Robert C. "Bobby" Schneider

1931 - 2020

Noank - Robert "Bobby" C. Schneider, 89, formerly of Noank and Wilmington, N.Y, died peacefully of COVID-19 July 23, 2020, in Tampa, Fla. Diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 2008, for the last 16 months Robert resided in memory care near his daughter in Tampa. He was known for the twinkle in his eye. He was witty and content to the end of his life, always enjoying a good pun or wordplay with his caregivers and family.

He was born July 12, 1931, in the Bronx, N.Y. to Louise D. (Taylor) and Charles B. Schneider. As a young child, Bobby regularly spent weeks at a time in the Shriners Hospital for Children, receiving care for a club foot. This was clearly foundational to his outgoing nature and the kindness he showed to all people. His family moved to Willow Point, West Mystic in 1942, and Robert attended West Mystic Elementary School and Robert E. Fitch Senior High School, before entering Brown University at age 17, on a scholarship. At Brown, he worked on the newspaper and received his A.B. degree in history in 1952. He worked for Davis-Standard in Mystic and Pawcatuck from 1952 to 1955, and also from 1962 to 1965, and 1966 to 1967. From 1955 to 1960, he was a construction supervisor for the Denver division of Safeway. He took courses at the University of Colorado in Denver, Colo. and at Willimantic State Teachers College. In 1965, he taught fifth grade at Ledyard Elementary School.

In Denver, he began his more than 50-year career as an actor, director and performer. He moved to New York City to act, and studied at the Tamara Daykarhanova School of the Stage. He met his wife-to-be, Renate, in summer stock theater outside of Albany, N.Y.; and they married in 1961. After they moved to Noank, he was both actor and director with their community theater groups - The Leonine Players (1960s) and The Seabury Players (1970s). During that time, he also acted with other local theater groups. From 1967 to 1988, Robert was a social worker for the State of Connecticut at Seaside Regional Center in Waterford and a compelling advocate for his clients. He was instrumental in building the program that enabled his intellectually disabled clients to leave their institutions, and instead, live with caring families in what were called, Community Training Homes (now known as the Community Companion Home program). Able to focus on the great joy of his life, Robert acted and performed for the next two decades. He worked part-time as a staff oral interpreter at the Mystic Seaport Museum. He researched primary sources held in the Collections Research Center and studied the era's history to create and then embody characters, including the inimitable, "Mr Michael C. Sheridan," who lived in the 19th-century whaling village.

In the community, he also created characters from his in-depth knowledge of Noank and Connecticut history. He was also a professional storyteller, known throughout the Northeast, as part of The Tale-Spinners with his wife. He was an avid dancer, from ballroom with partners, to jitterbugging and on to modern, as part of the Groton Senior Center's Dance Spectrum troupe. As an elder, Robert joined Flock Theatre in New London, and worked on more than 17 productions as an actor, coach and mentor. He retired from Flock when the Parkinson's became too challenging. In 2009, he helped start a local weekly dance program for people with Parkinson's.

Robert was a lay Eucharist minister and enjoyed being a lay reader and chalice bearer for more than 40 years. As a member of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Mystic, he brought communion and fellowship to homebound members. Also, as a member of St. James Episcopal Church in Au Sable Forks, N.Y. and St. Eustace Episcopal Church in Lake Placid, N.Y., losing the ability to attend church was very hard for him. Robert's ashes will be interred at St. Mark's, his beloved church home. A lover of nature, for decades Robert honed his skills communicating with the birds in his backyard; and daily monitored the weather and wildflowers there, marking each change with sketches and notes. He was an energetic member of Groton Open Space Association (GOSA). He loved hiking in the Adirondack Mountains of N.Y., in addition to regular walks at Beebe Pond, Haley Farm, Bluff Point, Devil's Hopyard and Pachaug State Forest.

Robert is survived by his wife of 59 years, Renate Schneider; his only daughter, Nam Joti K Khalsa and her wife Gururas; his companion and caregiver, niece Lauren Hart; his favorite handyman, nephew Jeffrey Wilcox; his nephews: Gregory Schroder, David Schroder, Stephen Schroder and Robert Marikle Jr. and their families; his dear friend Taegan McMahon; and countless other friends, neighbors, caregivers and audience members. A memorial service is not yet planned due to the pandemic. It would mean a lot to Robert to think of memorial contributions being made to the Flock Theatre or any theater company you would like to support at this time.