Robert J. Schnaithmann (1949-2021)

SCHNAITHMANN, MATHEWS

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 4/1/2021 at 10:23:06

BELLEVUE, Iowa — Robert James “Jim” Schnaithmann, 69, of rural Bellevue, Iowa, passed away on January 25, 2019, in the compassionate care of Compass Regional Hospice in Chestertown, Maryland.

Jim was born to William and Marion (Mathews) Schnaithmann in Philadelphia, Penn., on May 7, 1949.

The second of five siblings, Jim’s love of the outdoors took shape early on and was embraced as he earned the rank of Eagle Scout. At the same time he honed his skills in track and field, excelling in the pole vault.

After attending college in Indiana, and a stint in the U.S. Navy, he found his way to rural Illinois to work on his uncle’s farm. There he learned about the stewardship of land, which led him to his longtime home of Bellevue, Iowa.

Jim was a skilled stone and brick mason specializing in historical restoration. He operated his business, “Rock Steady” for decades. When he wasn’t restoring old structures he could be found handcrafting wood furniture, gardening, grafting trees, canning, making maple syrup, volunteering for Dubuque City Youth Ballet or just watching the world go round at his beloved homestead while enjoying a Dab beer and a cigar with his trusty canine side kick, Cletus. He collected antiques and oddities and especially enjoyed crockery and gargoyles, and had an extensive collection of records. Jim enjoyed spending time with family and the many friends he made over the years.

He truly was one of a kind in every sense of the word. He had a sharp wit and unique sense of humor.

Jim is survived by his two sons, Hickory and Trisha (Clark) Schnaithmann, of Bucksport, Maine, and their son, Mason; and Ryder and Amanda (Conklin) Schnaithmann, of Chestertown, Maryland; and their daughter, Lumen; siblings David “Deg” and Karen Schnaithmann, John “Skip” and Peggy Schnaithmann, Marilyn “Dutchess” and Bob Boone, Joanne “Babe” and Kirt Adams, five nieces and one nephew.

A potluck memorial gathering will be held from 12 to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 1st, 2021 at the lodge at the Nelson Unit Bellevue State Park. Feel free to bring a side dish and or your beverage of choice. Please invite any friends who may enjoy sharing their memories of Jim.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jim’s memory to Academy of Ballet, 2085 Mullin Rd., Dubuque, IA 52001; Compass Regional Hospice, 160 Coursevall Dr., Centreville, MD 21617; or Lewy Body Dementia Association, 912 Killian Hill Rd S.W., Lilburn, GA 30047.