Donald R. Schneider

Donald R. Schneider, 82, of Soldiers Grove died Tuesday, September 17, 2013. Donald Richard Schneider, Sr., age 82, of Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin died Tuesday, September 17, 2013 at Sannes Skogdalen Nursing Home in Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin. He was born on August 1, 1931 to Lyle L. Schneider and Mabel Lindsley Schneider in Clinton, Iowa. Despite being born with club feet and wearing braces on his legs till he was in 6th grade, he excelled in sports (football, basketball and track) at Lyons High School in Clinton, Iowa, where he was a member of the class of 1949. He married Wanda L. Lange on August 27, 1951. His first career was driving a produce route with the family business, Schneider Produce, in Clinton. Later Don and Wanda moved to Illinois and farmed in Thomson and Mt. Carroll. They moved to Wisconsin in 1976 when they purchased a farm near Gays Mills. In 1984, Don returned to truck driving and he formed Kickapoo Valley Grain and Livestock of Soldiers Grove. He was a truck driver even into his 70s and he liked to say hed been stuck more miles than most people drove. After 57 years of marriage, Wanda Schneider passed away in December, 2008. Don is survived by his sons, Donald R. Schneider, Jr. and wife, Rita, of Clinton, Iowa and Douglas Schneider of Norwalk, CT; and his daughters Wendy Schneider Allard and husband, Richard, of Pass Christian, MS and Sally Schneider Knuth of Baraboo, Wisconsin. He is also survived by ten grandchildren, Sarah Schneider Tucker, Catherine Schneider Stepper, Joseph Schneider, Samuel Schneider, Anne Marie Schneider, Douglas L. Schneider, Rachel Schneider, Annette Allard, Stephen Allard, and Thomas Allard; and three great grandchildren, Hannah Tucker, Abigail Tucker and Joshua Stepper. In addition to his wife, Wanda Schneider and his parents, Lyle and Mabel Schneider, Don was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Carol Ruth Schneider; grandson, Kyle R. Schneider; brothers, William Schneider and Dick Schneider; and son-in-law, Bryce Knuth. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 28, 2013 at 11 a.m. at the English Ev. Lutheran Church, 741 N. East Ave. in Viroqua. Pastor John C. Berg will officiate. A visitation will be held on Thursday, September 26, 2013 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Pape Funeral Home, 2308 Pershing Blvd. in Clinton, Iowa. Friends may also call at the church one hour prior to the services on Saturday. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to English Lutheran Church, 741 N. East Avenue, Viroqua, WI 54655 or Clinton Area Parkinsons Support Group, 421 36th Avenue North, Clinton, IA 52732 in Dons name. The Vosseteig-Larson Funeral Home of Viroqua is serving the family.