Jurg Schneider, M.D.

Jurg Schneider, M.D., died peacefully at his home in Greenville, DE on August 23, 2018.  He was 98 years old.

Jurg was born in Basel, Switzerland.  He received his medical degree from the University of Basel in 1945.  He married his medical school classmate, Eleonora Frey, M.D. in 1946.  They remained married until Lore’s death at age 81 on February 27, 2002.

After completing his surgical residency in 1951, Jurg changed his career path from clinical medicine to pharmaceutical research, with a focus on neuropharmacology.  He joined CIBA in Basel and in 1952 transferred to CIBA’s Summit, NJ to establish a neuropharmacological laboratory.  In 1957, he became Director of Pharmaceutical Research at Pfizer in Groton, CT.  In 1962, he joined the E.I. du Pont de Nemours in Wilmington, DE as Director of Research Pharmaceuticals, where he remained until  his mandatory retirement in 1985.

In 1971, he recertified as a physician and found a new clinical home in Emergency Medicine.  Working part-time with Doctors for Emergency Service at the Wilmington Medical Center allowed him to combine his surgical training and neuropsychopharmacological expertise to treat patients with emergent medical conditions.  Jurg was a Charter Fellow of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology and an Adjunct Professor of Pharmacology at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Jurg was an avid golfer, an enthusiastic sailor, and a skilled bridge player.   He planted vines in his backyard and produced and bottled his own wine (Rothbury Vineyard).  He authored and self-published a pamphlet arguing against national health insurance (Patient Care and Politics) and a book on retirement (Aging Gracefully: No Regrets Allowed), which he described as “a prescription for enlightened maturation.”

Jurg is survived by his son, Andreas Schneider, J.D., of Washington, DC, and his 3 daughters, Daphne Schneider M.D. of Watertown, MA, Diana Keffer of Honaunau, HI, and Claudia Brown of Wilmington, DE.  Other survivors include 5 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren and brother Beat Schneider of Lucern, Switzerland.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to a charity of choice.