Sarah Joyce Streeper Schneiter

My sweet grandma passed away at 5:35 pm on Thursday, July 22, 2010 after a battle with breast cancer. She was only 70 years old. I feel very privileged to have been by her side as she ended her mortal suffering and left this life. I take comfort in knowing she was greeted on the other side by my Uncle Lane and Aunt Shelley, as well as two grandsons and her parents. I'm so thankful for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and my knowledge that there is life after death. Families are eternal and, like the title of one of my favorite primary songs, "Families Can Be Together Forever."

While I do feel like her life was far too short, and for my own selfish reasons I wish she could be around a few more years so my kids could spend more time with her and get to know her like I did, I know she is in heaven where she needs to be, undoubtedly working as hard there as she did here on earth. When I was a kid we only lived 1 1/2 miles away, so I spent a lot of time at my Grandma Schneiter's house. I remember sneaking a taste of bread dough which was rising by the fireplace (grandma didn't like that), helping Stasi and Lane water the MANY trees out in the yard, waking up to the smell of homemade hot chocolate with toast from homemade bread on a cold winter morning, endless family parties with lots of cousins running around, the BEST homemade stuffing on Thanksgiving day, yummy homemade pickles (which for some reason I have been unable to duplicate), working with her during potato harvest every year for my dad (she was our truck driving grandma- everyone called her that, not just us grandkids)... I could go on and on.

My grandma always worked hard. She was always the last to sit down with her plate, often sitting on something other than a chair because all the chairs were taken, and always the first to put her hands in the sink and wash dishes. She always had a large garden and never wasted anything. She was as as stubborn as they come, but we all knew how much she loved us... she gave a life of service. Even in her final hours, she refused to give up until she knew we had all gathered for our annual Schneiter family reunion. She wasn't about to give anyone an excuse to cancel it, so she hung on, even though she was in a great amount of pain, until she knew everyone was on their way and it was too late to call off the reunion. So, even though the camping part had been cancelled, we all pulled ourselves together and enjoyed our dutch oven chicken meal together. And I'm sure grandma was right there with us, smiling and enjoying seeing us all together.

Here is a copy of her obituary:
Sarah Joyce Streeper Schneiter, age 70, died at her home in Rexburg, Thursday, July 22, 2010 surrounded by family.
She was born November 20, 1939, to Denis Howard and Sarah Lyle Rhodes Streeper in Idaho Falls. She attended school in Ririe and graduated from Ririe High School in 1958. She also attended Ricks College. She married Bobby Clair Schneiter February 19, 1959 in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple. She is the mother of 10 children who she dearly loved.

She is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where she served as Relief Society President, Primary President, Primary Teacher and Webelos Leader for 9 years, Camp Director and other callings with youth, also a service mission to Idaho Falls Humanitarian Center, Temple Officiator in the Idaho Falls and Rexburg LDS Temples. She was known for her service by all she knew. She was known as Grandma to those she associated with in the potato fields and in scouts.

She is survived by her husband Bobby Clair Schneiter of Rexburg, five daughters, Kerry (Ron) Wilcox of Menan, Pamela (Rex) Ostberg of Chester, Vicky (Robert) Potts of Salt Lake City, Utah, Bobette (Jeremy) Green of Hurricane, Utah, Stasi (Doug) Cox of Blackfoot, three sons, Bret Schneiter of Farmington, Utah, Jerry Schneiter of Rigby, Zane (Rashelle) Schneiter of Rexburg, three sisters Nadine Hemsley of Rexburg, Mary “Sue” (Emmett) Shippen of Menan, Linda Grace Streeper of Fredricksburg, Virginia, one brother Denis Eugene “Gene” (Pauline) Streeper of Ucon, 31 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, one daughter Shelley Ostler, one son Lane Schneiter two grandsons and a brother-in-law.

Funeral services will be held Monday July 26, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. in the Burton 3rd Ward LDS Chapel with Bishop Tim McGarry officiating. The family will visit with friends Sunday from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at Eckersell Memorial Chapel in Rigby and on Monday from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in the Burton Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.eckersellfuneralhome.com.