44°
He was a tennis pro, she was a personal shopper.
The two met 30 years ago through mutual friends and finally tied the knot in 1999.
They both came from previous marriages and both had their own children. They each had their own hard times -- Mikki was widowed at 31, and then divorced from a second marriage.
But Sid and Mikki were each other's happily ever after, their family members say.
Together, Sid and Mikki Schneider lived and died a power couple — just 12 days apart, both of coronavirus.
"They say that true love never dies," said Mikki's granddaughter Hayley Davis, of Morristown. "For my grandparents, this was true."
Sid, a Newark native, moved into Mikki's Springfield home with her 25 years ago.
"For as long as I can remember, Sid was in the picture," Davis said. "At first, he was just 'my friend Sid.’”
But it soon became clear Sid was much more than that to Mikki -- and Mikki much more than that to Sid.
"They were so thrilled to be together," Davis said. "They hung on each other's every word. She was always in the kitchen cooking he was watching her with a gaze.
"Every time he spoke, she was just enthralled with him. They were really important to each other."
This is how it was for years.
Then, in August 2017, Mikki developed Alzheimer's, Davis said.
And so, Sid and Mikki -- or as their grandchildren call them "Papa Sid" and "Bubbie" -- moved into an assisted living facility together.
On March 25, 2020, Mikki was hospitalized for dehydration. Her tests came back healthy, so later that night, she returned to her facility to be with Sid. For the next week, Mikki was "on and off," Davis said.
Things took a turn on April 4, when Mikki's breathing became labored. Her blood pressure was high. Over the course of the next few days, while receiving hospice care in her room, Mikki's condition worsened.
On April 7, Mikki's family received the news that she had tested positive for coronavirus.
Later that day, she slipped away.
The funeral was April 10. With social-distancing restrictions in place, only Mikki's two sons -- Jeff (Hayley's dad) and Michael could attend. Mikki's daughter Abby lives in Rhode Island. She also wasn't able to attend.
"It was devastating," Davis said.
"My family and I, like so many others, were not able to grieve properly."
Then, the family learned that Sid also contracted the virus. On April 19, he passed away.
It wasn't clear if Sid or Mikki quite understood what was happening, Davis said, as they both were in and out of consciousness with the virus.
But the silver lining for Davis and her family is that Sid and Mikki are together now.
"As sad as it, is it’s better they’re together," Davis said. "As opposed to one being here without the other.
"I just think they truly could never be apart."
Mikki Schneider is survived by her three children, Jeff Davis, Michael Davis and his wife Leslie, and Abby Burchfield and her husband Jimmy; grandchildren Hayley Davis, Sydney Davis, Jordan Davis and Andie Davis, and Emma and Lily Burchfield
Sid Schneider is survived by two children and three grandchildren.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Fort Lee and receive free news updates.
