August 16, 1957

Father George Schneider

Father Schneider was born in Louisville, KY on December 1, 1881 and studied for the priesthood at Josephinum Pontifical College in Worthington, OH and St. Meinrad’s Seminary in St. Meinrad, IN. After his ordination at St. Meinrad’s Seminary by Bishop Hennessy on August 16, 1907, he was appointed pastor of St. Louis Parish, Waterloo with missions in Pratt, Cunningham, and Mt. Vernon. In 1910 he became the first resident pastor in Pratt with the following missions: Bucklin, Fowler, Mead, Odin, Plains, Folsom, and Liberal. “He rode the Rock Island almost constantly for his missions were strung along this railroad to the Oklahoma border. When not riding a train, he drove a horse and buggy.” (The Advance Register, Aug. 23, 1957) At times he traveled over one hundred miles for a sick call. In August of 1935 he was made pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in North Ellinwood and in 1941 he received his final pastoral assignment to St. Rose Parish, Great Bend. After 39 years of active service he retired in January of 1947 due to heart problems. Fr. Schneider died at St. Francis Hospital in Wichita on August 16, 1957 after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage. Following a funeral celebrated by Msgr. Thomas Green at St. Patrick’s Parish in Wichita, he was buried at Calvary Cemetery.