Staff

Our dedicated staff members are here to provide support, compassion, and information to help you through your journey of grief and the celebration of your loved one’s life.

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Neal J. Schneider Funeral Director/Owner

Neal is the 5th generation of the Schneider Family to become a funeral director. Neal attended UW-Rock County and UW-Whitewater and is a 2005 graduate of the MATC School of Mortuary Science. He served his apprenticeship at Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, Janesville, and had also worked at Becker Ritter Funeral Home in Brookfield until returning to Janesville upon graduation.  In 2015, Neal joined the partnership with his father and grandfather, and when Neal's grandfather retired in 2016, he became partners with his father, William Schneider.  Neal later purchased the remaining share of the funeral home from his father in April of 2019, when William retired. When not working Neal enjoys motorcycles, snowmobiles, and boating.

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Nicole Gensler General Manager nicole@schneiderfuneraldirectors.com

Nicole is a fifth generation Janesville native. She is honored to again be serving Janesville and the surrounding communities with Schneider Funeral Directors, Inc. She graduated from Parker High School and received her degrees from Madison and Milwaukee Area Technical Colleges. Nicole has been a Wisconsin licensed funeral director/embalmer since 2010 and a Wisconsin licensed cosmetologist since 2003. Nicole completed advanced embalming training in post-mortem surgical reconstruction and is a certified crematory operator. She takes great pride in being able to create a peaceful, respectful and lasting memory when viewing a loved one for the last time. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and family, being on the open road driving her Janesville-built 1968 Impala convertible or riding her Harley Davidson Ultra Classic motorcycle.

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Crystal Williams Office Manager office@schneiderfuneraldirectors.com

Crystal was born in Rhinelander, Wisconsin but grew up in the Janesville area.  She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater with a Bachelors in Education with an emphasis in Math and Physics.  Later she obtained a Master’s degree in Technology with an emphasis in Digital Media Education. She always had a passion for helping and caring for people, and spent ten years teaching at Parkview High School and serving as a leader within the Parkview School District for culture building, curriculum enhancement, and technology integration.  The experience she gained through working in the educational field and her exceptional organizational skills made her transition to the business world seamless.  She has been working in office management for the past eleven years and enjoys all aspects of her role as office manager. She loves that she can blend her passion for helping and caring for people with her business skills here at Schneider.  She has two children that attend Craig High School and has a mini-Yorkie that is her constant companion. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, working on home improvements, and spending time outdoors whether it be hiking, kayaking, taking her dog for walks, relaxing on her patio, going for roadtrips, gardening, or doing yardwork.

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Alyce DeJesus Receptionist receptionist@schneiderfuneraldirectors.com

Alyce was born in Camden, New Jersey where her parents owned and operated Len-Lor Florist.  Growing up in the floral business she watched as her parents helped families through difficult times with their beautiful creations.  She saw their compassion and it became part of who she was.  Alyce graduated from Harris School of Business as an Administrative Assistant.  She moved to Shawano, Wisconsin in 2017 to help her daughter and her daughter's husband care for their two children. Shortly after, they relocated here to Janesville.  She has seven grandchildren, four in New Jersey and three here in Janesville; they are all the light of her life.  She is a member of New Life Assembly of God where she is very involved as a volunteer. 

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Andi Emmel Director of Cremation Services

Andi is a Janesville native, graduating from Craig High School in 1982. He served four years of active duty in the U.S. Army as a helicopter mechanic and later, after earning a Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice through Central Texas College, 20 years as a trooper with the Wisconsin State Patrol, retiring in 2014. He then earned an Associate's Degree in Funeral Service in 2015, through Milwaukee Area Technical College. He has been employed by Schneider Funeral Home since 2006; full time since 2015. He has two wonderful children, Aaron and Lindsay, and enjoys boating and traveling.

