Derrick Schneider passed away at the age of 37 in Orlando Fl after a courageous battle with the notorious criminal named Addiction, who continues to plague our society. Despite Addiction winning this round, we know his Brothers at the Salvation Army will take up the sword in his absence. Thanks to them, we were all able to enjoy so many good times with a Derrick over the past 3 years. For that, we will be eternally grateful.
Derrick loved sports.
He was known around the world for his feats of strength, the kind of strength only being a fan of Cleveland Browns football for over 3 decades can bring. Ohio sports became his true passion after living his formative years in Mentor, Ohio.
When the family moved back to FL in 1991, he went on to graduate with honors from Palm Bay HS and earned a Bachelors in Criminal Science from UCF. His first real job was at AeroDecals in Palm Bay. He found there an extended family as well as a paycheck and returned off and on over the years working as a graphic designer and print manager.
Derrick loved sports.
After college, he worked for the DCF as a Protective Investigator in the Child Advocacy Dept, dealing with the most serious child abuse and neglect cases in Brevard county. His love for children was obvious to all, and in 2006 he welcomed his most prized accomplishment when his son Alexander Eckart was born. Their bond was a special one and his love for his "Boy" was a driving force in his battle to stay clean. They loved anything super-hero and spent many hours watching movies and analyzing the superiority of ones powers over another.
Derrick loved sports and shoes.
Derrick could be counted on for anything. He wasn't good at expressing his feelings or verbalizing his love, but he didn't have to say the words "I love you". You felt it. And you really felt it when he shared one of his bear hugs with you!
Last year, he met a girl named Karen and was immediately smitten. Why not? She loves Football and Super heroes!! Despite the turbulence of a new relationship between a recovering addict and a "crazy Puerto Rican", they loved each other and were finding a way to make things work. He was especially excited about the upcoming arrival of "Baby S" into his life next spring and was looking forward to announcing the news and the names chosen for him/her.
Derrick loved sports.....and shoes. He had more pairs of shoes than his Mother!
He was head-over-heels happy when the Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA Championship and the Indians took the American League Championship this year. For sure he will be sitting on Cloud 9 behind home plate rooting for the Tribe to win the World Series.
Did we mention that he loved sports? And shoes?
Derrick leaves behind many broken hearts today. His parents Eckart and Joanne (Rembach) Schneider, brothers Jens (Yuko), Ryan (Michelle), and sister Sabrina (Mitchell), nieces Natalie, Alyssa and Renate, and nephews Johannes, Andreas, Nikolaus and Carter, Uncles Rich and Kevin, Aunt Kimm and his many cousins and extended family.
Upon his arrival in Heaven, he was met by his Gramp (Milton Rembach) and following the chewing out he received was greeted by Nanny (Alice Rembach), Opa (Gustav Schneider) and Oma (Elly Schneider), and got the biggest hug from his "lil Bro" (Eric Wolfgang Schneider).