John Stillwell "Jack" Schneider, Sr.

John Stillwell “Jack” Schneider born July 11, 1934, in Anniston, Alabama to Kenneth George Schneider Sr. and Eleanor Ross Stillwell Schneider, died peacefully at home on February 19, 2025. 

Jack attended elementary school in Anniston, secondary school at McCallie in Chattanooga, and Auburn University. He lived his adult life in Nashville, TN with his main career in sales, primarily representing Russell Corporation, though he was active in varied avocations. A talented country singer and songwriter, in the 1960s and 70’s he was a staff writer for Cedarwood Publishing, now a part of Universal Records. His songs were recorded by Stonewall Jackson, Jim Ed Brown, Kitty Wells, and others. Several charted in the Billboard TOP 20. “That Long Legged Bird” (Has been to my House) written about his first child, charted #2 and “This World Holds Nothing,” hit the top 10. Jack eventually owned his own record label, Rustic Records, and his work in the music business continued until just months prior to his death. 

Jack was an avid boater and enjoyed spending time at his family’s lake home in Guntersville, Alabama. He was just as comfortable captaining a boat, as he was perched atop his Massey Ferguson tractor mowing hay. 

Jack had an impeccable memory. He had a keen wit and skill for storytelling with his charming and captivating Southern accent. True to his roots, Jack was a lifelong University of Alabama and Auburn football fan, never missing a game which he enjoyed watching with his family and friends. He was adept at fixing anything broken from boats to appliances and loved strategizing creative ways to do so. He generously shared his considerable mechanical knowledge with others in need of help, and would give the shirt off his back to any one of his many friends. 

He leaves his children: John Stillwell “Jac” Schneider, Jr. (Elaine), Andrew Polk Schneider (Janet), Carolyn Harwood Schneider, (Barrett Sutton), and George Ross Schneider. He leaves grandchildren Janet Marie Britt, Joseph Stillwell Schneider (Michalina), Eleanor Holbrook Schneider (Russell Ries), Brandon Murphy Schneider (Rachel), Bailey Ross Schneider, Ellie Rita Thompson, Isabella Sutton and six great grandchildren. He also leaves a nephew Robert Marshall Schneider, a great nephew Christopher Ian Schneider and nieces and nephews Jane Douglas Haggard, Whitney Haggard Hogan (Terry) and John Holman Haggard Jr. Preceding him in death are his parents, his wife, Nell Tolson Schneider, brother, Kenneth George Schneider Jr, sister-in-law Barbara Briney Schneider, nephew Kenneth George Schneider III, granddaughter, Sarah Elizabeth Britt. 

The family is most grateful for his personal assistant, Donna Adams, and his excellent caregivers, Beverly Ferby, and Chantae Jackson. 

Funeral services will be at Harpeth Hills Memorial Gardens (9090 Hwy 100 Nashville) Tuesday, February 25, 2025. Visitation will begin at 12:30 with the funeral following at 1:30. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to one of Jack’s favorite charities, International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.