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Aaron Kerr Funeral Director

Aaron was born in Rockford, Illinois on a cold fall morning; the son of Rev. Dr. William R. Kerr, Sr. and Diane (Johnson) Kerr.  Both of his parents were heavily involved in funeral service during his entire life, as his father had his Doctorate in bereavement and served families regularly in the transition and celebration for people who were dealing with a loss.  Aaron's mom is a very talented beautician and has worked for a well-respected funeral home in the area now for the past 50 years.  He regularly tagged along on their trips to the funeral homes, and eventually found himself being called upon to play his bagpipes at funerals regularly. In 2010, he enrolled at the Worsham College of Mortuary Science, and received his funeral director and embalmers license in 2011.  Since then, he has been called on by the Schneider Family on a consistent basis, to play his pipes for the families of the greater Janesville area, which has always been an absolute honor for him.  In January of 2018, Bill and Neal Schneider gave him the invitation to serve the Janesville community as a director and arranger for the Funeral Home, and he has loved it here ever since. Aaron has two boys, Malcolm and Ronan; and a dog, Mabel.  He likes to stay active with family time and wherever that takes them!  Outside of his time at the funeral home, he is honored to serve as the Duty Piper for Janesville Police Department, and he also enjoys participating in bagpipe competitions in the greater Midwest area and even Canada.  He feels it's an honor to be in this position to help serve the families of Janesville and provide a well-suited option for the people they love so dearly.

 

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Erin Norin Pre-Need Specialist preneed@schneiderfuneraldirectors.com

 

Erin Norin is new to the Janesville area since March of 2020. She moved down from Madison along with her husband and their two kids Dylan and Zoe. After that crazy time in our history known as the pandemic, they were in search of a life that allowed them to be more involved in the community and in 2021 they found it in nearby Edgerton. They purchased their forever home inside of Rock River Leisure Estates where they get to enjoy all their favorite activities: boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, geocaching etc., all with the backdrop of the beautiful Rock River and Lake Koshkonong.

Erin’s background is in holistic healthcare, pain therapy and wellness. After 25 years in that arena (and a big move away from her home state of Iowa), she decided to go in a different career direction. When her husband, a Licensed Surveyor, was offered a great opportunity up in Madison, they uprooted and started fresh. For the past 3 years, Erin has been traveling all over the states of Wisconsin and Illinois working with small businesses as a marketing specialist. But when her father-in-law passed away in 2022, she felt compelled to be home more. Shortly after his passing, she started looking for an opportunity that would allow her to continue having a big impact serving hundreds of families but under one roof and for ONE family business versus hundreds across two states. Joining Scheider Funeral Directors with it’s amazing reputation, five generations of success and a growing team was the perfect fit. After 3-4 years of searching for the perfect career, Erin is proud to be serving the Janesville area and feels blessed to be serving area families alongside the amazing Schneider team. Having personally experienced four extremely stressful and emotional funerals in a short period of time, Erin knows exactly why funeral  pre-arrangment is the best final gift you can give to your family. 

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Zoe Hasty Funeral Director Apprentice zoe@schneiderfuneraldirectors.com

Zoe grew up in Belvidere, Illinois where she attended high school and was able to complete her Associate of Arts at Rock Valley College; she then transferred over to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater to finish her Bachelors in Business Administration with a major in Entrepreneurship. After graduating, Zoe worked as a traveling store manager, for the retail company Journeys, focusing on improving LP management & visual merchandising. With a well-rounded education in business, Zoe decided to pursue her passion for the funeral industry and started the online program at Worsham College of Mortuary science; she is set to graduate from the program in December of 2024. Before joining the team at Schneider’s, Zoe received her Wisconsin Funeral Director Apprenticeship license at MATC. In Zoe’s spare time, she enjoys reading, gardening, and spending time with her friends and family. Zoe has a huge passion for learning and improving the mind. She looks forward to learning everything she can and to providing support and comfort for families in their time of need.

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Stephanie Ries Funeral Director Apprentice stephanie@schneiderfuneraldirectors.com

Located in Milton, Wisconsin, Stephanie leads with a decade in retail management experience and is committed to supporting her community with compassion and precision. Her hands-on approach and managerial acumen ensure that every family receives personalized and compassionate care. Stephanie is currently attending MATC in West Allis to pursue her associate’s degree in Funeral Science, and is anticipating a graduation date in 2026. Her current role at Schneider’s Funeral Directors is Funeral Director/Embalmer Apprentice. Stephanie’s journey intertwines with her profound respect for life’s final chapter and a desire to support families during those pivotal moments. Family is the cornerstone of her life. She’s a proud mother to two wonderful children and share’s her life’s journey with her supportive husband. When she’s not studying or assisting families, she can be found outside with her horse, relishing the companionship of her two dogs and cat, and writing poetry. Stephanie looks forward to bringing a unique blend of empathy, dedication, and compassion to serve her community.

 

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Sienna Coldiron Funeral Director Apprentice Sienna@schneiderfuneraldirectors.com

Sienna was raised in Monticello, Wisconsin. She attended Monticello High School and graduated in 2016. She enjoys reading, listening to music, hiking, and photography. Sienna has always had a passion for helping people. Her interest in becoming a funeral director started when she was 13 years old and she is excited to pursue this career path. Sienna hopes to bring peace of mind to families in their time of need, just as funeral directors have done for her family. 

