Marlys E. Schneider | 1934 - 2023
Obituaries-Mobridge / Posted Apr 17, 2023 | 4:18 PM / 277 views
Marlys E. Schneider, 89, of Gettysburg, passed away Saturday, April 15, 2023, at Avera McKennan Hospital, Sioux Falls.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, April 22, 2023, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Gettysburg, with Father Brian Simon presiding. Burial will follow in Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery, Gettysburg. A wake service will be held at 7:00 p.m., Friday, April 21, 2023, at the church with visitation one-hour prior.
Marlys E. Fenner was born March 24, 1934, to Walter and Edna (Strube) Fenner. She was the second of four children and grew up on the family farm northwest of Milbank. Walt farmed and milked cows, contributing to Marlys’s lifelong dislike of milk.
She attended country school and was a 1952 graduate of Milbank High School. Following high school, she took the civil service exam, which led to federal job opportunities with the FBI in Washington DC and the Farmers Home Administration in Gettysburg. Fortunately for us, she chose the latter. Marlys rode the bus from Milbank to Gettysburg and began her 71-year life as a Potter County resident.
Her first stop was Mrs. Gidley’s boarding house where she gained lifelong friends. Oh, what adventures the Gidley girls had. The girls maintained an annual round-robin letter for decades. Marlys met Leland Schneider, fresh home from the Korean War, through a double date. They were not initially paired up, but love found its way and they married in 1954. After a short stint in a basement apartment in Gettysburg, they made their home at the Schneider farm southwest of town.
Marlys was a working farmwife raising a large garden and a flock of chickens along with four children: Patty, Bob, Kathy and Jim. Spare time was limited but she found time to be active in church as a catechism teacher and altar society member. She supported her kids’ school and 4-H activities, participated in the neighborhood ladies’ social group, (“club”), and was a conscientious member of the American Legion Auxiliary. She was a non-golfing member of the Gettysburg Country Club. As the kids became older (not necessarily more mature) she returned to paying work, splitting her time between the local ASCS office and the Potter County Register of Deeds office. For several years, Marlys and Leland spent numerous summer weekends camping in the “bus” with friends at Whitlock Bay.
When Leland passed in 1985, Marlys became a widow at age 51. She moved to town and reinvented her life as a “town person”. She loved it! She continued her role as Deputy Register of Deeds until retiring in 2003. Social life then became her well-earned priority. She was an active member of the M&M extension club. An important role of the club was picking up garbage along a stretch of US Hwy 83 followed by supper and red beer in Agar. Over the years she was blessed with eight grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. She was proud of the fact that all eight grandkids attended college, five at SDSU as did all four of her children.
In her retirement, she took several bus trips with friends and many road trips with family. The 4th of July holidays were spent camping with family and friends.
Marlys had a large and active group of dear friends. They lunched at the senior center, went out for supper, drank coffee on Saturday mornings and played cards and dominoes every week. In her down time, she was an avid reader and social media follower.
Grateful for sharing her life are her children; Pat Hardie (Jeff Hager) Spearfish; Bob (Kris) Schneider, Sioux Falls; Kathy Schneider (Ed Dodds), Hart, MI; and Jim Schneider, Gettysburg; grandchildren: Erin Meyer (Rob Davis), Brian (Alaina) Hardie, Brent (Jamie) Hardie, Sara (Matt) Odden, Kacie (Phil) Greenwood, Andy Willcuts (Megan Sehr), Chris Willcuts, and Ty Schneider; seven great grandchildren; sister-in-law Barb Fenner; many nieces and nephews, and extended family and friends.
Preceding her in death was her husband, Leland; her parents; siblings: Melvin (Phyllis) Fenner, William Fenner, and Ardelle (LuVerne) Renner; in-laws: Eleanor (Don) Scheller, Martin Schneider, and JoAnn (Melvin) Heck; and grandson-in-law, Dale Olson.
Memorials in Marlys’ honor may be sent to the Potter County Library, 205 W. Commercial Ave., Gettysburg, SD 57442 or Medicine Rock Senior Center, 107 W. Logan Ave., Gettysburg, SD 57442.
Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg has been entrusted with Marlys’ arrangements.