Christian F. Schneider, Jr., aged 86, passed away peacefully Thursday, February 2, 2017, at home with his loving family beside him. Chris is survived by his best friend and loving wife of 49 years, Myler (Greene) Schneider. He is survived by the other loves of his life: daughters Karen Pastuszak (husband Jim) of Rupert, WV; Linda DeRoo (husband Don) of North Hampton, NH; and son Christian “Skip” F. Schneider III of Braintree, MA. Also survived by grandchildren Kristine James; Scott, Christian and Elise DeRoo; and Jack and Bowman Schneider; great-grandchildren Marcus Fowler; Noah, Joysey, William and Charlotte James. Also survived by his good friend and brother-in-law Tony Greene (wife Norma) of Portland, ME and his very special nieces and nephew; Wendi Taylor, Nancy Miller, Rebecca Lynch, Carolyn Flanders and Christian Pedersen. Predeceased by daughter Patricia Schneider, grandson Brian Pastuszak and his sister Elsa Lou Pedersen.
Chris was born in 1930 to Christian F. Schneider and Elsa M. Schneider of Essex Fells, NJ where his love of the water developed spending summers on the Jersey Shore and fishing with his father. He graduated from Principia College in Elsah, IL where he was named the Most Outstanding Athlete in 1951. In both high school and college he loved and excelled in football, baseball and in most all sports. He carried this love to the Duxbury Community where he coached many Little League, and Babe Ruth teams. Not long after moving to Duxbury he and Myler started the Ski and Racquet Shop in Duxbury in 1970 and for close to 25 years it became the hub of activity in Duxbury. He ran ski trips, taught many tennis lessons, ran tennis tournaments and provided a real sense of community for all. He introduced so many people, both young and old, to skiing and tennis. He loved retail and his hallmark was “the customer always comes first”. He loved all of the amazing employees who worked for him over the years; it truly was a family centered store, one that allowed him to combine his love of sports with his love for people.
When the store closed, Chris then worked for 19 years for Bayside Marine Corp in Duxbury running the boat launch service for a growing boating community. He loved being on the water; fishing, boating, and bird-watching. He just loved the smell of salt air, wind in his face and waves all around. Any time he had a chance to cast his fishing line over and try for a striped bass he was in his element.
A memorial service will be held in March at the Duxbury Bay Marine School. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Cranberry Hospice at 36 Cordage Park Cir, Plymouth, MA 02360 and Camps Owatonna and Newfound at 4 Camp Newfound Rd, Harrison, ME 04040.