LeRoy J. Schneider

LeRoy J. (Bob) Schneider, age 91, of Russellville, passed away Saturday, October 10, 2015, at his home.
He was born January 13, 1924 in the Zion Community, in Cole County, one of eight children born to Henry E. and Lillie Lorain Loesch Schneider.
He was a 1941 graduate of Russellville High School. LeRoy was a World War II veteran, serving his country in the United States Marine Corps from December 6, 1941-December 9, 1945, seeing action in the Pacific Theater.
After a long courtship marked by hundreds of letters between them during his deployment, on June 2, 1945, LeRoy was united in marriage to Eleanor Jean Woolverton, and to this union two children were born, John and Jean.
Following his discharge, LeRoy, or Bob as he was known in California, stayed in California and went to work for Southern California Edison Ltd. as a field test engineer. In 1950 LeRoy graduated from the University of Chicago with a B.S. in aeronautical engineering and became a design engineer for Douglas Aircraft Company. He later went to work for Northrop Aviation Company, working on the F-89 Interceptor and the SNARK airplanes.
In 1953 a position with North American Aviation Company (now Rockwell, Inc.) became available, where LeRoy worked on the F-1000 Super Saber and was later a part of the highly secure advanced design section, working on the B-70 Valkyrie. When the "race into space" with the Russians heated up, LeRoy was part of the MISS project in 1956 and also a designer for the seat of the X-15. North American won the contract for the Apollo missions and LeRoy was selected to design the shape of the command module and the top of the Apollo recovery systems hatch. LeRoy was a part of project Mercury, all of the Apollo missions; staying with North American through the Challenger Missions, finally retiring in 1985 after 33 years of employment.
On the Monday after his retirement, he returned to work at Northrop, where he worked on the B-2 Stealth Bomber, staying for two more years, before retiring permanently.
Following his retirement, LeRoy and Jean traveled to England, throughout Europe, Russia, Israel, Egypt, Kenya, China, and Australia. They enjoyed 56 years of marriage until she preceded him in death on April 9, 2002.
It was at his high school reunion, that he reconnected with Margie Procter Fahrni, and on February 21, 2004, they were married. Margie preceded him in death December 11, 2014.
LeRoy moved to the Russellville area, where he was an active and faithful member of the Corticelli Baptist Church.
Being raised in rural Cole County, LeRoy also enjoyed being on the farm, where he stayed busy with his vegetable garden.
He was a member of the VFW Post 1003 and the Roscoe Enloe American Legion Post 5, both located in Jefferson City, a life member of the USMC and a member and twice Master of the Yorba Linda Masonic Lodge 469, in Yorba Linda, California.
Survivors include two children and their spouses, John and Ana Schneider of Los Angeles, California and Jean and Dale Andersen of Stanfield, North Carolina; nine grandchildren, Jacob and wife Miriam, Joshua, Daniel and wife Tara, Benjamin, James and Samuel Andersen, Sarah Andersen Hercilla, Mary Schneider and husband David Carp and Kathy Schneider, six great grandchildren, Rosie, Lily, and Sami Hercilla and Amelie, Olivia, and Hazel Andersen; one brother and sister-in-law, Henry and Shirley Schneider of Santa Ana, California; one sister, Mabel Thompson of Lohman; along with numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Margie's son and daughter-in-law, Don and LouAnn Fahrni of Russellville; her granddaughter, Penny Knoche and husband Jeremy and their children, Caleb and Ava Knoche,
LeRoy was also preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Ermin Schneider and Wesley Schneider and three sisters, Lillie Schneider, Dorothy Bernard and Emaline Scheperle.
Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. Thursday, October 15, at the Corticelli Baptist Church west of Russellville.
The family will receive friends from 4:00-7:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 14, at the Scriver-Morrow Funeral Home in Russellville. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Corticelli Baptist Church Building Fund.

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