Feb. 3, 1919 - Nov. 27, 2020

Thelma Steinberg Schnitzer, z”l, passed away peacefully at her home in San Francisco Nov. 27, 2020. Thelma is survived by her son, Gary Schnitzer (Sandra Wilder); and her daughter, Deborah Novack (Kenneth) both of San Francisco; her four grandchildren, Andrea Whitney (Deed), Gregory Schnitzer, Melanie Piziali (Eric) and Kevin Novack; six great-grandchildren; and her sister, Ilene Goldberg.

Thelma was born Feb. 3, 1919, in Portland to Lillian and Ben Steinberg and raised in Portland together with her sister Ilene (Steinberg) Goldberg and her brother Stanley Steinberg.

Thelma met her future husband Gilbert Schnitzer about 1932 when they were both 13 years old. In 1936 Gilbert went to the University of Oregon and Thelma went to the University of Washington to follow her love of music. In 1938, at age 19 she elected to marry Gilbert and join him at the University of Oregon rather than transfer to The Juilliard School in New York. They both graduated in 1940 and were happily married for 74 years until Gilbert's death in 2012.

After they both graduated, Thelma and Gilbert returned to Portland where their two children Gary and Deborah were born. They raised their family in Portland and lived there until 2008 when they moved to San Francisco to be closer to their children. She was active in the Oregon arts scene in both performing and visual arts at the Oregon Symphony and the Portland Art Association.

For more than the last 20 years, Thelma suffered from debilitating eye diseases, which ultimately led to her loss of sight. She wanted to prevent others from suffering as she had and she and Gilbert took particular pride in having endowed chairs in ophthalmology at both Oregon Health & Sciences University and Devers Eye Institute for that purpose.