Lenore Edith (Yavitz) Schneiderman

Lenore Edith Yavitz Schneiderman died peacefully on the morning of August 22, 2023, after a several year struggle with dementia.   She was 96 years old.  Born in Detroit, Michigan, on December 23, 1926, Lenore was the second daughter of Isadore and Fanny Yavitz, Russian immigrants who entered the United States through Ellis Island.  Her older sister, Claire, a powerhouse in her own right, also recently passed away at age 101. 

Growing up, Lenore loved to dance and bowl!  At the age of eighteen, both of Lenore’s parents passed away and she went to live with Claire.  To help make ends meet, she went to secretarial school, learned shorthand, and got a job as a secretary at Lafayette Steel.

In the fall of 1949, she met Harold (Hal) Schneiderman who had recently received a Master’s in Social Work at Wayne State University and was working at the local Jewish Center.  After a few short months, they were married on December 11, 1949.  With better job opportunities for Hal within the Jewish community, they made a series of moves during their early years together first to Portland, Maine, where their son, Ian, was born.  Then they moved to Waterbury, Connecticut, where their daughter, Fern, was born.  Then onto Los Angeles and Sacramento, California.  During this time, Lenore was the stereotypical fifties housewife raising her kids, putting dinner on the table, playing mahjong and bridge, knitting, and beginning her journey as a gourmet cook.

After reading “The Feminine Mystique” in Sacramento, Lenore realized she wanted more out of life than being a homemaker and mother and decided to go to college.  So, at 36, with two young children, she enrolled at American River Junior College (Go Beavers!) and then transferred to Sacramento State College.  Always the schmoozer, one of her claims to fame in college, and because she was usually older than her professors – she would invite them over for a gourmet dinner, while serving her children Swanson TV dinners.  After a couple of years, Hal got the opportunity to become an associate professor of Social Work at THE Ohio State University.  Hal and Lenore moved to Columbus, Ohio, in 1964 and stayed there the rest of their lives.

Lenore enrolled at Ohio State to complete her Bachelor’s degree and then went on to get her Master’s in Social Work.  She began working as a family therapist and then a teacher at Columbus State Community College.  She subsequently became the Chairperson of the Human Services Department, a position she held for more than 30 years before retiring in 2010 at the age of 84.  While there, she introduced a number of innovative and impactful programs and graduated many students who still work in the service of others in the Columbus community.

In 1974, Hal and Lenore bought a home in German Village and remodeled and expanded it several times over the years.  The expansion was important because they had their grandchildren, Meagan and Brendan, visit many times while they were growing up.  Their home was featured on the German Village House and Garden tour four times.

Hal and Lenore were world travelers.  They traveled extensively throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America.  During their travels they loved to “commute” by public transportation and go to “non-touristy” areas to get a real feel of the people and the communities in which they lived.

Hal and Lenore were married for 62 years until Hal’s passing in April of 2012.

Lenore leaves behind her son, Ian, and daughter, Fern, Ian’s wife, Mary, and their children, Meagan (and husband Jared) and Brendan, and many nieces, nephews, and grand nieces and nephews.

Lenore lived a long, happy, and impactful life.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to NARAL, Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, or The Lenore Schneiderman Scholarship at Columbus State.

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