Nelson Ray Schindler

Nelson Ray Schindler, fisherman, animal lover and grower of many things, passed away peacefully on September 5, 2024, surrounded by family and Percy the beloved dog in Tallahassee, Florida. Nelson was born to Laura and Clarence Schindler on April 27, 1938, in Bay City Michigan. He was an only child with an active imagination and love for life that would serve him well over the next 86 years. In his youth he developed a love of the outdoors and hunting and fishing were his favorite activities. He was a kind and giving man who was loved by all who crossed his path. He always had a very soft spot for his pets and animals seemed to gravitate to him as the chosen preferred human. He never lost his sincere appreciation for nature and dreamed about fishing the lakes of Michigan and the deep waters off the Florida coast or planting crops until the very end. Farming and fishing came easy to him, and he excelled at both. Nelson is survived by his wife Isabel, two daughters Angela (Thorp) and Laura (Molina), three grandsons, Scottie, Victor and Holden Thorp and one granddaughter Clara Molina. Grampy was a grandchild’s best friend, and he loved spending time fishing, camping and playing outdoors in the summer as well as watching musicals while sharing freshly baked cookies and popcorn during Christmas breaks. He shared a love of growing beautiful things and caring for the many family pets with his wife Isabel and in later years they spent many hours caring for the fruit trees and flowers that surrounded their home while watching their four-legged children bound around the yard. His happy place was on the water or in their yard picking something for a pie or milkshake. Once he was diagnosed with cancer, he connected with his fellow veterans and found his tribe, so to speak. He was very peaceful and enjoyed connecting with the doctors and veterans that helped him prepare for this last chapter of his life. The Veterans’ hospitals in Ann Arbor and Gainesville provided excellent care as well as a welcome community that he identified with. They were kind and supportive of him and his family and they seemed to bring him a sense of belonging and peace. His Hospice care givers made this final chapter as comfortable as possible and Nelson was in a very small group of individuals that when asked, said that he had nothing left on his bucket list and felt he had accomplished everything he wanted to except for making that one last fishing trip with the Veteran’s Hooked on Heros. Although he never made it on the water, it still served as something he looked forward to till the end of his life. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Hooked on Heros program or Hospice of the Big Bend would be welcome. A private family service will be held in the near future, and he will be returning to his favorite fishing spot for a final resting place.

Nelson Ray Schindler

April 27, 1938 - September 5, 2024