Margaret Schneider

EAST PRAIRIE -- Margaret Evelyn Emory Schneider, 94, died at 12:55 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 3, 2009, at the East Prairie Nursing Center.

She was born July 24, 1914 in Mississippi County to the late Charles Moore and Maggie Elizabeth McElmurry Emory. She descended from pioneer farming families Emory, Crockett, Tate and McElmurry who settled in Mississippi County in the 1800s. She was born on their farm in the Millar community and still had the $7 check that was paid to Dr. Albert Martin for her delivery.

She attended Millar School where her love for reading and learning was nurtured along with many fond memories and lifelong friendships. She graduated from the eighth grade as salutatorian and then returned to school the following year to assist the teacher. The lack of transportation kept her from attending East Prairie High School so she remained at home to help take care of her siblings and the family farm. She later regretted that decision, and earned her GED degree through a correspondence course in 1959.

Following the 1927 Mississippi River Flood the Emory family and Schneider family became good friends when George and Flora Schneider moved from Sugar Tree Ridge in New Madrid for "high and dry" land in the Millar community. Eventually their friendship merged into family through two marriages; first, LeRoy Schneider to Eunice Emory, and then Paul Francis Schneider to Margaret Evelyn Emory on May 5, 1940.

Paul continued in the operation of the family farm, however, the young couple soon moved to East Prairie. They lived in East Prairie the remainder of their lives where they were members of the First Baptist Church. Margaret's husband Paul preceded her in death in March 1997.

She is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law: Paula and Ken Scott of Danville, Ky. and Pamela and Jared Williams of East Prairie; one sister, Oma Lee King of East Prairie; five grandchildren, Shannon Scott of Atlanta, Ashlie Scott (Jim) Henderson of Chattanooga, Tenn., Jon Paul (Kaihong) Scott of Old Skippack, Pa., Holly Elizabeth Scott (Kent) Lewis of Nicholasville, Ky. and Heather Williams (Jon) Warren of Portageville; and nine great grandchildren, Will, Margaret Anne and Charlie Henderson, Olivia and Evan Scott, Morgan Emory and Kyle Jesse Lewis, William Beau-Hunter and Max Tucker Warren.

In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by four sisters, Callie Greer, Mabel Bryan, Eunice Schneider and Amy Knupp; and three brothers, James Lucius "Buck" Emory, Charles Dewey "Dude" Emory and Ira Cade "Ted" Emory.

Services were held at 3 p.m. today at the McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston. The Rev. George White, retired pastor of the First Baptist Church in East Prairie, and the Rev. Ted Wimberley, pastor of the New Bethel Baptist Church, officiated.

Burial followed in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery.

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Memorial contributions may be made to:

the First Baptist Church
Hwy 80
East Prairie, MO 63845

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