John W. Schindewolf

CHESHIRE – John W. Schindewolf, 84, passed away Sunday, January 19, 2025, at MidState Medical Center in Meriden. He was the husband of the late Eileen (Sweigart) Schindewolf.

Mr. Schindewolf was born September 20, 1940, in Trenton, N.J., son of the late Edgar W. and Louisa (Kraft) Schindewolf. He was a retired accountant, formerly employed by IBM.

Mr. Schindewolf leaves behind his son, Marc Schindewolf, and his daughter, Karin Arai. He will also be missed by his grandsons, Evan, Quentin, and Parker. In addition to his parents, Mr. Schindewolf was predeceased by his wife Eileen and brother Edgar.

John embodied the definition of humanity by truly and deeply caring for the people around him. He was thought of as a wonderful, kind gentleman, with an infectious smile and of gentle speech.

He always had a joke or two to tell, to those that knew him he had a way of expressing ideas in a funny way. When asked recently by a nurse if he was ready for a shot, he quickly replied, “isn’t it time for your coffee break?” and gave a wink and smile to let everyone know he was flashing some of his patented humor. He had an innate ability to defuse the tension and gravity of a situation with a quick line that helped everyone relax.

Throughout his life John always gave his time freely to his family. He helped with his children’s sports activities, supported his wife as she ran a small wreath crafting business and spent countless hours playing with his grandchildren. He went to major milestones in his family’s life, never missing an opportunity to celebrate their successes. Putting family first John managed his career to ensure his children had access to a supportive and nurturing schools whether that was moving to a new town far away from his family or finding the funds needed to allow his children to fulfill their dreams in college and exchange programs. Perhaps the best way to measure what his generosity and dedication meant to his family is that all of them wanted to have “one more conversation” with John before he left.

We cannot be more grateful for what he has taught each of us through his actions.

As one of his grandchildren wrote after learning that he had passed:

A great man.

A great life.

Many great memories.

Thank you, Papa.

Arrangements: – Services for Mr. Schindewolf are private and will be held at the discretion of his family. Burial will be held at a later date. There are no calling hours and the Alderson-Ford Funeral Home of Cheshire is assisting with arrangements. Memorial contributions, in John’s name, can be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, or the Cheshire Food Pantry.