Rev. Canon Charles E. Schnabel

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of the Reverend Canon Charles E. Schnabel, who died on June 16, 2026, at the age of 90. Charles was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, a life-long Yankees fan, recent ardent fan of English Premier League soccer, lover of movie trivia, history buff, traveler through the Panama Canal, and one of the longest-serving priests in the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island. 

Canon Schnabel was ordained to the priesthood on October 28, 1961, and spent more than sixty years in faithful service to the ministry of Christ. He grew up attending St. George's Episcopal Church in Astoria, Queens and was a graduate of Queens College, CUNY, and the Berkeley Divinity School in Connecticut. Following his ordination, he returned to Long Island to serve as curate at Holy Trinity Church, Valley Stream. At Holy Trinity, he met the lovely Sunday School teacher Kathleen, who would become his beloved wife and partner of almost 40 years. Although Kathleen was traveling in Europe when Charles first arrived at Trinity, her sister wrote to let her know about the handsome curate who would be perfect for her!  

In 1963, Canon Schnabel became the rector of the Church of the Nativity in Mineola, where he served for over thirty years. At Nativity, Charles, with tremendous assistance from Kathleen, fostered a close knit family of parishioners who not only worshiped together, but also enjoyed long chatty coffee hours, picnics at the rectory, full of games, folk music, and softball on the "South 40" lawn, and cherished Christmas parties (where Charles and Kathleen's children would spy down from the landing of the stairs in their pajamas). During this time, Canon Schnabel also served as a professor and, for a time, sub-dean at the George Mercer Jr. School of Theology in Garden City. He was an ardent supporter of the ordination of women and LGBTQ+ individuals to the priesthood. Upon Canon Schnabel's retirement, the village of Mineola temporarily renamed the street where he lived "Father Schnabel Way" in his honor. 

Following his retirement, Canon Schnabel entered an unexpected and yet incredibly rewarding phase of his ministry. He and other retired priests began an informal "supply group," available to fill in on Sundays when other priests took vacation or when a parish was searching for a new rector. Through this ministry, he developed a deep and abiding connection to many parishes in Suffolk County, including St. Cuthbert's, Selden, St. Andrew's, Mastic Beach, and St. Patrick's, Deer Park, as a devoted pastor and ardent defender. His loved ones are particularly grateful for the ways in which the parishioners of these parishes and his supply group colleagues ministered to him during the last difficult months of his life. He continued to supply on Sundays until December 2025, when he was 89. 

Charles was predeceased by his beloved wife Kathleen Bruce Schnabel, who died in March 2011. In addition to their incredible partnership in service of the Episcopal Church, Charles and Kathleen enjoyed cruises to the Caribbean, traveling to upstate New York, Manhattan, Massachusetts, Washington, D.C., and Minnesota to visit their children and grandchildren, summer visits to Ogunquit Maine, and their retirement on Lake Panamoka, with a dock, paddle boat, canoe and popsicles for their guests to enjoy. Charles was also predeceased by his cherished brothers, the Reverend John J.T. Schnabel and Robert ("Bob") W. Schnabel, and his parents John J. and Gladys B. Schnabel. 

Charles is survived by his loving children, David (James Minter); Christine (Tom) Ruppert; Deborah (Steve Moran), his five grandsons, Jack, Matt and Tim Ruppert and Finn and Stewart Moran, and his special friend Carol Mason, who in recent years brought him joy and love, and put a spring in his step.

He is also survived by his sisters-in-law April Schnabel and Carol Kiranbay, his cousin Ginny Troy, his nephew Chris Kiranbay, his nieces Ellen Larzelere, Claire Chiesa, and Nora McDermott, and many other dear family, friends, parishioners, and supply group colleagues. 

For I am convinced that neither death nor life nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Canon Schnabel's honor to the Episcopal Relief and Development Fund or to St. Cuthbert's Episcopal Church in Selden, New York. 

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