Joseph F Schneider Jr, November 06, 1951 — February 17, 2019

Joseph ‘Joe’ F. Schneider II, 67 A joyful, kind soul Joseph “Joe” F. Schneider II, 67, passed away peacefully in his home in Old Bridge, N.J., on Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019. He was born on Nov.

6, 1951, in Brooklyn to parents Joseph and Jean Schneider. He grew up in the Cobble Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn before moving to Staten Island, where he graduated from high school. Joe completed his B.A. in English Literature from SUNY Cortland, then moved to Miami, where he achieved his master’s and ABD Ph.D. in English with a concentration in Irish Literature from the University of Miami.

While on a trip to Dublin, Ireland, he met the love of his life, Mary Theresa Stoddard, who was also from Staten Island. The two married and moved to New Jersey, where they raised daughters Danielle, Kathleen and Mary. While raising his family and working a full-time job, Joe completed his JD from the Fordham University School of Law, which he applied in his work as an editor of law books.

Joe was a voracious reader and life-long learner with a powerful love of music – both classical and contemporary. His great knowledge through reading led him to being a contestant on “Jeopardy! ” Later in life, he found his peace in Zen Buddhism and practiced zazen (meditation) daily, becoming an active member of Cold Mountain Zen sangha, where he will henceforth be ordained a Zen Priest.

Joe was known to all as a kind, bright soul and a life-long animal lover. Joseph was predeceased by his mother, Jean, who passed away in 2009. He is survived by his wife, Mary Theresa; his father, Joseph Schneider; his three daughters, Danielle, Kathleen, and Mary; his four brothers, Dennis, John, William, and Thomas; his son-in-law, Sean; and his beloved cat, Tilly and grand-cat, Belle.

Family, friends, and others whose lives were touched by Joseph are invited to Old Bridge Funeral Home on Route 516 to express their condolences on Thursday, Feb. 21, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. A Zen Buddhist funeral service will take place at the same location on Friday, Feb. 22, at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Lakota Wolf Preserve, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Greater New York Chapter – Manhattan, or Joe’s sangha, Cold Mountain Zen.

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