Catalina 34

Hello C34IA Officer,

...sorry to have to bring you sad news about Jon Schneider.

I'm Jon's brother in-law writing you about Jon's sudden death from a heart attack this past Sunday. 

As you know, sailing was Jon's passion and we will all miss him greatly.

Please share the following information with your association membership. 

...Jon's wife Rose is busy with his funeral arrangements but she asked me to forward you her email -  roseschn at aol dot com

...for immediate questions today, please contact me, Bill Hoppe, at bhoppe711 at yahoo dot com Bill Hoppe  631-323-2575

...Jon's business colleagues started a Facebook page called Sail On Jon.  To find the page just enter: Sail On Jon in the Facebook search feature.

... Here is the information for the Jon Schneider wake and funeral services.

Home address for cards:

Rosemary Schneider
71 Cranberry Street, Apt. 2
Brooklyn, NY 11201-6828

Wake:  Thursday, March 26th from 2-5pm & 7-9pm

Memorial Service:  Friday, March 27 from 11:30am-12:30pm  (Funeral Home Chapel)

Frank E. Campbell Funeral Home
1076 Madison Ave. at 81st Street
212.288.3500
www.frankecampbell.com

Also see: http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/agency/e3ie7d1eee3b5e787afb6107221ab637b4e

The first thing that came to mind was, "I wonder if Rose will unload the boat for cheap?"   Not because I care at all about the boat but because I thought immediately about Jon's cutting dry humor.   He had a unique perspective and joy for life and sailing, helping out, and doing the right thing.   Damn.  This is sad news indeed for the fleet and the world at large.   He was a good man. 

I do believe I'll need to order me a burgee, because we are going to need to organize a day when all the C34s fly them at half mast...   

While I didn't know Jon personally, I feel like I did by reading his contributions to this site.  I recall a writing a friend gave me some years ago when my dad died of a heart attack at 53.  It seems fitting...



      I am standing on the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength, and I stand and watch her until at length she is a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.
      Then someone at my side says, 'There! She's gone!' Gone where? Gone from my sight, that is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side, and she is just as able to bear her load of living weight to her destined harbor.
      Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when someone at my side says, 'There! She's gone!' There are other voices ready to take up the glad shout, 'There she comes!'

A great guy, very nice to everyone and a font of knowledge. His hull number was very close to mine, as I recall.

Thanks for letting us know, Stu.  This was a shock to me and a great loss to C34IA.  Tho I didn't know Jon personally, only thru this forum, I was aware of his dedication to the group and his willingness to lend a helping hand as he did when I asked for help on a rudder repair.  My post was on 3/18 and he was the first responder just 29 minutes later.

Fair winds and following seas, Jon.

All,

I received a call from Jim Holder, the publisher of Mainsheet magazine, on Saturday, March 28.  Both Mainsheet magazine and Catalina Yachts want to remember Jon in the May 2009 issue.

I prepared a message to be included for that issue and appreciated all of your  comments about Jon that were helpful to include in that message.  I had already received separate email notes from Jon Arck, Dave Davis, Dave Sanner, Craig Illman and Ron Hill.  There are also the kind notes provided by membership and registrants on this message board.

Because of the publishing deadlines, I've already gotten this to Jim today, Monday, March 30th.

Thanks to you all.

Best regards,

Stu Jackson
Catalina 34 International Association Secretary