Mary Naylor Schneider, 84, of Stanley, NC passed away on November 4, 2024 at Novant Health – Huntersville Hospital after a lengthy hospital stay.
Born on May 1, 1940 in Leeds, England, the youngest of 8 children, she was the daughter of the late William and Alice Speck Naylor.
As a child, Mary lived through WWII and told stories of having her own gas mask and living with lights off to survive bombing. As a young schoolgirl, Mary was a swimmer. As a young woman, Mary met Walter Schneider while he was on a business trip from Switzerland to England. He did not speak English when they met.
Mary moved to Switzerland, and there they were married. Shortly after, Walter was transferred to the United States on a work visa. In 1963, they moved to the United States and loved it so much, they never left.
As a married couple, Walter and Mary never missed a party or the opportunity to go out dancing, she loved to have a good time. They were so happy.
Her hobbies changed throughout the years, but she loved having singalongs with her siblings. She enjoyed ceramics, being involved in her children’s activities and sports, bowling on a team, playing bridge, and being a member of The British/American Club. She loved entertaining, having a house full of family and children, and the sound of laughter. She loved nature – birds, plants and flowers.
She retired from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System after 20 years.
During retirement, she enjoyed travelling and visiting her family overseas. She was very proud of her family and where she came from. Everyone loved her English accent!
She was a beautiful person, inside and out, and we will miss her dearly. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, friend and neighbor. She was a wonderful mother to her children Karen and David.
Besides her parents, Mary was preceded in death by her brothers and sisters William, Lily, Joan, Mark, Molly and Margaret, all from England.
Mary is survived by her loving husband of 60 years Walter; daughter Karen and her Michael and Jared; son David and his wife Trudy and their children Caleb, Lexie and Christian; great-grandchildren Rosemary, Reign and Aspen; sister Elizabeth; sisters-in-Law Dorothy and Marlies and their families; many nieces, nephews, and other relatives in Switzerland, England and Australia.
Visitation Saturday, November 9, 2024 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM at The Good Samaritan Funeral Home 3362 North Highway 16 Denver, North Carolina. Funeral Service will follow at 3:00 PM
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