schneider O’Dell, and Holli Schneider Stewart, grandchildren, Kelcie, Tara, Sabrina, Philip, and Skyler.
Her earliest years were spent on the ranch in Double Adobe AZ riding her horse and getting into mischief. Following the death of her father at age 5, Sandra, with her bright red hair, charmed practically everyone. The Solms women moved into town where the girls attended school. Sandra was extremely fond of and devoted to her sisters and their husbands, spending countless weeks with them while growing up.
When she was in High School, Sandra and her mother moved to Tempe where her mother attended college. She finished her high school years at Bisbee High after their return. Following high school, Sandra (Sandie as she would be known) attended Arizona State College, where she earned her teaching degree in Home Economics. By then, Sandie had become a bit of a social butterfly. Let’s face it, a Home Economics major in the mid 1950’s was a hot ticket.
On her daily travels to her teaching job, Sandie passed by a service station twice a day. There, the handsome co-owner noticed her driving an ancient and barely standing Studebaker coupe. That alone caught his attention. Sure enough, she had attracted Philip Schneider to her side and they married in 1956. Together they had three daughters. Sandie and Phil always kept the hearth warm for family and friends. They reveled in throwing huge events involving their daughters’ friends and their families. Sandie made everyone feel like family, when I say family, I mean the total package complete with love encouragement, heartfelt advise, words of wisdom, and, well, ok… Lectures.
Phil and Sandie opened an auto air conditioning business in South Phoenix where they also lived until 73 when they moved to Tempe. The business was Located on Central Avenue and Broadway, Sandie liked to say they had their name up in lights on Broadway. What a team! They ran the business in the same location for over 40 years before it sold.
By then, the team was managing commercial property and joyfully traveling around the U.S. coast to coast in their motorhome, With Sandie picking berries, collecting shells and rocks and making friends along the way. In 1998, Sandie and Phil moved to Santa Maria, CA where both Holli and Heidi had relocated.
Since their marriage survived a working relationship for so many years, the next logical step for a retired couple was to design their dream home?? They built in Oakhill Estates and lived there for about 13 years before Sandie lost her beloved Phil in 2011. At that time, Sandie moved back to AZ to live with Shelly and her husband Kevin in Chandler.
Shortly after returning to Arizona, Sandie inadvertently started working on her bucket list. Wanting to revisit the Grand Canyon the drive there sparked a desire to take a helicopter ride, which she did. Her 80th birthday was spent on Whitby Island with her daughters and 2 granddaughters at a dear friend’s house. Dreams of Europe, someplace Phil hadn’t ever wanted to go, became reality! She was able to travel via motorhome through England, Wales and Scotland this time with her son in law at the wheel and also floated down the Rhein River touring Switzerland, Germany and Amsterdam all the while sporting her infectious smile. She LOVED that trip! Mount Rushmore made the list and on the way an accidental stop in Santa Fe checked off another wish of seeing the Hot Air Balloon Festival. Meeting Bette Midler, and getting a kiss on the cheek, outside her Broadway show in New York City was such a thrill. At 83, the precocious red head was still charming the pants off of everyone she met.
Even through her passing, she left a part of her courageous spirit in each of us and we will continue to take that strength of character with us throughout our life journey.
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