Paul passed away on July 15, 2023.

In his letter to the Class, Steve Brown wrote:

Dear Classmates and Friends/Family of ’71,   

Unfortunately Paul Schneider passed away on Saturday afternoon after a long illness.  I have attached a link to his In Memoriam page on our class website which contains Flower’s personal statements from our 25th and 50th reunions which describe his family life and career as a lawyer in Longmeadow, Mass. Flower’s family is holding a private service in Florida, and planning a Celebration of Life on Monday, October 23 from 12:30 to 3:00 PM at the Delaney House in Longmeadow, MA.  (Scroll down from this link for directions).  Please contact Mike Rade or John Chambers for more information if you’re interested in attending.

Below are 2 thoughtful remembrances from Mike and John, Flower’s best friends from ’71.

Mike wrote:

He was my closest college friend, my partner for 20 years in the Alumni Golf Tournament, and Uncle Flower to my two children. As a friend no one could be more loyal. He was a wonderful husband to the love of his life, Meg, and a great father to Kate and Greg.

Having a drink with Paul was an unforgettable experience. His law partners, high school friends, and fellow Ephs all loved him. We spoke weekly on the phone and always argued about the Pats v. the Bills and the Red Sox v. the Yankees. I know he is pain free and  in a better place but I’ll miss him every day.

John Chambers added:

When we first met Paul Schneider,  he looked like Paul Newman. Greg Bone was our JA; when it was Paul’s turn for a road trip, Bone declared that he smelled like a flower – so a nickname was born, and it stuck for 55 years. Never was there a more steady, unselfish friend. Yet he was a realist who understood his friends’ foibles. When it came time to name a godfather for his son Greg, Paul created a tandem, with Mike Rade for reliability and me as an apprentice. All these years later  
when it was clear that Paul was not going to see the end of the baseball season , Mike and I, together with Paul’s best friend from high school,   John’s Williams flag flies at half-staff for Paul.
Henry Rigali, went to visit him in Sarasota. We laughed, cried, told stories, argued different versions of memories (Paul going over the water ski jump ramp, head down , skis up – awesome stunt or miracle survival?) and laughed some more. Then, a few weeks later, it was that same godson, Greg who broke the news to us. I’m pretty sure Paul planned it that way.

 

I am sure that our all of our thoughts and prayers are with Paul’s wife, Meg, and his two children.

For his personal statement in our 50th Reunion book, he wrote

“OLD FRIENDS”

“Old friends, old friends

Sat on their park bench like bookends

A newspaper blown through the grass

Falls on the round toes

Of the high shoes of the old friends

*** ***

Can you imagine us years from today

Sharing a park bench quietly?

How terribly strange to be seventy

*** ***

A time it was, and what a time it was

A time of innocence, a time of confidences

                     – Paul Simon, 1968

*** ***

While I doubt Williams is unique, I am always amazed at the number of classmates who formed friendships that have lasted 50+ years.  To all my old (in both senses of the word) friends – thank you.

 

 
     
John Chambers and Paul       Paul (upper left) and Megan (upper right) with friends at our 45th.
Alumni from ’70 and ’71 and their spouses wore flowered attire in honor of Flower who played in the event for years with Mike Rade.

 
For our 25th book he wrote:
 

After graduation, I attended Suffolk University Law School in Boston.  Upon completing law school, my first job was in Washington, D.C., working for a small Federal Commission working as a staff attorney.  I returned to the area where I grew up, Springfield, Massachusetts, after a year and took a job in private practice.
After another two years or so, I left that firm and joined another, larger firm.  After seven years, I left that firm and went to work at the law firm with which I currently practice and with which I am a partner.  More importantly, I married MEgan in 1983.  We have two children, Kate, who is almost six and Greg, who is almost three.		  

If pleasure is truly the absence of pain, then I’ve had a happy twenty-five years.  I have a wonderful family, my work is reasonably interesting, and many of the friendships I made at Williams remain today.

 

This obituary was published by Baldwin Brothers Funeral & Cremation of Sarasota, Florida:

 

Paul F. Schneider, Esq., recently of Sarasota, FL and a lifelong resident of Longmeadow, MA. died peacefully on July 15, 2023 under the care of his family and Tidewell Hospice. He leaves his beloved wife and partner Megan. They were married for forty wonderful years. One of his most loving and enriching experiences was being a Dad to his children Katherine Amalie and Gregory Paul. He is survived by his brothers Mark, Karl and their families.
Paul graduated from Longmeadow High School in 1969, Williams College in 1971, and Suffolk University School of Law in 1974. His memories and friendships with his friends at Williams College were a source of great pride and joy throughout the years.		  
Paul was a well respected attorney for over fifty years. He began his career working in Washington, D.C. He returned to Massachusetts and joined several firms throughout his years practicing law. His primary specialty was litigation. He was proudest of his representation of an eight year old child whose family was killed in the 9/11 tragedy.
There will be a tribute gathering in Paul’s memory at the convenience of the family in the autumn of 2023.On September 3, 2023, Kent Rude shared a “small world” story:

I went to pick up my daughter, Emily, from her adult program to go to the dentist. (For those that haven’t met her, Em is the daughter with autism. An adult program gives her a place to go during the day when she is not working or volunteering.) Anyhow I was wearing a Williams polo and the young man staff member asked if someone I knew had gone to Williams. “Me.” He: “My dad went there in the 70’s.” Me: “I’m class of ’71. Who is your dad?” He: “Paul Schneider.” Me: “Flower. He was in my class!” He grinned and shook his head. I gave him my condolences over Flower’s recent death, but he had to get back to his other clients and I had to get to the dentist.
 
Small world, indeed.