Sophie Marie Fitzsimmons-Peters
May 28, 1990 – July 9, 2024
Baltimore, Maryland
Sophie Marie Fitzsimmons-Peters, wife of Anton Schneider and mother of Desmond and Josie Schneider, was born on May 28, 1990 and died on July 9, 2024. Sophie’s life was defined by love, kindness, intelligence, and adventure. She was a beautiful woman whose thirty-four years wove a tapestry of humanity.
Sophie is the treasured daughter of Marie Fitzsimmons and Kirk Peters. She is the most beloved sister and sister-in-law of Jores and Carolina Peters and Jared and Katie Peters. She is the aunt of Jori, Santiago, Jovan, Maya, Griffin and Harrison. She was adored by the grandparents, aunties, uncles, cousins, and her Peace Corps family. Anton’s family thought the world of her.
Sophie’s home on Seneca Lake extended to the Watkins Glen Schools and her dad’s veterinary clinic. She thrived in the arms of her family, a bounty of friends, and the devotion of her teachers and coaches. She was an accomplished student and a fierce athlete. She loved learning, she loved sports, and she loved her friends. And how we loved her. Sophie had a beautiful childhood.
Sophie attended SUNY Geneseo, where she received a first-rate education and the glorious friendships of her soccer girls. Her semester in Nicaragua enriched her burgeoning global being, and her compassionate nature flourished. Upon graduation, Sophie was accepted as a City Year Volunteer and moved to Detroit, where she met and fell in love with Anton while quietly and effectively lifting up her students at Osborne High School.
Sophie, in the footsteps of her Grandma Janie, earned her Masters of Social Work, graduating from the University of Maryland School of Social Work in 2016. Sophie’s internship in the Maryland Office of the Public Defender cemented her compassion and responsibility to each person she encountered. Sophie went on to work with Catholic Charities of Baltimore as a school-based therapist, extending her counsel to adults in the community.
In 2018, Sophie’s lifelong dream of joining the Peace Corps came to fruition as she and Anton were sworn in as Peace Corps Volunteers in Uganda. Sophie’s position as a literacy educator was deeply satisfying. Her gentle nature, appreciation of her colleagues, and joy of children made her a beloved member of St. Bruno’s Primary School for the two years they lived in Uganda. Sophie’s teaching and coaching were developed with deep respect and collaboration with her fellow teachers and principal. Sophie’s daily work in the school library was joyous and meaningful. Sophie’s Peace Corps Project of building latrines at St. Bruno’s continues to make a difference in the well-being of the school community.
Sophie’s experiences in Uganda, South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia, and Nicaragua shaped her worldview. Her travels to twenty countries filled her spirit and challenged her keen intellect, informing her sense of responsibility as a global citizen.
Sophie and Anton made their home in Baltimore, where she worked as a Program Analyst for the U.S. government, doing the daily work that makes the Affordable Care Act accessible to all.
She appreciated her team and believed in their mission. Sophie’s devotion to our country extended from her daily work to her quiet and steady advocacy for social justice and reproductive rights.
Sophie was a beautiful mother, kind and gentle, patient and playful. She and Desmond had the happiest and most joyous love. Josie’s nine months in the most intimate and rhythmic nurturing of Sophie’s being and brief time in her mother’s arms is a forever imprint of the greatest love.
Sophie was a tender and compassionate wife, thoughtful and pragmatic. She loved Anton deeply and treasured their adventurous yet grounded life in Baltimore. Sophie was proud of Anton’s exquisite teaching in the Baltimore City Schools. She loved their neighborhood and the sweet community that encompassed them. In this past year, their travels with Desmond to France and Scotland brought such happiness.
Our gratitude and wonder for the beauty of Sophie is deep and abiding. Our grief in her passing is profound. The outpouring of your love and support has soothed our hearts and we are so grateful.
Source: The Odessa File