MIDWAY — Melinda Schneider didn’t know a lot about the military or the hierarchy of its ranks when she married P.J. Schneider.
P.J. Schneider and members of the Morning Glory Morning Club gathered Wednesday to pay tribute to the late Melinda Schneider, who became known as “the yellow bow lady,” who passed away three months ago.
“She put her heart and soul into everything,” P.J. Schneider said.
Garden Club members dedicated a plaque and planted flowers in Melinda Schneider’s honor at the Butterfly Garden on the grounds of the Liberty County Community Complex.
Suzanne Stephens, president of the Morning Glory Garden Club, remembered meeting Melinda Schneider at her church when Schneider came by to give them a yellow bow. They also were Garden Club members together.
“I realized that she was definitely a force of nature,” Stephens said. “She was an unforgettable person for her vitality and her activity and she tried to do as much as she could.”
In her honor, the Garden Club planted pink hibiscus, yellow zinnias and yellow salvia.
Stephens remembered Schneider on her knees, pulling weeds and making the Butterfly Garden a place. Longtime Garden Club member Judy Shippey said she discovered she and Melinda were in school in Savannah at the same time, with Schneider attending Savannah High and Shippey attending Jenkins.
“She was absolutely tireless when it came to the Butterfly Garden,” Shippey said. “She worked in all kinds of weather. We loved Melinda and we treasure her memory.”
The Schneiders were married in 2002, and P.J., a retired officer, said he knew it would be a challenge bringing his new wife into the military life. She began volunteering with efforts associated with the military, including the Red Cross on Fort Stewart, the Hinesville Military Affairs Committee and the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary.
“She was everywhere,” P.J., who retired in 1993, said.
Melinda didn’t understand the differences in ranks, P.J. said, “so she called everybody ‘sir’ and ‘ma’am.’” When the 3rd Infantry Division was beginning its rotations to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom, Melinda noticed some yellow bows adorning doors and light poles. She went out to Waltrich Plastics and convinced them to make her the point person to make yellow bows, P.J said.
In 2022, she created a giant yellow bow, to be present at the welcome home ceremonies for units returning from overseas deployments. With Gen. Lloyd Austin, the former 3rd ID assistant division commander and before he became Secretary of Defense, coming to speak at the post, Melinda wanted to put the giant bow in front of his podium.
“I said, ‘Melinda, no one, no person, nothing gets between a general and his troops, other than the American flag and the division colors,’” P.J. recalled.
As several veterans held up the bow, Gen. Austin drove up and noticed the yellow bow.
“He said, ‘let’s put that out in front of the podium,’” P.J. said. “It gave her the drive to do more. The general actually said ‘that yellow bow is out here every time a unit comes back.’ And that yellow bow was out in front every time a unit came back.”
Melinda also worked with family readiness groups to make yellow bows, “and the next thing you know, every light post in Hinesville had a yellow bow,” P.J. said.
“She earned the name,” he said. “She took everything as a challenge and to take it one step beyond. She always tried to do more.”
