Vivian Marie Kuntz Schnick, 79, passed away Sunday, March 29, 2015, to be with her heavenly Father. She will always be remembered as a loving wife, mother and grandmother.
Service: A Scriptural “Rosary of Christian Hope” will be held Thursday, April 9, 2015, at 7:00 p.m. followed by the Mass of Christian Burial on Friday, April 10, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. Both services are at St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church, 2301 Acton Highway, Granbury, Texas 76049. The Rite of Committal and burial at Holly Hills Cemetery in Granbury, Texas will immediately follow Mass.
Memorials: In lieu of flowers, donations for “Mission Outreach – Guatemala Mission” may be sent “In Honor of Vivian Schnick” to St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church.
Vivian was born in Gary, Indiana on Sept. 28, 1935, the daughter of Helen M. Fleck and Laurence B. Kuntz. She attended Catholic schools SS Peter and Paul in Merrillville, Ind. and St. Francis Xavier in Alexandria, La. From the age of 9 she grew up in New Lenox, Ill. where she attended public school for three years and graduated after 4 years of high school from St. Frances Girls Accademy in Joliet, Ill. in 1952. She was 15 when he first met Robert “Bob” Schnick. Se married her best friend and partner for life on December 26, 1954. Together they were blessed with four children.
Vivian and Bob began their married life at Robins AFB in Ga. where their first two children were born. They lived in the suburbs of Tokoyo, Japan for over three years where son Chris was born and in Biloxi, Miss. where their daughter Jo Anne was born. After 20 years of moving with the U.S. Air Force the moving continued for another 25 years while Bob worked for the Hewlett Packard Co. Packing, Moving and setting up yet another home for their family became a way of life.
Vivian faithfully served for over 35 years as a lay minister of Holy Communion from its beginning in 1979. She sang in the military choir at Elgin AFB, Fla. She and Bob led a Renew group for several years in Kissimmee, Fla. At St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church she was always active behind the scenes. She served four years with the “liturgical Committee” scheduling lay ministers and lectors for Daily Masses. With the “Art and Environment Committee” she used her artistic talents and sewing abilities. She designed and created many liturgical banners, purificators, altar cloths, palls and other items used in the church. She created several stoles and vestments for both priest and deacons. Over the years, she had repaired or painted six statues of the Blessed Virgin. It was in May of 2000 while painting an outdoor statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe where she first met her pastor Msgr. Juan Rivero. Msgr. Juan Rivero invited her to take part in a new venture for their parish. Msgr. Juan, Vivian and Bob were the first to travel in August 2001 to the “new” parish mission partner in Patzun, Guatemala. For several years she wrote a “Mission Outreach” newsletter to keep parishioners up to date. She organized several Mission Immersion trips making seven trips herself during a thirteen year period and witnessed the gradual progress of mission efforts first hand.
Vivian was preceded in death by son, Daniel Leroy Schnick on Jan. 2, 2000, and a sister, Mildred “Millie” Kuntz Wendt.
Survivors: Husband, Robert L. Schnick of Granbury; son, Christopher Lee Schnick (Cynthia Bechtold) of Plano; daughters, Jo Anne Marie (Stephen) Prewitt, of Lafayette, La., Laura Lynne (Len) Marek of Page, Ariz.; eight grandchildren; four great grandchildren; another child, Lisa Ann Ruggieri of Aspen Colo. was adopted. She is also survived by a sister, Helen Kuntz (David) Martin and a brother, Carl (Janet) Kuntz, both of New Lenox, Ill.
