Elmer E. Schneider, 78, of 162 West Remington St., Black River, passed January 18, 2016 at the Samaritan Medical Center.

A Funeral Service will be held at Noon Friday January 22nd at Concordia Lutheran Church in Watertown.  Burial will follow in the Black River Cemetery.

A calling hour, at the church from 11 a.m. to Noon on Friday, will precede the service.

He was born on November 1, 1937 in Appleton, Wisconsin, son of Elmer J. and Dorothy M. (Frank) Schneider.

He entered the US Air Force in 1955 and trained as a firefighter in Denver, Colorado.

He served in England and Germany until his honorable discharge in 1959 from his final station at Plattsburgh AFB.

He married Marjorie Delight "Dee" Davison on April 25, 1959 at the St. Francis Catholic Church in Harrisville. Following their marriage, they lived in Appleton for three years before moving to Black River in 1962.

Mr. Schneider worked as a machinist in Watertown, first at Black Clawson for ten years, then at Fisher Gauge for five years. He went to work as a Civil Service firefighter on Fort Drum in 1977, retiring in 1997 as a Lieutenant. After retirement he owned and operated Elmer's Limo Service for ten years.

Elmer was a Volunteer Firefighter for the Black River Fire Department and served as a past President and past Assistant Chief; he was a member of the Black River American Legion for 42 years; and an active member of the Concordia Lutheran Church in Watertown. Besides spending time with his family, he also enjoyed planting a large vegetable garden each year, hunting, fishing, wine making, and cutting fire wood.

Surviving are three sons and two daughters-in-law, Clinton W. Schneider, Black River, Joseph P. and Jutta Schneider, Carthage, Douglas E. and Tracy Schneider, Carthage; four daughters and two sons-in-law, Sheila J. and Richard Bell, Colorado Springs, CO, Patricia S. Denner, Ogdensburg, Jill D. and Casey Jones, Watertown, Evelyn M. Christian and her companion Alan Taylor, Black River; 15 grandchildren, Jill, Kristopher, Nathan, Dylan, Crystal, Joshua, Monika, Nicolas, Jessica, Casey, Jared, Graham, Gregory, Anthony and Alan; seven great grandchildren, Tahlia, Summer, Christopher, Jaxson, Maelie, Colt, and Ben; a brother and sister-in-law, Robert and Twyla Schneider, St. Louis, MO; two sisters, Shirley Brown, Redondo Beach, CA and Marianne Schneider, MN; and many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by Dee, his wife of 55 years, and a brother, Gerald.

Donations may be made to the Black River Fire Department, PO Box 95, Black River, NY 13612 or Concordia Lutheran Church, 818 Arsenal St., Watertown, NY 13601.

Online condolences may be made at www.brucefh.com