Obituary of Harold Joseph Schindele

Harold (Harry) Schindele, age 91, was a beloved husband, father, grandpa, educator, friend, and neighbor. He was a “worker guy” (as he called himself) who could build, care for, and fix anything. After a short illness, he died peacefully, surrounded by his family, on May 23, 2024.  

Harry was born on August 5, 1932, in St. Cloud, Minnesota. As a child he tended a menagerie of animals (dogs and pigeons). A star football and baseball player, he also water skied down the Mississippi River—in February, in Minnesota. 

After serving overseas in the military and graduating from St. Cloud State University, he began his career as an educator, first as a teacher and counselor, then as an assistant principal and principal at North View, Osseo, Brooklyn, and Maple Grove Junior High Schools. His high expectations and obvious affection for the students in his schools, plus his goofy sense of humor, meant he was a great favorite. For years, every time he entered a fast-food restaurant or other place teenagers worked, he was greeted by excited choruses of “It’s Mr. Schindele! Hi Mr. Schindele!” 

Harry met his wife, Shari, at work when she was a new teacher. They fell in love and married in 1963. Over their long happy marriage, Harry and Shari have had a large, wonderful friend group, with whom they enjoyed their gourmet club (which they started in 1978), weekly card games, and annual trips to Mexico. As educators, Harry and Shari have also volunteered overseas in Poland, Crete, Cuba, Italy, and India, and they have taken many other international trips just for fun. 

Harry was a devoted dad who was always there for his kids, Mari and Mark. He attended scores of Mari’s recitals, concerts, and plays, and he schlepped her hundreds of books back and forth between cities at least a dozen times. He attended all of Mark’s sports, and he and Mark loved golfing and fishing together and watching the Timberwolves play, on TV and at the Target Center. 

Harry retired at age sixty and spent the next decades enjoying life and helping others. He volunteered at church, where he was the best party-planner and quiz-master ever. He supported Aeon, an organization that provides housing for homeless and underemployed people. At home, his many projects included single-handedly converting a large, unfinished walkout basement into a luxury apartment for visitors and, just after he turned 91 (when Shari made the mistake of telling Harry she wanted to hire someone to do it), renovating the back deck. For many years he was a single-digit-handicap golfer, and for his last decade he golfed below his age (but he joked that that was only possible because he was old). He loved spending a week at the lake every summer with the whole family, and he gladly took on the chore of cleaning all the sunnies we caught. Around the neighborhood, Harry was famous for his ice cream parties on the last day of school—a tradition he and Shari started sixteen years ago—for his dog treat stand, for his stash of chocolates for the neighbor kids, for his elaborate Halloween displays and extensive Santa Claus collection, and for always lending a helping hand to anyone who needed it. 

Harry is survived by Shari, his wife of more than sixty years; by his son, Mark, and daughter-in-law, Rosario; by his daughter, Mari, and son-in-law, Matt; by his grandchildren, Noah, Harrison, Casey, and Arianna; by his brother, Gary; by his nieces, nephews, cousins, and other family members; and by hundreds of friends, neighbors, former students, clerks at Menards, and everyone whose lives he touched. We all miss him very much. 

The funeral will be on Monday, June 3 at Advent Lutheran Church, 9475 Jefferson Highway, Maple Grove, MN, 55369. Visitation begins at 10am, and the service will begin at 11, followed by lunch. The family has chosen the following charities for memorials in Harry’s honor: the Advent Lutheran Church endowment fund, CROSS Services, and Aeon.