Roland "Rolly" Schneider, 92, passed away peacefully into the arms of the Lord on May 17, 2023, at Wellspring in Frankenmuth.

Rolly was born, as he fondly said, the old-fashioned way – at his parents' home. This was common during the Great Depression, and he was a welcome and healthy sight on April 18, 1931, on Harpst Street in Ann Arbor.

Rolly's first love was playing football. He was first team at Pioneer High School and graduated in 1949. Rolly's connection to the University of Michigan began when his father, Reinhold "Nudy" Schneider picked onions for 10 cents an hour in the field that is now Michigan Stadium. When Rolly was age 8, his father began working at Michigan Stadium as a ticket taker – a position Rolly would eventually also hold. Rolly and other family members attended games via Nudy's gate. Upon graduation from high school, Rolly attended the University of Michigan.

Rolly was proud to be an offensive tight end on the Michigan football team under Coach Bennie Oosterbaan. He described his service on the team as being a "tackling dummy for the varsity scholarship players." He also relished the fact that he wore only a leather helmet with no facemask. He used this equipment to his advantage digging his hands into the mud, and smearing muck into the defensive linemen's faces during play.

Rolly's playing time and his education were halted in 1950 when North Korea invaded South Korea. Rolly immediately enlisted in the United States Navy for a four-year term. He served on the heavy cruiser U.S.S. Rochester, the flagship of the Seventh Fleet, for three combat tours. Rolly's job was to direct fire from the ship's guns to enemy positions as he participated in 80 bombardments and destroyed 35 mines. Rolly toured Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Hong Kong, and Pearl Harbor, where he witnessed wreckage of the attack nine years earlier.

Upon his honorable discharge from the Navy, Rolly returned to the University of Michigan to complete his Bachelor's Degree and earn his Master's Degree in Business Administration.

Roland married Nancy Cook, also of Ann Arbor, on June 21, 1958 just two weeks after they both graduated from Michigan. They moved to Jackson, Michigan, where Rolly began his career in Human Resources Management. He served several Michigan manufacturing companies in Ann Arbor, Saline, Charlotte, Bay City, and Saginaw.

Rolly and Nancy moved to Frankenmuth in 1975 when Rolly's career took him to Universal Engineering. This was his favorite job, as he excelled at pleasantly hiring, diplomatically firing, and respectfully managing hundreds of employees. After retiring from his professional career of 40 years, he began a second career at Zehnder's of Frankenmuth as a golf course ranger and a Splash Village shuttle bus driver. He fully retired in 2021, after 23 years with Zehnder's. He appreciated that he was on the payroll after his retirement to continue enjoying the employee discount. Rolly felt Zehnder's was his most unique work experience. When asked why he was still working at age 90, he replied that he simply had not found a reason not to work!

After Nancy and his family, Rolly loved Michigan football. He and Nancy held season tickets for 65 years. They attended numerous bowl and away games, including two games in Hawaii. Rolly's most memorable game was the 1998 National Championship Rose Bowl game. He was an active member of the Football Alumni of Michigan. Rolly and other members of the 1949 Big Ten Championship team were congratulated during a game in recognition of the 70 ^th anniversary of their victory.

Rolly's Navy experience exposed him to many cultures, which ignited his interest in traveling to exotic counties with Nancy. Rolly's favorite city was Hong Kong. He enjoyed the challenge of planning and organizing their travel adventures, taking them to 44 countries and 47 states – mostly prior to using the internet to book their travels! Rolly and Nancy visited most of Europe several times, and then branched out to Asia, where they trekked the highest mountains in the world in Nepal and hunted tigers (with cameras) from the backs of elephants. Rolly's love of foreign cultures led him with Nancy to China, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Egypt, Tanzania, and several places in Central America, South America, Africa, Asia, and the Holy Land of Israel.

Rolly is survived by Nancy and their sons Daniel (Jeanette), Northville; Todd, Elkton; Matthew (Rebecca), Saline; brother David (Toni) Schneider, Helena, Montana; seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, and son-in-law (Joe) Walentovic of Casco.

Rolly is predeceased by daughter Debbie Walentovic.

Funeral service will take place on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Lorenz Lutheran Church, 1030 W. Tuscola Road. Rolly's family will receive visitors at the church on Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service. According to Rolly's wishes, he has been accepted in the University of Michigan School of Medicine body for study program, and his final resting place will be in Ann Arbor. Those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider memorials to St. Lorenz Lutheran Church, or the Frankenmuth Noon Rotary Helping Hands Committee.