Bluff's first swim coach has died

UPDATE ** A story runs in Tuesday's sports section of the DAR. I used the headline "Coach taught Mules to swim" because Coach Schneider loved a similar headline I used when the program first started, "Can Mules swim?"

From earlier.

Very sad to hear the news that Poplar Bluff's first swim coach Suzanne Schneider has died. Here is the obituary that ran in today's DAR:

Suzanne Schneider, 61, of Poplar Bluff, a vocal music teacher who spent her entire career in the East Carter County School District, died at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, March 29, 2009, at Landmark Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

Mrs. Schneider had been ill for some time with emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. She died of complications from pneumonia.

Born on May 14, 1947, in South Hampton, Long Island, N.Y., she moved as a young child to Kennett, where her grandfather, Robert Clayman, was pastor of the Presbyterian Church. Her parents were the late Donald MacKenzie and Jeanette Clayman. She attended the Kennett public schools and graduated from Kennett High School in 1965.

After high school, Mrs. Schneider attended Central Methodist College at Fayette, where she earned a bachelor's degree in music education.

On Aug. 20, 1974, she was married at Cosby, to Steve Schneider, who survives. In 1995, during her teaching career, she earned a master's degree in educational administration from Southeast Missouri State University.

Mrs. Schneider began teaching vocal music, grades kindergarten through 12, in the East Carter County School District in 1977. She retired after 25 years of dedicated service in the same job in 2002. She considered it especially rewarding to be able to follow many of her students for 13 years and watch their progress.

Her high school choirs consistently earned excellent ratings in contests and she prided herself on having sent many boys vocal ensembles to state competition. She cherished the following note from one of her male students, who thanked her for being his teacher: "You need to know what a positive impact you've made in my life. You are the one responsible for planting 'music is fun' in my head."

She taught piano lessons in her home during her school music career, participated in the Sweet Adelines barbershop harmony organization and was a member of the Chancel Choir and Chancel Ringers bell choir at the First United Methodist Church, where she was a member.

Mrs. Schneider's late mother, Jeanette Miles, was a pioneer swimming coach and team organizer in Southeast Missouri who sparked a similar lifelong interest in both her daughters. After retiring from her vocal music career, Mrs. Schneider organized and coached the boys and girls swim team at Poplar Bluff High School from 2002 to 2006. She also gave swimming lessons in her back yard pool for about 10 years and coached the Poplar Bluff Piranhas age group swim team from 1982 to 1984. Her surviving sister, Dayna Powell, has been the swim coach at Cape Central High School for many years.

Mrs. Schneider was a member of Alpha Delta Kappa teachers fraternity, the American Choral Directors Association, the Missouri Music Educators Association and the National Education Association.

Other survivors include three children, Brad Schneider and his wife, Tara, of Joplin, Christine Elsea and her husband, Ed, of Lebanon, and Kelly Crawford and her husband, Chris, of Jackson; six grandchildren, Madison Elsea, Emily Elsea, Hera Schneider, Cameron Crawford, Kadence Crawford and Keira Crawford; her sister, Dayna Powell and her husband, Vince, of Cape Girardeau; and two nieces, Jeanette Powell and Josey Powell.

Mrs. Schneider's body will be cremated. A visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Cotrell Funeral Chapel. A memorial service is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Charles Buck officiating.

The family requests that any memorials may be made to the Jeanette Miles Swimming Memorial Scholarship at Merrill Lynch, 1371 N. Mount Auburn Road, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701, or to the First United Methodist Church Chancel Ringers Bell Choir.

Cotrell Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.cotrellfuneralservice.com.}