Noemi Schneider

Noemi Schneider, 79, of Berrien Springs passed on Monday, September 2, 2019. She is survived by husband, Otto J. Schneider of Berrien Springs; and her children: Concepcion Schneider of Oak Park, IL, Otto Schneider and Elek Schneider of Chicago, IL and Bleyer Schneider of Las Vegas, NV. Her first-born son, Otto Jr. was lost shortly after childbirth.
She was born to parents Concepcion Ortiz Lejarza (nee Lejarza Sandoval) and Juan Ortiz Reyes on May 26, 1940 in Mexico City, Mexico. Her siblings included sisters: Rosalinda, Yolanda and Elizabeth; and brothers: Juan and Jose (the only one surviving).
In 1962, she married Otto J. Schneider in Mexico City, then moved to Chicago, where she spent the first years of marriage. After the birth of her daughter, Coni, and son, Otto, the family moved to Berrien Springs, where her youngest two children, Elek and Bleyer, were born. She spent her life as a devoted mother and wife and took great joy and pride in raising her four children, who were most important in her life.
In 1972, the family moved to Leutenbach, Germany so that the children could be immersed in their father’s culture and where she, too, learned how to speak German. After two and a half wonderful years, having traveled throughout Germany and Europe, the family returned to the United States and resumed their lives in Berrien Springs. Her family were parishioners at St. Gabriel Catholic Church, where she once served as the president of the Altar and Rosary Society.
Throughout the 80s and early 90s, she worked as a clerk at Schug Drug store. Thereafter, she worked in the bakery at Schrader’s Supermarket. In 1995 she moved back to her adopted hometown of Chicago, and took a job at the local Jewel Supermarket.
She never really became accustomed to living “in the country,” as she was a city-girl at heart and was able to live and work in Chicago, where she was the happiest, until her retirement in 2005. She loved the city of Chicago and even after retirement found herself visiting the city frequently, either driving herself there or taking the South Shore train to visit her kids or just to spend time in what was to her “my beautiful Chicago.”
She returned to Berrien Springs, where she became actively involved in volunteering for over 10 years at the Historical Building during the Berrien County Youth Fair. She enjoyed helping set up the displays and chatting with the numerous people who would come to see and visit the building during the week.
Having survived breast cancer in 2001, an unfortunate accident in 2012 set in motion subsequent ailments and injuries that she never fully recovered from, the last of which left her unable to continue living at home. The difficult decision was made in March of this year to place her at Pine Ridge Nursing and Rehab, her last place of residence.
Her children will remember her as a strong and loving person. The simplest things brought her joy--being with her children, her love of hummingbirds, listening to mariachi music, among other things.
At her request, she was cremated on Thursday, September 6, 2019 with her four children present. Que descanses en paz querida mamá, te queremos mucho. A memorial service will be planned at a later date.
Online condolences may be left at www.allredfuneralhome.com.