Father Robert Schindler's Obituary
Father Robert Schindler was born on October 17, 1929 in Hollywood, Maryland. He was the son of Jacob C. Schindler and Eve Mae Goodwin. His parents have predeceased him, likewise his two brothers, William C. and Edward W. and his two sisters, Dorothy Virginia and Ethel Marie Hewitt of Tampa. He is survived by two sisters, Sister Carrie Schindler, who is a mission helper of the Sacred Heart and resides in Towson, Maryland, and Mary O. Mandzak of Washington, D.C.
Father was ordained as a Trappist Priest on May 8, 1954 in Louisville, Kentucky. He helped found the New Trappist Monastery at Vina, California in 1955. In 1957, he joined the Monterey-Fresno Diocese in California and was stationed in Fresno, Porterville, and Monterey. In 1967, Father followed the invitation of Pope John XXIII and volunteered to go to Mexico where he served in the Diocese of Campeche until 1993. He was Pastor of Lerma and then Hopelchen. In 1993, he came to Florida because of health reasons and worked as a Chaplain at the Veterans Hospital until July 1, 2002. He also helped out at St. Paul’s in Tampa, St. Clement’s in Plant City and St. Lawrence in Tampa. Upon retirement from the V.A. Hospital, he did Chaplain’s work at the Orient and Faulkenberg County Jails. He also served at John Knox Village and the University Village Nursing Home.
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