Jeffrey 'Jay' Schneider Remembered as 'Helpful, Loving and Outgoing'

Submitted to Patch on behalf of the family of Jeffrey “Jay” Schneider.

Jeffrey “Jay” Schneider, 21, of Glen Cove, New York died Nov. 16, 2014 as a result of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident. Born on Sept. 27, 1993 in New York City, he was the son of Jeffrey Schneider and Bonnie Bowes. He attended Friends Academy and graduated from Locust Valley High School in 2012.

Jay, an avid sportsman, was involved in football, baseball and basketball at Friends Academy. His love for sports continued outside of school on the tennis and squash courts as well as the slopes to ski and snowboard. He also contributed in the orchestra of both Friends Academy and Locust Valley High School playing the double bass.

He had a great love of learning, and especially enjoyed classes with his political science and history professors during his college days at Bucknell and Nassau Community. Starbucks was another place outside home and class where he relaxed and never met a stranger. He would bring his computer and listen to top 100 DJ music, and continue his passion for music composition by creating his own mix tapes to share with friends.

Jay will be remembered as a helpful, loving and outgoing friend and family member; a free spirit who remained untethered from convention. His eternal optimism gave him the ability to always see the best in everyone. He was a terrific chef, great salesman and loved music. His cousin, Alex Schneider, captured it best: [Jay was] “…always so enthusiastic and warm spirited in whatever [he was doing], and [he] brightened up every room [he] ever walked into with [his] kind, goofy personality. No matter what life threw at [him], [he] was always that same happy, headstrong kid that everyone loved.” His girlfriend, Lisa Fontanarosa, shared, “He had great knowledge and GREAT potential to be a smart successful man. He was very friendly to [our] neighbors constantly holding doors, bringing the night guard freshly baked goods, collecting coupons for our neighbor who just had a baby, he was ALWAYS thinking about others.”

Jay leaves behind a loving family who will miss him until they meet again. They include his parents Bonnie (Jerry) and Jeff (Angela), his brother, Will and sister, Kayla. Jay was Will’s constant companion and defender, and co-inventor with cousin Alex of the Alex-Jay Game Organization, a magical, imaginary world that captivated the kids in our backyard.

He leaves behind his grandparents Rena and Red Bowes (“Mramaw and Prampaw”) of Amherst, New Hampshire, and was preceded in death by Anne and Augie Schneider (“Oma and Opa”). He is also survived by his very loved girlfriend, Lisa Fontanarosa of Hempstead and his many aunts, uncles and cousins. Bonnie’s brother Jeff and Julie Bowes (Tatum and Trevor), Jeff’s brother Doug and Katie Schneider (Alex and Nicky), Jeff’s sister Ingrid Schneider and David Rieger (Erika), Jerry’s sister Desi and daughters Amanda and Sophie.

A Meeting for Worship will be held the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 29 at 9:30 a.m. at Matinecock Meeting House, Duck Pond Road, Locust Valley, NY. Please park at Friends Academy.

In lieu of flowers, and in keeping with the Quaker testimony of simplicity, donations may be made to the Friends Academy Diversity Grant Fund. Please contact the Development Office for more details at (516) 393-4269.