April 22, 1929 – November 16, 2021
Joan Legg Schreyer, 92, of State College, PA (formerly of Princeton, NJ and Buffalo, NY) passed away on Tuesday, November 16, 2021. Wife of the late William “Bill” Allen Schreyer, former CEO of Merrill Lynch; daughter of the late William Bardgett and Gladys (McDonald) Legg. Joan was born in Buffalo, NY on April 22, 1929 and grew up in the Buffalo area. She attended Sullins Academy in Bristol, VA and Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, VA. She met her husband in 1951 and they were married on October 17, 1953. Shortly after they were married, Joan and Bill moved to Wiesbaden, Germany while he was serving his ROTC commitment with the Air Force. After returning to the states, they moved back to Buffalo for Bill to return to work at Merrill Lynch. In 1968 they settled in Princeton, NJ where they lived for 45 years.
Joan was the quintessential party planner and gift giver. She annually made her renowned brandied cranberries for friends and family over the holidays. For years she made her famous sour cream coffee cakes for the annual Princeton Hospital Auxiliary Christmas Bazaar. She chaired both the Car Raffle and the Dinner Dance for the annual Hospital Fete. She was an active member of the Junior League, was on the board at Nero Psychiatric Institute, was a patron at Morven, and was a long-time member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Princeton.
Joan was a member of many distinguished clubs, including The River Club in New York, NY; The Metropolitan Club and The Georgetown Club in Washington, DC; Skibo Castle in Dornoch, Scotland; Annabel’s, The Mark’s Club, Harry’s Bar, and Les Ambassadors in London, England; The Saturn Club and The Buffalo Country Club
in Buffalo, NY; The Nassau Club, Springdale Golf Club, The Present Day Club, and Bedens Brook Club in Princeton, NJ; Eldorado Country Club in Indian Wells, CA; Old Baldy Club in Saratoga, WY; The Bay Head Yacht Club and The Manasquan River Golf Club near Mantoloking, NJ; and Centre Hills Country Club in State College, PA.
During Bill’s career at Merrill Lynch, Joan had the honor of meeting several US Presidents, many foreign dignitaries, and Pope John Paul II. Their travels took them to every continent, except Antarctica.
Joan and Bill strongly believed in higher education and were the lead benefactors for the Pennsylvania State University’s Schreyer Honors College.
She was predeceased by her fraternal grandparents T. Arthur and Maud (Bardgett) Legg; her maternal grandparents William Frederick and Ida (Schwable) McDonald; her parents; her husband in 2011; and her son-in-law, Rodney Frazier, in 2015. She
is survived by her daughter, DrueAnne Bardgett Schreyer of State College, PA; grandchildren Kelly Frazier and her fiancé Michael Zalewski of State College, PA; and Charles Frazier and his wife Ariana Ramos of San Diego, CA.
Celebrations of Joan’s life will be held in Princeton and State College in the new year. Joan will be interred with her husband in a private service. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Schreyer Honors College at http://raise.psu.edu/schreyer
Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral Home, State College. Online
condolences may be entered at www.kochfuneralhome.com or visit us on Facebook.