Michael Schneider

Michael M. Schneider 82, died peacefully May 23, 2010 at his home in Washington D.C., where he lived with Joyce Schneider, his wife of 32 years. He spent his life speaking up for others and defending basic human rights. He was born July 28, 1928 on the Lower East Side of New York City, and ran off at age 16 to join the Merchant Marines. Two years later he was drafted into the Army and served honorably in World War II in the Italian front. He was awarded the Soldier's Medal for heroism by President Truman. He then returned to the Merchant Marines from 1947 to 1952, where he was a second engineer. He settled in San Francisco and spent two decades as an electrician, supervising activities on projects such as the Stanford Linear Accelerator and the construction of the Standard Oil Building in San Francisco, where his activism in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers made him well-prepared for a stint as a Labor Advisor to the Mayor's office. In 1975 he was appointed Deputy Chief of Cal-OSHA, followed by his position as a Safety Officer for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, where he was responsible for the working conditions of over 5,000 workers. He was active in many just causes, from labor activism on San Francisco's waterfront to civil rights activism, and was a familiar figure in San Francisco political circles through his tireless participation in countless Democratic campaigns. He is survived by his wife, Joyce Schneider; Karen and Maia, his two children from his first wife, Mary Lou Carson of Phoenix, Arizona; his sister, Elaine Schneider, of New York City; Ben, Claudia, and Sarah, his three stepchildren; and five step-grandchildren.