Richard J. "Gus" SCHINDLER, age 84. Beloved husband of Anita M. (nee Arenas). Dearest father of Meredith Schindler (Cameron Getto) and Richard M. (Katherine). Loving grandfather of Taran (Elyse), Hannah (Ahmed), Teilo, Esmé , Marcie (nee Michael), Owen, and Eli. Dear brother of Fr. Paul, Donna Brady (Tom, deceased), Sr. Elaine, James (Joyce), and the late Larry, Anita, and Jack. Dear uncle, cousin, and friend to many.
VISITATION, FRI. APR. 5, 4:00 – 8:00 PM AT THE ZABOR FUNERAL HOME, 5680 PEARL RD. PARMA, OH 44129 (BTW. SNOW & RIDGE RDS.). PLEASE MEET THE FAMILY AT CHURCH FOR THE MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL, SAT. APR. 6, 10:00 AM AT ST. MICHAEL CHURCH, 6912 CHESTNUT RD. INDEPENDENCE, OH 44131. Interment, Holy Cross Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the St. Ignatius High School Scholarship Fund or Cleveland State University Electrical Engineering Scholarship Fund.
*** Full Obituary***
He passed away on March 26, 2024, in Parma, Ohio.
Dick "Gus" Schindler was born on March 4, 1940 into a large family in the St. Charles parish in Parma, Ohio. He attended St. Charles Parochial School (Class of '54) and St. Ignatius High School (Class of '58). The friends he made while in school were lifelong, and meant the world to him. Throughout his life, he was known as Gus to his childhood and high school friends, and Dick to everyone else.
Gus had a love of sports that lasted throughout his lifetime. A childhood bout with rheumatoid arthritis meant he couldn't compete as a player on the teams at Saint Ignatius, but he found his calling by serving as the manager and statistician for many teams at the school during his time as a student. In 2018, Saint Ignatius High School honored him with the Gus Schindler '58 Four Year Letterman Award , which is now presented annually to Saint Ignatius students who participate as managers, trainers, broadcasters, videographers, announcers, or statisticians all four years of their high school career. Gus remained a steadfast fan of Saint Ignatius athletics until his death. He was delighted to hear the news that the basketball team had clinched the state championship just before he passed away.
Dick was also a proud graduate of the Fenn College of Engineering, now a part of Cleveland State University, Class of '63. He was awarded the Outstanding Engineering Alumnus Citation in 1989, and in 1990 was honored as an outstanding alumnus of the university. He had a particular interest in making sure that students from families that could not afford an education could attend college on a scholarship, and he chaired fundraising events throughout his life devoted to that cause.
He was active in various professional engineering societies, and served on the Board of Governors of the Cleveland Engineering Society from 1987-1993, serving as President from 1990-1991. In his capacity as Chairman of the Cleveland Section, he authored a regular column in the Cleveland Section News of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Newsletter. In 1984, he was awarded a national Centennial Medal for outstanding achievement in the field of engineering by IEEE. After graduation from Fenn College, Dick went to work for Ohio Bell, which led to a year and a half spent at Bell Labs in New Jersey in the Operating Engineers Training Program. Dick worked for Ohio Bell or its successor companies until his retirement in 1991.
Dick was married for 58 years to the love of his life, his "first wife" (as he would often introduce her) Anita (née Arenas ). They married on February 19, 1966, and welcomed their two children, Meredith and Richard, in due time. The family valued adventure, and traveled extensively all over the United States and the world. They especially enjoyed their 1990 trip to Europe, visiting friends and family and making wonderful memories during the three weeks they were there.
Dick was a loving grandfather to seven, and often spent time playing games with them, telling them about the importance of wise investments, and attending their events. His grandchildren were very special to him and the feeling was returned in spades.
Dick and Anita were blessed with many friends and loved to host parties for them. Dick was very close to his extended family and would often long distances to visit his aunts, uncles, siblings, and cousins around the country and the world. He maintained an extensive email list and kept all the family up to date on major events. He was the first to offer condolences and, equally, the first to cheer someone on when something wonderful happened to them.
Gus was preceded in death by his father Robert, his mother Josephine (née Janko), and siblings Lawrence, Anita, and John.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Anita, his children Meredith (Cameron Getto) and Richard (Katherine), and his grandchildren Taran Wessells (Elyse Burns); Hannah Abdelhady (Ahmed); Teilo Wessells, Esmé Getto; Marcie (nee Michael); Owen; and Eli, and siblings Father Paul, a member of the Cleveland Diocese mission team in La Libertad, El Salvador; Sister Elaine, HM; James (Joyce); and Donna Brady (Tom, deceased). He will be greatly missed. He truly was, as the motto of Saint Ignatius High School instructs, a man for others.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Richard "Gus" Schindler may be made to the Saint Ignatius High School Scholarship Fund , or to the CSU Foundation to support scholarships for electrical engineering students at Cleveland State University.