Lorelei Evans (Niederberger née Schmid)
July 11, 1951 - February 18, 2022
Lorelei (Lore) Evans, a fourth generation Californian and longtime resident of Kentfield, CA, passed away peacefully and with her indomitable positive spirit, at home on February 18, 2022 of cancer, with her loving husband Pete Niederberger at her side.
Lorelei was a champion for the beauty of life, which she approached with positivity and determination often through her humor, song, creative poetic messages, and personal connections. Rare would be the moment or setting when Lore did not quickly engage and put people at ease.
Named after the Rhine siren, Lorelei’s adventure down the river of life began in 1951 when born to Patricia (Burk) and Carl Schmid in Stockton. She grew up with her four brothers on a small walnut orchard in the country between Stockton and Lodi. Due to her sweet, endearing demeanor and presence, she was nicknamed “Cookie” and called so by her parents and their friends. As an early sign of her energy and ability to connect with people, she was president of her grammar school, running on the motto, “Don’t be a squid, vote for Schmid.” At Lodi High School the petite dynamo was chosen as a Homecoming Princess, although not all was “sweet,” she was not chosen the Future Farmers’ of America’s “sweetheart,” out-“sweeted” by a close friend prophetically named Candi! (Lore no doubt mused over this, as a follower of the Bard - when contemplating whether, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet”.) As a leader in 4-H, she was chosen for a handshake and photo with then-Governor Ronald Reagan, much to the joy of her conservative father. Having graduated from Lodi High with honors, Lorelei attended U.C. Santa Barbara, earning a BA degree in English. There she met her “surrogate sister,” Marily Schmucki, resulting in the “Schmid Schmucki” duo enduring for 50 years. Lore remained a few years in Santa Barbara teaching children with special needs.
In 1977 she moved to Marin County to help care for her grandfather, Frear Burk, in his Corte Madera home. She initially worked for several years in the Marin County District Attorney’s victim witness program, where she met her first husband, then Deputy D.A Peter Evans. She later worked as a designer for Ethan Allen furniture store. Ultimately, her true calling beckoned, and she began her lifetime career in teaching. She began teaching at Neil Cummins School in Corte Madera, grades K-8, where in later years she was Vice Principal. Continuing her passion for education, she earned an MS degree in Special Education from Dominican University of San Rafael, where she later coordinated the Dominican’s Summer Odyssey programs for gifted students. In 1987 Lorelei met the love of her life, Pete Niederberger and they married in 1995. Together, with Pete being a contractor and Lorelei’s designing skills, they remodeled their Kentfield hillside and home into a gathering Shangri-La for family and friends.
Lorelei was an ardent advocate for the success of children, supporting a range of those with learning difficulties to the gifted. She formed strong bonds with her students and families, deriving immense pleasure watching the children become adults. A direct quote from Lorelei was "I’ve gotten such pleasure and joy while teaching my students and have learned so much from them and their families." Demonstrating her steadfastness to education, she was still tutoring via zoom to the last week of her life. She also took joy in sharing nature with children and adults. One way she expressed it was being a docent with the Terwilliger Nature Education Center. In her own words, “Gee willikers, I am so lucky I got to go tripping with the Terwilligers.”
Lorelei served on the Board of the Kentfield Greenbrae Historical Society. Being a fourth generation Marinite, her great-uncles and her grandfather regaled her with stories of their growing up in Kentfield in the early 1900s. She in turn shared her love of this history with students in our local schools. Lorelei also served on the board of Marin Ventures, where she continued her mother Pat’s determination to be an advocate for the mentally disadvantaged.
She is survived by her husband Pete; her four brothers, Rick, Stephen (Astrid), Brian and Drake; six nieces and nephews: Terra, Trevor, Tricia, Tillman, Annika, and Tristan; and her husband Pete’s family, which gave her three step-children: Kiren (Jim), Josh (Susanna), and Seth (Simona); and six step-grandchildren: Daisy, Sam, Angella, Mary, Diana, and Scarlett; and her “surrogate sister” Marily. She so loved and mentored them all and they adored her.
She wanted and the family wishes to give special thanks to Rowena DeMayo and Becky Peterson, who helped Lorelei tremendously in her long fight against cancer. Also, she was, as is her family, very appreciative of the doctors and staff at Kaiser Hospital in San Rafael, especially those in the Oncology Clinics and Interventional Radiology.
Donations would be welcome at Marin Ventures: marinventures.org, (415) 472-4961.
A celebration of her life will be held on April 24, 2022 at the Marin Art and Garden Center, 30 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, Ross, CA, starting at noon (not Lore time!!).