Christopher Francis Schneider

Chris was born on October 5, 1955 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the youngest of 4 children of Jack and Margaret Schneider. At the age of 5, he moved with his family to Tucson, AZ which was very exciting for a young boy, he’d never heard of a place with two suns before! He attended St. Joseph’s and Sacred Heart, but you could usually find him on the baseball field. He’d often scale the fence of Hi-Corbett Field with his best friend to watch the Tucson Toros play, until they’d inevitably be yelled at “Get Down, Boys!”

He spent his summers working at his dad’s custard shop in Oshkosh, Leon’s Frozen Custard. Back in Tucson, he played baseball every chance he could get, and while not in school or playing baseball he worked at the original Lucky Wishbone. He attended Salpointe Catholic High School (class of 1973), and he of course played on the baseball team. He quickly became a standout pitcher where he was given the nickname “Sudden” after his fastball. Chris went on to play baseball on scholarship at Eastern Arizona College, and was later recruited to play Major League Baseball for the Cincinnati Reds, but he decided to get his degree instead.

Chris attended the University of Arizona, graduating with a degree in Business (class of 1978). He began his career with Hughes Aircraft Company in Tucson, and after a few years transferred to Hughes in Canoga Park, CA. It was there that he met the love of his life, Mary, at a Halloween party dressed as Johnny Cash. Chris and Mary were married on March 23, 1985. Chris went on to obtain his MBA from Loyola Marymount University (class of 1986). Chris and Mary then moved to Canyon Country and had their first daughter, Ashley. Shortly after, Chris accepted a promotion at Hughes that landed him back in Tucson. He couldn’t wait to take his wife to U of A games to watch his beloved Wildcats. Chris and Mary had their second daughter, Stephanie. Both girls went on to attend his alma maters: Salpointe and the U of A.

Chris worked hard to provide a wonderful life for his family. He never took a sick day, and he never complained. He loved taking his girls to U of A games, where he taught them how to be a true fan: never miss a game, never leave early, no matter the weather or score, and always Bear Down and root against ASU! Chris was an avid, disciplined runner. He participated in several marathons, and if you were lucky, he may even give you a signed autograph from the ‘Marathon Man’ himself. He loved hiking, skiing, swimming, camping, and taking his family on vacations. And it was on these vacations where he proudly earned the title of Three-Time Defending Reggae Dance Champion of the Caribbean. Aside from his impressive dance skills, he loved to sail and SCUBA dive. But most of all, he loved making memories with his family.

During his longtime career with Raytheon (formerly Hughes), he was given the opportunity to take an assignment in Paris, France. It was a wonderful experience for him and his family to live in Paris and have their own European adventure.

After an early retirement, Chris continued traveling with his wife, working on his golf game, and focusing on his main hobby: the U of A and college sports. He made sure his daughters knew not to plan their weddings during football or basketball season. And it was at his daughter’s wedding where his sweet dance moves and life-of-the-party spirit earned him the nickname “Crazy Awesome”.

Tragically Chris’ time was cut short when he was diagnosed with terminal neurodegenerative disease. The disease was aggressive and progressed rapidly. Chris passed away on February 1, 2023 surrounded by his family. He is preceded in death by his father John “Jack” Schneider, mother Margaret (Walsh) Schneider, and brothers John (Toni) Schneider, and James “Jim” (Kathy) Schneider. He is survived by his loving wife of 38 years Mary (Sullivan) Schneider, his adoring daughters Ashley (Clint) Enderle, and Stephanie (Michael) Quist, grandchildren Loretta James Quist, and Lincoln Enderle, sister Mary (Bill) Hatch, and many nieces, nephews, and extended family.

Chris was one of a kind. He was the life of the party and a friend to everyone. He had a zest for life and undeniable spark, always dancing and joking- he had a song for just about everything! He was the light of our lives and our world is shattered without him. We were so lucky to call him ours, we will love and miss him forever.

Love you miss you, miss you love you.

A mass will be held at 11:00am on Saturday, March 4th at:

St. Pius X

1800 N Camino Pio Decimo

Tucson, AZ 85715

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to:

https://curealz.org

https://www.americanbrainfoundation.org

https://www.LBDA.org

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.eastlawnpalmsmortuary.com for the Schneider family.