On Pacific Beach near the city of San Diego, the Joe Schneiders gathered their four children with spouses and their eight grandchildren to observe the occurrence of their fiftieth anniversary of marriage. A two-story duplex housed this group of seventeen for seven days and nights where good food, fun, and frivolity were shared by all. It had taken nearly nine months of preparation to bring us altogether, yet it happened. One of the highlights of this reunion was a two-hour harbor cruise of the San Diego Harbor followed by a dinner of seafood.
Gathered there from the state of Washington, California, and Arizona this group had originated from Pennsylvania where Joe and Penny met in 1958. Following Joe’s stint in the Coast Guard and Penny’s graduation from college, their wedding took place in the small town of McKean, PA on May 23, 1964. While Penny began her teaching career, Joe entered the field of electronics which then moved them to Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, Hawaii, and California with a final move to Phoenix, AZ. The children grew up in Arizona attending Paradise Valley Schools and then NAU in Flagstaff, AZ.
Now both retired and living in Goodyear, AZ, Joe and Penny have enjoyed being able to pull onto the I-10 and head to Scottsdale and Tucson where friends and family live or to California where other family members live. Being close to Phoenix airport also allows them to be with family and friends who’ve elected to remain in Pennsylvania.