Neal J. Schneider

Funeral Director/Owner
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Neal is the 5th generation of the Schneider Family to become a funeral director. Neal attended UW-Rock County and UW-Whitewater and is a 2005 graduate of the MATC School of Mortuary Science. He served his apprenticeship at Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, Janesville, and had also worked at Becker Ritter Funeral Home in Brookfield until returning to Janesville upon graduation.  In 2015, Neal joined the partnership with his father and grandfather, and when Neal's grandfather retired in 2016, he became partners with his father, William Schneider.  Neal later purchased the remaining share of the funeral home from his father in April of 2019, when William retired. When not working Neal enjoys motorcycles, snowmobiles, and boating.

Nicole Gensler

General Manager
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Nicole is a fifth generation Janesville native. She is honored to again be serving Janesville and the surrounding communities with Schneider Funeral Directors, Inc. She graduated from Parker High School and received her degrees from Madison and Milwaukee Area Technical Colleges. Nicole has been a Wisconsin licensed funeral director/embalmer since 2010 and a Wisconsin licensed cosmetologist since 2003. Nicole completed advanced embalming training in post-mortem surgical reconstruction and is a certified crematory operator. She takes great pride in being able to create a peaceful, respectful and lasting memory when viewing a loved one for the last time. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and family, being on the open road driving her Janesville-built 1968 Impala convertible or riding her Harley Davidson Ultra Classic motorcycle.

Crystal Williams

Office Manager
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Crystal was born in Rhinelander, Wisconsin but grew up in the Janesville area.  She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater with a Bachelors in Education with an emphasis in Math and Physics.  Later she obtained a Master’s degree in Technology with an emphasis in Digital Media Education. She always had a passion for helping and caring for people, and spent ten years teaching at Parkview High School and serving as a leader within the Parkview School District for culture building, curriculum enhancement, and technology integration.  The experience she gained through working in the educational field and her exceptional organizational skills made her transition to the business world seamless.  She has been working in office management for the past eleven years and enjoys all aspects of her role as office manager. She loves that she can blend her passion for helping and caring for people with her business skills here at Schneider.  She has two children that attend Craig High School and has a mini-Yorkie that is her constant companion. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, working on home improvements, and spending time outdoors whether it be hiking, kayaking, taking her dog for walks, relaxing on her patio, going for roadtrips, gardening, or doing yardwork.

Alyce DeJesus

Receptionist
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Alyce was born in Camden, New Jersey where her parents owned and operated Len-Lor Florist.  Growing up in the floral business she watched as her parents helped families through difficult times with their beautiful creations.  She saw their compassion and it became part of who she was.  Alyce graduated from Harris School of Business as an Administrative Assistant.  She moved to Shawano, Wisconsin in 2017 to help her daughter and her daughter's husband care for their two children. Shortly after, they relocated here to Janesville.  She has seven grandchildren, four in New Jersey and three here in Janesville; they are all the light of her life.  She is a member of New Life Assembly of God where she is very involved as a volunteer. 

Andi Emmel

Director of Cremation Services
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Andi is a Janesville native, graduating from Craig High School in 1982. He served four years of active duty in the U.S. Army as a helicopter mechanic and later, after earning a Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice through Central Texas College, 20 years as a trooper with the Wisconsin State Patrol, retiring in 2014. He then earned an Associate's Degree in Funeral Service in 2015, through Milwaukee Area Technical College. He has been employed by Schneider Funeral Home since 2006; full time since 2015. He has two wonderful children, Aaron and Lindsay, and enjoys boating and traveling.

