Obituary
On July 24, 2024, our mom, Harriet Emma Schneider, went home to be with Jesus. The loss that is felt by us, her children, Claire Gulden, Christian Schneider and Carolyn Robbins, is immeasurable.
How do I put into words what an incredible person our mom was and will be forever! The selfless, caring, devoted mom who encouraged us, supported us and inspired us all of our lives. We, her children – Claire Gulden (Brian), Chris Schneider and Carolyn Robbins, her grandchildren Emily, Charlee, Tanner, Rain, Scott (J-Lynn) and Heather, and her Great-Grandchildren Lola Lu, Giana and Skye– will keep her spirit and, selfless and generous heart alive within us.
Our Mom grew up in New York – one of 9 siblings. (predeceased by our dad – her husband of 40 years, Charlie, and sisters, Mary, Helen, Rose, and, brothers – Bill, Charlie, and Bobby), (survived by sisters Betha and Joan and many nieces, nephews, grand nieces and nephews).
Our mom had a challenging childhood. After her father left and her mother became ill, she and her siblings were moved to her grandparents. Shortly after her grandmother passed away from an illness and being called back to serve in WWII, her grandfather was forced to find a charity home that would take the children. This is where our mom, Harriet began to show the world the courage and determination inside of her that would carry her through-out her life and pave the way for an exciting and adventurous journey!
After graduating business school, mom had many exciting careers. She was the personal secretary to Ice Cream Giant -Tom Carvel, worked at the United Nations, and she was a Hostess on the Twentieth Century Limited - a train that went from NYC to Chicago – on which our mom met many actors and political figures including Mr. Rockefeller! It was at this time she met and fell in love with our dad, Charlie, and left the single life to begin her most cherished adventure – raising us!
Our mom and dad moved us to the Jersey Shore and on that small 18 mile long island, mom set – up boys and girls sports teams, worked with local officials to establish Holiday Parades, and championed many local issues that had long stood unopposed. Our mom was a force to be reckoned with, and successfully made wonderful changes in that small beach community that remain to this day!
As we grew up, mom encouraged and supported us in spreading our wings and not giving into challenges, but to overcome them.
Later in life mom and dad moved to Florida where they bought a laundromat. As business owners they enjoyed the day-to-day tasks and all the people they met including race car driver Jeff Gordon, who came back often to visit, and called mom his “other mom” and showered her with cases of Baby Ruth candy bars (his first big sponsor)! Eventually they sold the laundromat and settled into retirement. Unfortunately, that is when our dad became sick, and mom took on another role as caregiver. After our dad passed, mom poured herself into being the best Grandma ever! She was involved with each of her 6 grandchildren, and encouraged and supported them, just as much as she had done with her children. Each grandchild was a precious and unique gift to her, and she made sure they knew it! To say she had no favorites would be incorrect, for mom, she had 6 favorites!
Our mom is a beautiful and spirited life, that no matter what words are written on these pages to showcase her life, it cannot hold a candle to the person she was, she is, and she will always be!
We, her children and grandchildren, are the ones to carry her into the future and continue to show the world what a gift she was to all who were blessed to be in her life!
HARRIET EMMA SCHNEIDER (MOM AND GRANMDA)
You are and will always be “The Wind Beneath Our Wings”!