In 67 years, John Schneller seemingly did it all.
A standout high school, college and professional athlete, Schneller served as a lieutenant in World War II and then went on to start two highly successful companies.
Schneller was born in Neenah on Nov. 1, 1911 as the only son of Col. John and Edith (Johnson) Schneller. His mother was a teacher in the Neenah Joint School District prior to her marriage in 1910.
Schneller starred in football, basketball and sailing for the Rockets and helped Neenah to two state basketball tournament appearances, including a third place finish in 1928. He earned a basketball scholarship to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, but opted to play football instead and earned honorable mention All-America honors at fullback as a junior.
He graduated from UW-Madison in 1933 with a degree in electrical engineering and joined the Portsmouth Spartans of the National Football League that fall. The team moved to Detroit the following year and won the NFL championship in 1935 with Schneller playing end on both offense and defense in the 26-7 title game win over the New York Giants. He played in 46 games over four seasons with the Lions and remained connected with the game as a scout for the Lions, Bears, Redskins and Packers several years. After his playing career, he returned to Wisconsin to head a sales division of Briggs Manufacturing Company. He became a branch sales manager in Detroit and then moved to Toledo, Ohio to manage a sales division for Owens-Corning.
During World War II, Schneller was a naval officer in radar and radar countermeasures. He saw action aboard in the U.S.S. South Dakota during the battles for Palau, Okinawa and the Japanese mainland.
Following the war, he returned to Ravenna, Ohio and founded the Duracote Company that still specializes in coatings, synthetics and natural fabrics. After 16 years with the company, he moved to Kent, Ohio and founded Schneller and Associates. Now known as Schneller, Inc., the company remains the world’s largest supplier of aircraft interior laminates, serving virtually all of the world’s major aircraft and railway manufacturers.
Schneller died from cancer on November 6, 1978. He and his third wife, Ann, had two children, John III and Marianne.
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