'Giving of time and treasure'

POST FALLS - When Gary Schneidmiller accepted the Idaho Hall of Fame plaque on Tuesday, his first thoughts were about his late parents.

"My mom (Gladys) and dad (Manny) certainly set the bar high for their son over the years," said Schneidmiller. He and his parents were honored during the Post Falls Chamber of Commerce's membership meeting at Red Lion Templin's Hotel.

"They were always giving of time and treasure as they felt they could."

The Schneidmillers' land donations for economic development efforts included the site that Kootenai Health owns in Post Falls and the Harper's (now Kimball Office) property.

The family also developed a college scholarship fund that assists Post Falls High graduates each year and donated to the city a military service flag memorial at Evergreen Cemetery in Post Falls.

Gladys started the scholarship fund in memory of Manny, who was a farmer and World War II veteran. A fountain and memory garden to be donated by the Schneidmiller Family Foundation will be built in Gladys' memory at the cemetery.

Gladys was a Post Falls School Board member for 18 years, a life member of the Idaho Parent-Teacher Association and a 4-H leader for 12 years. She was a member of the Royal Neighbors of America, the Idaho Community Foundation and was a founder and charter member of the Kootenai Medical Center Foundation.

Gladys was also a volunteer bookkeeper for the Post Falls Highway District, an irrigation district and the school district.

"I think the most significant gift that my parents have made to the Post Falls community was their willingness to volunteer and lead," Gary said. "When they raised their hands to help, they were all in until the task at hand was complete. They were serious about their commitments to help and they were always willing to work to see a successful end result."

The Schneidmillers were recognized as benefactors of Washington State University. Manny was a 1941 graduate of WSU, while Gladys was presented an honorary degree from WSU this year.

Freeman Duncan, an Idaho Hall of Fame board member who nominated the Schneidmillers for the honor, said Gladys got to hold the Hall of Fame plaque before she died of natural causes last spring.

"My goal was to make sure that she held it, and that happened," Duncan said.

Duncan said Gary, owner and broker of Coldwell Banker Schneidmiller Realty, and Gladys were both humble in receiving the honor.

"The first thing that Gladys said to Gary was, 'Well, I don't deserve it,'" Duncan said. "Gary said that (Gladys holding the plaque) was enough and I said, 'No, Gary, that's not enough. You need to let the community honor you.'"

Tony Stewart, another Hall of Fame board member, called the Schneidmiller family "an institution" in Post Falls.

"The entire community should know that the Schneidmillers are a special family," Stewart said. "This is a great honor and it's a very elite class."

About 200 people have been inducted into the Idaho Hall of Fame and the Schneidmillers are the first family to receive the honor.

Schneidmiller said he was raised under the principle that good citizenship is not a choice but a responsibility.

"Post Falls has been very kind to and good for our family," he said. "My parents clearly believed that, with success, comes greater responsibility to be engaged and to be philanthropically-inclined. To me, those are wonderful life lessons that make people stronger and make communities better."