Pat Pierce Schneider

Here is Pat and her husband Marvin.

Now read her bio below:

My husband (Marvin-Milby Class of ‘57) and I have lived in Round Rock, TX since August 1981, when Marvin retired from the Air Force.

I have worn many different hats over the years, but the one I am most proud of is being the wife of Marvin (50 years this coming November) and the mother of three and grandmother of five.

Many of you in Mr. McWhirter’s home room class probably don’t know this, but “way back when” our counselor told me I had enough credits to graduate early – so I did.  I graduated with the Jan 1960 midterm class.  I had completed my cosmetology courses and had my hairstylist license at age 16 and was ready to face the world.  So I went to work after graduation.

Marvin and I had a beautiful wedding in November 1960 at Park Place Lutheran Church– and yes Sue Pipkin Dyar was in it.  I was only 18 and Marvin was a senior at Texas A&M.  We lived in the A&M old Army style campus apartments until he graduated.  Expensive - $37.00 a month rent including utilities and we struggled to meet that.  I worked as a Hairstylist in Bryan during that time.  I remember one day on campus hearing someone holler “Pat” and I turned around to see Charles Crider, David Gager and Robert Oncken.  It was great to see old familiar faces.  I don’t remember why they were on the campus, maybe just checking it out.

After Marvin graduated we moved around at the direction of the Air Force.  First to Biloxi, Miss.,  then to Marysville, Calif., Tucson, Ariz., Montgomery, Ala., Phoenix, Ariz., back to Biloxi and finally to the Washington D.C. area.  After the second move it became apparent that Marvin would make the Air Force his career.  Our first son was born in 1963.  Marvin was sent to Vietnam when I was pregnant the second time approximately 2  1/3 years later.  I moved back to Houston to be close to family and it was a good thing since after gaining only 14 lbs I had surprise twins (a boy and a girl) born prematurely.  With twins and a 2 year old I had my hands full, but I loved it.  When Marvin returned from Vietnam, one year later, we moved to Biloxi again for a year.  Then he was assigned to Washington D.C. where we stayed for the next 13 years, until Marvin retired from the Air Force.

While Marvin was assigned to the D.C. area we lived in Dale City, Va.  I got very involved in our community activities, arts and crafts, and church.  Not to mention carting kids to little league, scouts, band practice and play rehearsals.  All of this while still having my hands in hairdressing, part-time. Those were the good old days.  I was very involved in our church and became the trained Parish Worker/Youth Director on staff at our Lutheran Church.  I have always loved to sing and was in two choirs, but that was not enough.  So for my 30^th birthday (Oct 19) I asked for a guitar and taught myself to play just enough to be dangerous.  That Christmas I accompanied myself and sang solo.  The Bible says “Make a joyful noise” doesn’t it?  Ha!  From there I started a teen folk choir that grew to 40 strong.  So for my 33^rd birthday I bought an electric guitar.  The teen choir became known as “The Harvesters” and as our three became teenagers they joined in.  My oldest son played bass guitar and the younger two kids sang.  We would do a full worship service for any pastor in the area who needed a Sunday off.  We traveled to nearby D.C., Md., and several places in Va.  Working with these young people was a highlight of my life.

When Marvin retired from the Air Force we decided it was time to move back home to Texas and picked our current home in Round Rock.  At one point we had all three kids in college at the same time.  I continued to work as a hairstylist (I had become a Master Stylist) and after we got settled finally decided to open my own hair salon “Pat’s House of Hair”.  The hat of boss lady was not one I ever expected to wear.  Turns out I was successful at it and had six employees.  I put our 3 kids through college this way.  After 15 years in business it was time to finally hang up the shears and I retired in 1999 after almost 40 years doing hair. 

Now that we have both fully retired we seem to stay so busy that we don’t know how we found time to work.  When I do find time I love to sew – be it my own clothes, drapes, upholstery or craft items.  And I love to garden and work in the yard.  I even put fruit in the freezer and make jelly when our fruit trees produce enough.   But the only real reward for getting old as far as I can determine is being a Grandma.  That “job” I LOVE.  It truly brings me great joy.

We also love to travel and try to make a trip each year.  We have been to Ireland, Great Britain, London (a couple of times), Italy (Rome and Venice were fantastic) plus we’ve taken several cruises.  We have also been to Hawaii several times (once for our daughter’s wedding on Maui).  Mr. McWhirter’s duo of Pipkin and Pierce are also still going strong.   Whenever we can, Bill and Sue Pipkin Dyar and Marvin and I visit or go on vacation together and scuba/snorkel .  Lifelong friendships are few and far in between and to be treasured for sure. 

Life is good – hope this is true for the rest of you Buffaloes.

 

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Comments

[Gladys Payne Bohac]

Hi Pat, it was so good to see you and Marvin again at the reunion. You are still a beautiful lady. I just read your bio and loved it. You too have had a very interesting life. Yes, God is good all the time.

Bo and I would love to come up sometime for a visit. Just did not get to visit enough at the reunion.

Please take care and in touch.

Hugs,

Gladys Payne Bohac

[Bob Neal]

Pat - Great to see your blog,the success of 50 years marriage and good looking family I sat behind Sue in McWhirter's HR and somewhere in the vicinity of you. If you have been back to the base in Biloxi, you've probably noticed it's not quite the same as before the hurricane. I was located within a couple blocks of the base coordinating disaster relief teams in Biloxi including Ocean Springs to Bay St Louis for 9 months. Often wondered where you went and glad you emerged.

Bob Neal

[Gladys Payne Bohac]

Hey Bob, sorry you missed the reunion this year, it was fantastic. I too was in Mr. McWhirter's homeroom. It would have been great seeing you again along with the others that were in our homeroom.

Gladys Payne Bohac