Aloha Delia Schneider

In Loving Memory
Aloha (Granny) Schneider
Aloha Collinge was born on May 13, 1929, to Ellen Keller and Hildred (Bud) Collinge in Tripp, South Dakota. Her name came from a popular song of the time. Born during the Great Depression, she was the oldest of four kids. During the Great Depression many families moved around to find work, and the Collinge family was no exception. Aloha's formative years were spent moving from place to place around the mid-west including South Dakota, Nebraska, Montana and Washington as the family followed work opportunities. Her dad answered a newspaper ad for a farm worker in Addy, Washington at the Peterson ranch owned by Evald and Elsie Peterson. This job would be the beginning of a lifelong friendship.
Working at Addy, the Collinge family moved to Summit Valley in 1942. Aloha Collinge would meet Dick Schneider on the school bus, which was the beginning of a lifelong romance. After Dick returned to Addy from the service in 1945, the couple were wed at the Hitchin' Post in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Apart from three years that the family relocated to Davenport for Dick's work, the couple lived the remainder of their lives in Chewelah. In their 55 years of marriage together, they had a large family that produced seven kids. Chewelah would prove to be the largest town either would ever live in.
Aloha wholeheartedly dedicated her life to her family, friends and church. If you knew her, you could attest to her tenacity and quick wit. Dick and Aloha loved to dance, and the waltz was a particular favorite. Often people would simply step off the dance floor to watch them dance. The Schneider house always smelled of baked goods and coffee, but the most famous were Granny's cinnamon rolls and apple pies. Aloha spent countless hours sewing and making quilts. Dick and Aloha raised their seven kids at a time where they left the door unlocked in case someone needed to use the telephone. All seven of the Schneider kids would go on to graduate from Jenkins High School. She also had a definite opinion about how families should act, and many first-time visitors would comment on how quiet the Schneider home was. Aloha's methods of keeping a tight ship were instant and memorable.
The couple purchased the Tillson ranch just north of Chewelah in 1965. There, with the help of friends and family, they built a house after hours and on the weekends. They finished raising their family and began helping to raise grandkids. Aloha would watch her grandkids virtually full time until 84 years of age. One such memorable event was when Aloha had two cords of firewood delivered. Her son went out to help her stack it in the garage, only to find all the wood was already in the garage and stacked. When her son asked who stacked the wood? Aloha replied, "I did! You know, I am tired now"- at 84 years of age.
Her husband Dick would pass in 2004. Aloha moved into town in 2020 where she could manage a smaller property. In recent years Aloha was challenged by health issues, and this is where you really saw her tenacity and headstrong drive. Many times, in the last couple of years, friends and family were amazed, and we often heard that she was very resilient and recovering and healing better than was expected at her age. Her earthly journey ended on April 27, 2025, just a few days short of her 96th birthday. Tara said it best, "Granny is dancing with Papa in Heaven now." She was proceeded in death by her parents, Bud and Ellen, brothers, George and Duane, son Guy (Rod) Schneider, daughter Susan (Schneider) Skok, and her husband Richard Schneider.
Aloha is survived by her brother Cliff Collinge and wife Karyl of Summit Valley, Dick Schneider Jr. and wife Kathy of Vancouver, Washington, Kathy Schneider of Seattle, Washington, Michael Schneider and wife Marlene of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Jennifer Hartill and husband Brian of Chewelah, Washington, Pat Schneider and wife Mara of Chewelah, Washington, many nieces and nephews, as well as 19 grandkids and numerous great-grandkids, and even one great-great grandchild.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Chewelah, Washington. Danekas Funeral Chapel and Crematory have been entrusted with arrangements. Please visit the Danekas website at www.danekasfuneralchapel.com and sign in to Aloha's guest register.