Anita M. Schell

Anita (Nete) Schell (Tiedemann) – 90

Born in 1935 in Middleburgh, NY to Charles & Edna (Doin) Tiedemann. Anita, “Nete”, was the fifth of seven children. She was predeceased by her parents and siblings, Ernest, Rosalind, Arthur, Richard, Edna and Sandra as well as her two eldest children, Stephen Heinzl and Robert Heinzl. Her three other children, Kathaleen Heinzl, Midge VanAller (Schell) and Richard Schell, and four grandchildren, Luke and Nicole VanAller, and Logan and Lana Schell, grieve her loss along with a long list of relatives and friends.

Nete was a humble country girl growing up in Middleburgh but also enjoyed the excitement of visits to relatives in New York City and Troy. She often shared fond childhood memories that showed her fun and lively spirit, including sneaking into the movies, hopping a train to Schoharie, or trying to crack a safe. Her stories always included close friends, which she continued making throughout her life.

After graduating from Cobleskill High School, Nete briefly joined the workforce at General Electric in Schenectady before becoming a wife and mother and returning to Middleburgh. There, in the rural neighborhood of Brooky Hollow, she made a home to raise her family. It was there too that she studied the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses and was baptized in 1972. She shared her faith at every opportunity and will be truly missed by her congregations in both Cobleskill and Duanesburg.

Nete was the devoted wife of the late Robert (Bob) Schell for 48 yrs. When the nest was empty, she and Bob moved to Schoharie and then finally to homes with her son Richard in Rotterdam and Schenectady. There, at her home on Wabash Ave. in Schenectady, her door was always open to friends stopping by and she could be seen daily on the porch taking care of and feeding many neighborhood cats.

Right up to her last day, Nete lived life to the full. She went out to the monthly ‘dinner with the sisters’ and passed away a few hours later at home while talking on the phone to a friend.

The family is honouring Nete’s wishes to not hold a memorial service but express their deep heartfelt gratitude to her many friends for their sympathy. Online donations in her memory, can be made at Bensons-cares.org or checks sent to Benson's Cares, 12 Fire Rd, Clifton Park NY 12065. Any photos or stories about Nete would be appreciated and may be sent to the family by email at richmschell@gmail.com.