Obituary of Fredrick Duane Schneiter

                                                                  In Loving Memory

 

                                                           Fredrick Duane Schneiter

 

                                                 December 10, 1927 – January 31, 2022

 

 Fredrick Duane Schneiter was born on December 10, 1927 in Pendleton, Oregon to Walter Alfred Schneiter and O’Dessa Gertrude Specknagle  Schneiter.  He was an only child.  He passed away peacefully in his home in Wilsonville, Oregon on January 31, 2022.

 

Fred graduated from Galileo High School in San Francisco in 1947 and went on to get a degree in Journalism from the University of Oregon in 1952.  He worked for the US Chamber of Commerce and was a member of the lay faculty at Santa Clara University Management Center.  He won national awards in communication and management, lectured at Stanford University and was one of a small group of China Hands invited to testify on US-China trade on Capitol Hill shortly after China’s opening to the West.

 

He worked for three West Coast newspapers before his Korean War Service.  In the Army he served with the 35^th Combat Engineers in Troop Information and Education, editing an army paper near the East German border.  While doing this he was also freelancing a column in the US on the lighter side of Army life, “Rovings of a Pendleton GI”.

 

Descended from a pioneer wheat family in Umatilla County, Oregon, Fred went on to work 30 years in Asia, pioneering the US wheat market development program for Western Wheat and later US Wheat Associates in a dozen Asian countries.  He was headquarted in Karachi, Manila, Taipei and Hong Kong.  He opened the Mainland China program and directed it for nearly 13 years before he and his wife, Charlene, retired to the Oregon Coast in 1993.

 

In retirement he wrote a regular “Asian Equation” column for the capital Press in Salem, Oregon.  He wrote and published his last book, “The Taste of Old Hong Kong”, 70 recipes with humorous stories to go with them.  He also served on the NW China Council Board in Portland, Oregon and the Neskowin, Oregon Community Association Board and wrote the newsletter for that Association.

 

Fred lived life to the fullest.  He loved his family and spending time with them.  Upon his passing some of his grandchildren wrote, “We lost an amazing human today”, “One legendary man left this earth this week.  A world traveler, frog jumper, sourdough baker, ukulele player, cricket parent, author, Vet, mahjong playing sweetheart. I was glad I was able to give you the title of grandpa”.  “Rest in peace Frypan Fred.  Your humor, your goofiness and your sourdough starter will live on forever”.

 

Fred is survived by his wife, Charlene Ferguson Schneiter, of 49 years, daughter Lisa (Lonny), son Mitchell, daughters Heidi (Oliver), Heather (Greg), Lesli (Jerry), 14 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents Walter and O’Dessa Schneiter.

 

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.  Fred was passionate about “Beach Cleanup”.  Donations may be made to Solveoregon.org and SOLVE will designate the donation for support of SOLVE “Beach Cleanup” in Fred’s memory.

 

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