Roy Schneider

{{Short description|5th Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands (1995-1999)}} {{Distinguish|Roy Scheider|Rob Schneider}} {{primary sources|date=September 2023}} {{Use American English|date=April 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Roy Schneider | image = Roy L. Schneider.jpg | order = 5th [[Governor of the United States Virgin Islands]] | lieutenant = [[Kenneth Mapp]] | term_start = January 2, 1995 | term_end = January 4, 1999 | predecessor = [[Alexander Farrelly]] | successor = [[Charles Wesley Turnbull]] | birth_date = {{birth date|1939|5|13}} | birth_place = [[Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands|St. Thomas]], [[United States Virgin Islands|U.S. Virgin Islands]] | death_date = {{nowrap|{{death date and age|2022|12|18|1939|5|13}}}} | death_place = [[Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands]] | party = [[Independent politician|Independent]] | other_party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] | spouse = [[Barbara Schneider]] | education = [[Howard University]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]], [[Doctor of Medicine|MD]]) | allegiance = [[United States]] | branch = {{army|United States}} | rank = Captain | service_years = 1966–1968 | battles = [[Vietnam War]] | mawards = [[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Star]] }}

'''Roy Lester Schneider''' (May 13, 1939 – December 18, 2022) was a U.S. Virgin Islands politician and physician who served as the fifth [[governor of the United States Virgin Islands]] from January 5, 1995 to January 4, 1999.<ref name=insular>{{cite news |title=A Report on the State of the Islands 1997: Chapter 5 Virgin Islands |url=http://www.interior.gov/oia/StateIsland/chapter5.html |work=[[United States Department of the Interior]] [[Office of Insular Affairs]] |year=1997 |accessdate=2010-08-25 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721043229/http://www.interior.gov/oia/StateIsland/chapter5.html |archivedate=2011-07-21}}</ref>

==Biography== Roy Lester Schneider was born on the island of [[Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands|Saint Thomas]] on May 13, 1939. He attended [[Howard University]], earning a [[bachelor's degree]] in 1961 and a medical degree in 1965. He served in the [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] from 1966 to 1968 during the [[Vietnam War]]. In Vietnam, he was a medical advisor and surgeon from 1967 to 1968. The United States awarded him a [[Bronze Star]] for his service, while the [[Republic of Vietnam]] awarded him the [[Vietnamese Honor Medal]] First Class and the Technical Service Honor Medal. He became a captain.

After returning to civilian life, Schneider became a physician in his native Virgin Islands. He served as the U.S. Virgin Islands' Commissioner of Health from 1977 to 1987. In 1994, he was elected to the governorship. In 1999, he was defeated for re-election by Democrat [[Charles Wesley Turnbull]]. He is considered by the [[National Governors Association]] to have been a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]].<ref>[https://www.nga.org/cms/roy-lester-schneider Gov. Roy Lester Schneider]</ref>

Schneider is the namesake of the [[Roy Lester Schneider Hospital]] on Saint Thomas.

==Post-gubernatorial career== In February 2000, Schneider and three cabinet members which includes executive assistant Maureen Bryan, OMB director Alvin Battiste and Finance Commissioner Dean Wallace were charged with conspiracy, embezzlement and fraud when the four of them allegedly conspired to pay a $29,000 bill at Marriott Frenchman's Reef Hotel for a room occupied by Walter Brunner, a close friend to Schneider and who was on contract with the U.S Virgin Islands government after [[Hurricane Marilyn]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://stcroixsource.com/2000/02/15/schneider-3-others-charged-fraud-0/ |title=Schneider, 3 Others Charged With Fraud |website=St. Croix Source |date=February 15, 2000}}</ref> In March 2000, Territorial Court Judge Ive A. Swan dismissed all charges against Schneider and his three associates and instead set a date for trial on charges of conspiracy, fraud and falsification of records. Schneider pleaded not guilty.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://stjohnsource.com/2000/03/02/schneider-pleads-not-guilty-all-charges-0/ |title=Schneider Pleads Not Guilty On All Charges |website=St. John Source |date=March 2, 2000}}</ref>

==Death== Schneider died on December 18, 2022, at the age of 83.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gilbert |first1=Ernice |title=Former Governor Roy L. Schneider Has Died. He Was the 5th Elected Governor of the USVI and a Respected Physician. |url=https://viconsortium.com/vi-culture/virgin-islands-former-governor-roy-l-schneider-has-died-he-was-the-5th-elected-governor-of-the-usvi-and-a-respected-physician- |access-date=28 September 2023 |publisher=VI Consortium |date=19 December 2022}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[https://www.nga.org/cms/roy-lester-schneider National Governors Association Biography]

{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=[[Alexander Farrelly]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Governor of the United States Virgin Islands]]|years=1995–1999}} {{s-aft|after=[[Charles Wesley Turnbull]]}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schneider, Roy L.}} [[Category:1939 births]] [[Category:2022 deaths]] [[Category:Governors of the United States Virgin Islands]] [[Category:Howard University alumni]] [[Category:People from Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands]] [[Category:Republican Party governors of the United States Virgin Islands]] [[Category:United States Army Medical Corps officers]] [[Category:United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War]] [[Category:Military doctors]] [[Category:Medical doctors from the United States Virgin Islands]] [[Category:United States Virgin Islands military personnel]]