In the winter of 2011, Phyllis Schneck, a 79-year-old woman, found herself drawn to a Safeway supermarket in Casas Adobes, Arizona. A former resident of New Jersey, she and her late husband had sought refuge from the snowy eastern winters in the warmth of Arizona a decade prior. On that particular Saturday morning, January 8th, she was hoping to meet Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was holding a 'Congress on Your Corner' event.
Though a registered Republican, Phyllis had recently been impressed by Giffords during a conference call and wanted the simple honor of shaking her hand.
As she waited for her turn to speak with the congresswoman, the day was shattered by an eruption of gunfire. A gunman, later identified as Jared Lee Loughner, opened fire on the crowd, firing 31 shots. In the ensuing chaos, Phyllis Schneck was fatally wounded, one of six people who would lose their lives that day in the tragic mass shooting. The attack also left numerous others injured, including Congresswoman Giffords.
Phyllis was remembered by friends and family as a woman with a generous and active spirit. A skilled quilter and needlepoint artist, she often donated her intricate creations to her Presbyterian church to raise money for local food banks and children's charities. Her kindness extended to her neighbors, with whom she would share homemade treats like lemon curd and her renowned pineapple upside-down cake. Her life revolved around her three children, seven grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter, with whom she would spend her summers back east. The shooter, Jared Lee Loughner, was taken into custody at the scene of the attack.
