ROBERT JOHN SCHNURR, age 68, died at Richmond University Medical Center on Tuesday, September 22, 2020. Born June 18, 1952, Rob (to his family), Bob to his friends and Stix as his “in-crowd” friends, died of NON-COVID19 medical issues after a four-week hospital stay.
A life-long Staten Islander, Bob was the son of Francis and Evelyn (Wenz) Schnurr. He surrounded himself with family, his brother George Schnurr (Mary Lou) of Sparta, New Jersey, cousins Karen Ritchie (Richard) of New Providence, New Jersey; Lynne Christian of Phoenix, Arizona; Jill Webb of Staunton, Virginia and Kristen Shepherd (Kyle) of Basking Ridge, New Jersey. Beloved uncle to George Schnurr, Jr. of Atlanta, Georgia and Kathleen Sawyer of Winter Springs, Florida. Great uncle to Michael and Gage Schnurr of Ocala, Florida, Dylan Sawyer of Atlanta, Georgia and Kelly Sawyer of Winter Springs, Florida.
Upon graduation from New Dorp High School 1970 he attended Wagner College, receiving his undergraduate degree in Business in 1974 and later an MBA in Finance. Bob retired from Richmond University Medical Center in July of 2018.
His other family was Wagner College athletes, coaches, administrators and fans. This past January the Athletic Department honored Bob for his 50 years of dedication to keeping the “book” for the men’s and women’s basketball teams. The New York City council proclaimed January 18, 2020 Robert Schnurr Day.
In 1970 Bob began his involvement with Wagner basketball as Manager of the JV Men’s Basketball Squad under the guidance of Arnold Obie. He then went on to be the men’s basketball official scorer - he donned a black and white stripe shirt for every game and sat at the scorer’s table. Referees would often consult him to make sure they called the right foul on the right player.
“Never played a down or swung a bat or took a jumper” as noted by Jack Minogue in the Staten Island Advance article of November 4, 2000. Bob was born with spina bifida and playing sports was not in the cards. But he managed to participate from the sidelines in a very meaningful way. For his efforts he was elected to Staten Island’s Sports Hall of Fame “Unsung Heroes” on February 20, 2007. He also served on the Wagner College Hall of Fame board, becoming an inductee to the Hall in 2000. He served on this board until his death.
With scorebook and pencils in hand he kept score at some of basketball’s cathedrals. Cormac Gordon reported in May 31, 2006 that “Schnurr worked the table at Madison Square Garden, Pauley Pavilion and Notre Dame’s Convocation Center. He was at Cameron Indoor Stadium the day the Seahawks stunned Duke University and their young coach Mike Krzyzewski. And he was in the Fleet Center in Boston when Wagner played its one and only NCAA Tournament game against Pitt Panthers.”
Bob dealt with this disability in two ways – at the Rusk Institute in Manhattan he was shown innovative techniques to walk with the aid of hip to toe braces and crutches in his pre-teen years and channel his stubbornness into making things work. Ankle surgery provided new-found strength to shorten his iron braces from knee to toe. As years progressed he kept the crutches but lost the iron braces to prefabricated molded leg supports.
Wagner’s Coach Mike Deane rallied his troops, past and present, for a fund-raiser to get Bob a motorized scooter, making life a bit easier to get to and from the court. Fundraising took one day.
“He was a confidant, a sounding board, a listener, a genuinely good guy and a loyal friend. Think of the cast of characters he survived: Chester Sellitto, John C. Goodwin, P. J. Carlesimo, Neil Kennett, Tim Capstraw, Dereck Wittenburg, Mike Deane, Dan and Bobby Hurley and now Bashir Mason” according to Mike Deane.
Basketball was not just the only sport he loved – a former Jet season ticket holder would find him at Shea Stadium and the Meadowlands; Saratoga, Monmouth Park and Belmont would test his equine prowess. The on-line betting venue - Monmouth’s Survival at the Shore – kept him busy during the summer season.
Friends may gather to celebrate the Bob’s life at Harmon Funeral Home, 571 Forest Avenue, Staten Island on Sunday, September 27, at 2 – 4pm and 7 – 9 pm. Masks are required and temperature maybe taken at the door. Monday, September 28 burial service will start at 10AM at Harmons and internment will be at Fairview Cemetery on Victory Boulevard at 10:30am.
We realize we are in trying times this 2020 and ask that flowers not be sent; however, should you like to memorialize Bob please make donations to the "Wagner College Seahawk Club" in memory of Bob Schnurr. Mail to: Wagner College, Advancement, 1 Campus Road, Staten Island, NY 10301 or online at wagner.edu/give or by calling 718-420-4551.
Thank you for being a part of Bob’s life.
DONATIONS
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18