
Frank (Franz) Schneidinger
1934 – 2024
Frank Schneidinger, born on February 12, 1934, in Bad Ischl, Austria, was sent to his eternal home on December 26, 2024. He was 90 years old, and died peacefully, surrounded by family in Edmond, Oklahoma.
Frank is survived by Harriet, his cherished wife of 61 years. Frank was preceded in death by his four siblings, Arthur, Carl, Elizabeth, and Mathilde. His children include son Carl (Nanci) Schneidinger of Oakland, CA, daughter Lore Storm (Karl) of Edmond, and son Alex Schneidinger (Allen Thompson) of Raymond, ME. His five grandchildren are Julia and David Schneidinger, Kyle (Margaret Cam), Patrick (Megan) and Jeremy (Kate) Storm. He was blessed with three great-grandchildren, Zachary, Natalie, and Theodore. Frank also leaves many other family members and friends who will sadly miss him.
Frank immigrated to the United States in the summer of 1955. Shortly thereafter, Frank received a letter from “Uncle Sam” and in November 1956, was inducted into the U.S. Army and served 2 years. Following his stint in the Army Frank lived in the Chicagoland area and worked as a chemist for Sears Roebuck and the Bruning Company. During his tenure with Bruning Frank met Harriet Buller on a weekend ski trip and was immediately smitten. After only six weeks of courting her, Frank proposed, and she accepted. They married in October of 1963.
Frank and Harriet moved to Marengo, IL in 1965 and soon thereafter Frank accepted a position as a chemist with the Morton Chemical Company. Frank and Harriet raised their three children in Marengo. While at Morton, Frank rose from bench chemist to Technical Director in Flexible Packaging managing several dozen employees. He retired in 1993.
After retirement, Frank and Harriet moved to Golconda, IL. There they lived on a beautiful 160-acre tract surrounded by Shawnee National Forest. Frank and Harriet had their own 2-acre lake constructed on the property, which Frank named “Lake Harriet.” Frank designed the home they built, as well as the lake, and he and Harriet completed much of the finishing work on the interior of the home themselves.
While in southern Illinois, Frank immersed himself in hobbies such as woodworking, fishing, gardening, hiking, bicycling, and doing volunteer work in the community and church. During the summers, they both enjoyed entertaining their grandchildren, and spent leisurely days with them swimming and fishing in Lake Harriet. Retirement also included trips to Austria, as well as trips to Italy, Chile, and Costa Rica. Additionally, they resumed their love of skiing and spent winter vacations skiing in Colorado.
In 2014, Frank and Harriet decided that it was time to slow down the pace of their lives. They sold their home in Southern Illinois and moved to Touchmark in Edmond, OK to be close to their daughter, Lore.
Harriet is especially grateful for the loving support of family and the kindness of Touchmark friends. Also, a big thank you to Pastor Mark Erler, Betty Staley, LifeSpring Hospice and Cura Hospice for their extraordinary help.
Services are pending at this time.
My sincere condolences, to the family
Praying for Frank’s family. I was their mail carrier for several years while they lived in Golconda IL. They became family to me. He was a very inspirational and intelligent man. You will be greatly missed, Frank. Much love to his family.
Donna Lassiter
Sending love and prayers to Harriet and family. Frank and Harriet were both wonderful friends. We missed them at Golconda. Missed our games of Joker and dominoes on Sunday evenings.
I have always said Frank was my best boss and mentor. I can say for all who were in Frank’s groups that he was a competent technical leader that treated his chemists as personal friends. I have had half a dozen bosses in my 45 year career and have found those that use encouragement like Frank are so much more effective than those who intimidate. It was a pleasure and an honor to know Frank as a boss and a dear friend.