Cecelia Schnebly, 87, Shorewood, Wis.

Cecelia Ann Schnebly (née Gall) (1938–2026)

Cecelia “Ceil” Ann Schnebly (née Gall), 87, of Shorewood, Wis., passed away from Alzheimer’s disease on Jan. 19, 2026. She was surrounded by loved ones and caring professionals in her final days. She will be remembered and missed by many. She loved and was loved by many.

Cecelia was born in Thief River Falls, on Sept. 6, 1938, to George and Mildred Gall (née Svobodny). She attended St. Bernard’s Catholic elementary/middle school and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1956. In high school, she took her lifelong nickname “Ceil,” after the fashion designer Ceil Chapman.

After graduation, Ceil worked as a telephone operator with Northwestern Bell in Thief River Falls but felt a calling to the Catholic church. On June 24, 1961, she entered Mount Saint Benedict Monastery in Crookston, Minn., as a postulant. She was accepted as a novice on July 2, 1962, but departed from the monastery on Feb. 8, 1963, having faithfully completed a formal period of monastic formation.

She returned to Northwestern Bell and transferred to Owatonna, where she met the love of her life, a farmer named Marvin Schnebly, at a dance. They were married on Sept. 20, 1969, and she moved to a farm near Geneva. She left the phone company to become a homemaker, mother, and manage the farm finances. Ceil was also an active member of St. Mary’s church of Geneva, where she served as Secretary of the Winona Diocese Catholic Council of Women for many years.

Ceil was the mother of three children, Jason, Alan, and Julie, and became “Grandma CeCe” in 2012 when granddaughter Sanne was born. Being a mother and grandma was one of her greatest joys in life.

Ceil also enjoyed gardening, photography, traveling, movies & tv, Twins baseball, live performances, board games, and getting together with special friends. But everyone who knew Ceil knew how much she loved to read. Books, magazines, newspapers, and even encyclopedias were devoured everywhere and anywhere. She found everything interesting and was truly a lifelong learner.

Ceil will be remembered for her kind and generous spirit, her sense of humor, her endless thirst for learning, and her support for many charitable causes.

Ceil was preceded in death by parents George and Mildred Gall (née Svobodny); brothers Tom Gall, David Gall, and Robert Gall; nephew Dave Marty; and husband, Marvin Schnebly.

She is survived by sister Mary Jane Marty (née Gall); cousin Jane Sykes (née Breznay); children Jason (Kelly Kuenzie) Schnebly, Alan (Tanya Tiffany) Schnebly, and Julie (Nate Keeley) Schnebly; niece Michelle (Mike) Kane (née Marty), nephew Jordan Gall; grand-nephew Jackson Kane; and granddaughter Sanne Tiffany-Schnebly.

A funeral service will be held on May 22, 2026, at Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Catholic Church, 221 Columbus St., Sun Prairie, WI 53590. Please see FeerickFuneralHome.com for details or contact the family directly.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org) are greatly appreciated.