Obituary for Bernice Mary Schneider

Bernice Mary Schneider, age 87, of Portland, went to be with the Lord peacefully on Sunday, June 17, 2018, surrounded by her family. She was born August 13, 1930 in Westphalia, the daughter of Edwin and Verena (Rademacher) Arens. She married John Schneider on June 14, 1958, and he preceded her in death on September 3, 1987.

Bernice was a devout Catholic and was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church and part of the Ministry of Caring for several years. She worked in the nursery at St. Lawrence Hospital before starting her own family.

She always had homemade cookies in her freezer, made a wonderful roast, apple pies, and was famous for her twirly cookies. Bernice never hesitated to provide a home cooked meal and baked goods to anyone in need. Her selfless acts and nurturing personality were far reaching and touched many lives.

Surviving Bernice are her children, Deb (Gary) Hattis, Diane (Jeff) Harger, Denise (Jerry) O’Brien, Dawn (Dan) Arwood, John (Tammy) Schneider, and Darcy Schneider; 11 grandchildren, Erica and Devann Hattis, Marisa, Leah, and Garrett O’Brien, Danielle (Paul) Blanco, Mariah, Taran, and Zakary Arwood, and Lucas and Cristian Schneider; two great-grandchildren, Frankie and Charley Blanco; brothers, Francis, Anthony (Sandy), and Joseph (Eunice) Arens; and sisters, Arlene Taylor and Rosemary Arens, and several cousins, nieces and nephews. Also preceding her in death are her parents and siblings, Loretta, Richard, Harold, Mildred, and Kenneth Arens.

A special thank you to her caregivers, Mary Huhn, the staff of Portland Assisted Living and Memory Care, and Great Lakes Hospice.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Rev. Mike Alber at 11:00 a.m., Friday, June 22, 2018 at St. Patrick Catholic Church. Rite of Committal will follow at Portland Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Thursday from 3-9 p.m. at the Lehman Funeral Home, 210 E. Bridge St., Portland. The rosary will be prayed on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at the funeral chapel. Arrangements are entrusted to Lehman Funeral Homes. Online condolences may be made at www.lehmanfuneralhomes.com.