Martha J. Schneider

Martha Trost Schneider, 90, formerly of Connersville, died Wednesday, August 29, 2012, at Crescent Point Senior Living in Niantic, CT where she had been a resident since March of this year. A native of Lafayette, IN, she was born March 7, 1922, the oldest of five children of John F. and Frances (Small) Trost. She graduated from West Lafayette's Klondike High School in 1939 and Purdue University's School of Home Economics in December 1942. After teaching Home Ec briefly in Rossville, IL, she came to Fayette County in June 1944, and was employed as a teller at Central State Bank through November 1950. On November 23, 1949, at Grand Avenue United Methodist Church, she was united in marriage to Raymond E. "RainBow" Schneider. In 1991, after thirty years of full and part-time employment, she retired from her job as receptionist and office manager for Dr. George M. Ellis. Martha was an active member of Grand Avenue United Methodist Church, with twenty years of service as financial secretary. She gave freely of her time and energy in countless volunteer roles for the church. In 1997, she and her husband were honored to be recognized for their years of church service by being named as the original inductees to the Grand Avenue United Methodist Church Hall of Fame. Although remaining always a Hoosier at heart, Martha moved to Oklahoma City, OK, in January 2011 to live with her son, John. She moved again in March 2012 to Connecticut to live near her daughter Sara. Known as Martha to friends, she was "Jane" to her parents and siblings. Her smile and good nature were enjoyed by all who encountered her and particularly those who cared for her in her final years. Her love and devotion to family was unmistakable. For years she kept her far-flung family connected through her weekly letters. She enjoyed and was skilled in many domestic pursuits-home stitched dresses for daughters, cookies and pies, homemade noodles and peanut brittle. Her knitting needles were seldom idle when she had a moment to sit. She turned out hundreds of dishcloths for the church bazaar. When a passenger on car trips, she often measured time and distance by the number of dishcloths knitted while en route. She enjoyed reading for pleasure and laughed over the "chuckles" in her Reader's Digest. Crossword puzzles were a daily habit and it was a small personal challenge and point of pride to work them in ink-although, she wasn't above making occasional corrective write overs. Martha is survived by and will be lovingly missed by her family: son, John and daughter-in-law Cindy Schneider of Oklahoma City, OK; daughter Sara and son-in-law William Denow of Lyme, CT; daughter Paula Weirich of Longmont, CO; step-daughter Karen and husband Robert Kanitz of Delaware, OH; sister Julia (Mrs. William) Yake of Connersville; grandchildren, Kira King of Machida, Japan and Joel Weirich of Longmont, CO; step-grandchildren, Lisa Perry of Floyd, VA, Todd Van Meter and Laura Brandon of Gainesville, GA; one great-granddaughter, seven step great-grandchildren, cousins, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, who died May 20, 2004; brothers Donald and Fred Trost and sister, June T. Burwell. A memorial service will be held Saturday, November 3, 2012 at 11 a.m. at the Grand Avenue United Methodist Church. Interment will be in Dale Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Grand Avenue United Methodist Church. Showalter-Blackwell-Long Funeral Home, Myers Chapel, Connersville, is in charge of arrangements. For additional information and to send condolences or memories, go to www.ShowalterBlackwellLong.com