Mark J Schneider, age 70, of Boca Raton, Florida, passed away peacefully in Riverwoods, Illinois, on the morning of October 29, 2026. He embarked on this final voyage surrounded by his wife and children, who will miss him always. His funeral will take place on Friday, October 30, 2026, at 12:00 PM at Congregation Beth Shalom in Northbrook, Illinois.
Mark was born in Chicago, Illinois, on September 14, 1956, to the late James & Phyllis Schneider. After the family moved to Alabama, Mark played football at Mountain Brook High School. He spent a year at his beloved University of Alabama, going on to graduate from Washington University in St. Louis, where he met his best friend and bashert, Michelle. He later obtained a graduate degree in Astronomy from the University of Western Sydney.
Mark began his career as a trader on the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and remained active in financial markets for the rest of his life. He was an avid astronomer, and his infectious enthusiasm for learning about the cosmos led to his many years as a classroom ambassador for NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He was also fiercely committed to the Jewish community, both locally as president of Bernard Weinger JCC, and globally as chairman of the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces – Illinois Chapter. He always said he got more from his contribution to FIDF’s IMPACT program than he put in—though the many students he sponsored might say otherwise.
Mark will be remembered for his generous spirit, his kindness, and his passion—for Israel, for science, for science fiction (particularly Star Trek), for sports (Alabama football, the Chicago Bears, and the Chicago White Sox), and above all else, for his family. He is survived by his beloved wife, Michelle (Lipsitz); his two devoted brothers, Gregg (Rita) and Neal (Stacey); his caring siblings-in-law, Judie (Eric) Smith and Jeff (Ally) Lipsitz; his mother-in-law, Bobbie (the late Bernie) Lipsitz; his four loving children, Steve (Lindsey) Schneider, Andrew (Jaclyn) Schneider, Scott (Lauren) Schneider, and Anna (Ben) Detzner; and his nine adoring grandchildren, Eliana, Samuel, Maxwell, Riley, Emmett, Logan, Janie, Blake, and Miles. They will keep him in their hearts forever.
