SCHNETZLER, GERARD F.
Lucy Devito Schnetzler and Gerard Frederick Schnetzler have entered a new world together. Lucy passed away July 27, 2005 after a number of illnesses and in the end was taken from us with a quiet death at Good Samaritan Nursing Home in Sayville where they both were residing. Both Lucy and Gerard were active members in St. Francis de Sales Parish where they were both baptized.
Lucy was born on Academy Street in Patchogue, one of 7 children to Angelina and Dominick Devito, both immigrants from Italy. She was predeceased by her brothers, Ernest, Carl and James and sisters, Evelyn Davies, Adelaide Murray and Rose Rizzo—who is still alive and will be 101.
Lucy attended Bay Avenue Elementary School and Patchogue High School. She excelled in soccer and tennis and was to win the Suffolk County Tennis Championship. After finishing high school she went to join her sister Adelaide, a designer for Lord and Taylor in New York City. During this time she had many careers as assistant millenary buyer for Lord and Taylor and assistant director of the U.S. Army Exchange in Manhattan.
Gerard died November 17, 2007. He was one of 5 children, the youngest of Agnes Quigley Schnetzler from Dublin, Ireland and Rudolph Joseph Schnetzler from Heidelberg, Germany. Gerard was predeceased by his sisters, Anna Hoy, Adele Moran and Agnes (Dottie) Schnetzler and brother, Joseph. Gerard was born in Brooklyn and spent his summers on South Ocean Avenue swimming, fishing, growing up on the Great South Bay. The family later was to make Patchogue their main residence. Gerard attended St. Francis de Sales Elementary School and Patchogue High School where he excelled in football and glee club, obtaining a football scholarship to the University of Indiana. Prior to college he joined the Patchogue Van Guards in 1933. This was a large part of his life spending time with longtime boyhood friends whom he would meet regularly at the firehouse. At the outbreak of World War II Gerard joined the Marines where he spent 4 years in the Pacific Theater as a Marine in the 4th Marine Raiders [Battalion], coming home with a Purple Heart after being wounded on May 19 [1945] at Half Moon Hill on Okinawa. He was shot through the lungs, but being a strong individual he walked to the stretcher as documented by his buddy Buck Daley who has written an account of this gallant and brave group of men. After the service, Gerard returned to Patchogue and picked up his hobbies of fishing and duck hunting. At this point he also proposed to his longtime sweetheart Lucy Devito. They were married December 8, 1945 and had a long and happy life with family and friends all close by.
Lucy resumed her career in sales in the local stores of Bee Hive and Lentin’s—now long gone. Gerard retired after many years as a construction engineer for NYS.
Lucy was born February 26, 1917 and Gerard was born January 2, 1915. They are survived by their daughter, Bettina Schnetzler Brownyard and her husband, Brendan; 2 granddaughters, Heidi Farrell and her husband, Patrick and Ingrid Brownyard; 3 great-grandchildren, Holly Ross, Michael Farrell and Patrick Farrell. They are greatly missed and loved by all of us. We wish them all the happiness in heaven.