Aaron Kerr

Funeral Director
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Aaron was born in Rockford, Illinois on a cold fall morning; the son of Rev. Dr. William R. Kerr, Sr. and Diane (Johnson) Kerr.  Both of his parents were heavily involved in funeral service during his entire life, as his father had his Doctorate in bereavement and served families regularly in the transition and celebration for people who were dealing with a loss.  Aaron's mom is a very talented beautician and has worked for a well-respected funeral home in the area now for the past 50 years.  He regularly tagged along on their trips to the funeral homes, and eventually found himself being called upon to play his bagpipes at funerals regularly. In 2010, he enrolled at the Worsham College of Mortuary Science, and received his funeral director and embalmers license in 2011.  Since then, he has been called on by the Schneider Family on a consistent basis, to play his pipes for the families of the greater Janesville area, which has always been an absolute honor for him.  In January of 2018, Bill and Neal Schneider gave him the invitation to serve the Janesville community as a director and arranger for the Funeral Home, and he has loved it here ever since. Aaron has two boys, Malcolm and Ronan; and a dog, Mabel.  He likes to stay active with family time and wherever that takes them!  Outside of his time at the funeral home, he is honored to serve as the Duty Piper for Janesville Police Department, and he also enjoys participating in bagpipe competitions in the greater Midwest area and even Canada.  He feels it's an honor to be in this position to help serve the families of Janesville and provide a well-suited option for the people they love so dearly.

 

Erin Norin

Pre-Need Specialist
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Erin Norin is new to the Janesville area since March of 2020. She moved down from Madison along with her husband and their two kids Dylan and Zoe. After that crazy time in our history known as the pandemic, they were in search of a life that allowed them to be more involved in the community and in 2021 they found it in nearby Edgerton. They purchased their forever home inside of Rock River Leisure Estates where they get to enjoy all their favorite activities: boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, geocaching etc., all with the backdrop of the beautiful Rock River and Lake Koshkonong.

Erin’s background is in holistic healthcare, pain therapy and wellness. After 25 years in that arena (and a big move away from her home state of Iowa), she decided to go in a different career direction. When her husband, a Licensed Surveyor, was offered a great opportunity up in Madison, they uprooted and started fresh. For the past 3 years, Erin has been traveling all over the states of Wisconsin and Illinois working with small businesses as a marketing specialist. But when her father-in-law passed away in 2022, she felt compelled to be home more. Shortly after his passing, she started looking for an opportunity that would allow her to continue having a big impact serving hundreds of families but under one roof and for ONE family business versus hundreds across two states. Joining Scheider Funeral Directors with it’s amazing reputation, five generations of success and a growing team was the perfect fit. After 3-4 years of searching for the perfect career, Erin is proud to be serving the Janesville area and feels blessed to be serving area families alongside the amazing Schneider team. Having personally experienced four extremely stressful and emotional funerals in a short period of time, Erin knows exactly why funeral  pre-arrangment is the best final gift you can give to your family. 

Zoe Hasty

Funeral Director Apprentice
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Zoe grew up in Belvidere, Illinois where she attended high school and was able to complete her Associate of Arts at Rock Valley College; she then transferred over to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater to finish her Bachelors in Business Administration with a major in Entrepreneurship. After graduating, Zoe worked as a traveling store manager, for the retail company Journeys, focusing on improving LP management & visual merchandising. With a well-rounded education in business, Zoe decided to pursue her passion for the funeral industry and started the online program at Worsham College of Mortuary science; she is set to graduate from the program in December of 2024. Before joining the team at Schneider’s, Zoe received her Wisconsin Funeral Director Apprenticeship license at MATC. In Zoe’s spare time, she enjoys reading, gardening, and spending time with her friends and family. Zoe has a huge passion for learning and improving the mind. She looks forward to learning everything she can and to providing support and comfort for families in their time of need.

Stephanie Ries

Funeral Director Apprentice
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Located in Milton, Wisconsin, Stephanie leads with a decade in retail management experience and is committed to supporting her community with compassion and precision. Her hands-on approach and managerial acumen ensure that every family receives personalized and compassionate care. Stephanie is currently attending MATC in West Allis to pursue her associate’s degree in Funeral Science, and is anticipating a graduation date in 2026. Her current role at Schneider’s Funeral Directors is Funeral Director/Embalmer Apprentice. Stephanie’s journey intertwines with her profound respect for life’s final chapter and a desire to support families during those pivotal moments. Family is the cornerstone of her life. She’s a proud mother to two wonderful children and share’s her life’s journey with her supportive husband. When she’s not studying or assisting families, she can be found outside with her horse, relishing the companionship of her two dogs and cat, and writing poetry. Stephanie looks forward to bringing a unique blend of empathy, dedication, and compassion to serve her community.

 

Sienna Coldiron

Funeral Director Apprentice
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Sienna was raised in Monticello, Wisconsin. She attended Monticello High School and graduated in 2016. She enjoys reading, listening to music, hiking, and photography. Sienna has always had a passion for helping people. Her interest in becoming a funeral director started when she was 13 years old and she is excited to pursue this career path. Sienna hopes to bring peace of mind to families in their time of need, just as funeral directors have done for her family.