Ronald Richard Schnier's Obituary
Ronald R. Schnier
Oshkosh resident Ronald Richard Schnier, age 85, left this world on March
14, 2022 at Edenbrook Care Center to join his wife Suzi in Heaven, after a
brave battle with cancer.
Ron was born on June 16, 1936, the eldest of four sons, to the late Gerald
R. and Delora (Breitbarth) Schnier of Thurston, Nebraska. Ron grew up on
a farm and attended a small public school in Thurston, graduating in 1954
from a class of only seven. From there, he entered the University of
Nebraska, which at that time had an enrollment of about 7,000. He never
forgot the challenge of adjusting to leaving his home for such a new
experience. That experience later influenced his choice of career as a
counselor to help college students.
He graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1958, with a degree that
prepared him for teaching German and English at the high-school level. His
first teaching opportunity was at Valentine, Nebraska, where he met Susan
(Suzi) Darting, a Registered Nurse also in her first career position. They
were married on June 13, 1959 and enjoyed 55 loving years together until
she passed away in 2014. The Lord blessed Ron and Suzi with two
wonderful sons, Randall and Russell.
Ron's career in education next led him to eastern Iowa, where he taught at
Center Point for three years. While he was there, he also enrolled in the
University of Iowa. In 1963, he qualified for a federally-funded program to
prepare school counselors at the University of Wyoming-Laramie. He
obtained his Masters degree in 1964 and was encouraged by his advisors to
continue further. He went on to earn his Ph.D in Counseling Psychology in
1967.
Ron's next position was at Highlands University in Las Vegas, New Mexico.
In 1968, he was hired as a Counseling Psychologist at the University of
Wisconsin-Oshkosh, where he served at the Counseling Center. He was an
active member of the faculty until his retirement in 1998 as a full professor.
Ron loved his work in education and enjoyed those he worked with at the
Counseling Center.
Ron was a creative woodworker. He handcrafted furniture, toys and even a
full-size floor loom for his wife Suzi to weave cloth, which she used to make
items by sewing. He also built a number of scale-model homes, which
doubled as dollhouses. His last house was a scale model of the home where
Suzi grew up in Iowa. He also made many items for his church, Calvary
Lutheran in Oshkosh, and for the Kappa Sigma fraternity at UW-Oshkosh.
Ron enjoyed fishing in Wyoming, in local lakes in Wisconsin, and in Canada.
He especially loved a number of fly-in fishing trips to northern Canada with
friends. He and Suzi also fished in Ontario at lakes they drove their motor
home to. Ron and Suzi loved to travel together, especially in the Rocky
Mountain area. They had various trailers and motor homes they used to
travel in Wisconsin, the Midwest, and further West. They also made a
wonderful trip to Hawaii to celebrate an anniversary.
Ron was a key person in establishing a local chapter of the Kappa Sigma
fraternity while at UW-O. He also served the Lion's Club, Boy Scouting, and
The Gideons in their Christian work. He was a charter and active member
of Calvary Lutheran Church, where he was active in leadership, teaching
and sponsorship of Red Cross blood drives. In his later years after Suzi's
passing, he volunteered at Aurora Hospital, leading a bereavement support
group and as a counselor in their at-home hospice program.
Ron was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Larry, in 1997; and his
wife Suzi in 2014. He is survived by his brothers, Dale of Nocona, TX and
Bud (Cookie) of Fleming Island, FL; sister-in-law Tanice of Norfolk, NE; his
sons, Randy (Connie) of Rochester, MN and Russell of Menominee, MI; four
grandchildren, Jeff (Alicia) Schnier and Rebecca (Tim) Condon of Rochester,
Alex Schnier-Hansen of St. Catharines, ON, and Trevor Schnier of
Menominee; and three great-grandchildren, Kinleigh and Teagan Schnier,
and Theodore Condon, all of Rochester; many nieces and nephews; and
special friend Clarice Armacher of Oshkosh.
The family would like to thank Edenbrook of Oshkosh and Aurora Visiting
Nurse-Hospice of Oshkosh for Ron's support and care.
A public memorial service for Ron will be held Saturday, May 7, 2022 at
Calvary Lutheran Church, 2580 W. 9th Ave, Oshkosh, WI 54904 with Pastor
Doug Holtz officiating, with visitation from 1:00 to 2:00 pm and the service
beginning at 2:00 pm. Ron and Suzi's remains will be buried together at
Lake View Memorial Park in Oshkosh in a private ceremony at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Oshkosh Area Humane
Society.
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