Margaret Schneider Austin, one of Cincinnati's first female doctors, died Sept. 1. The Clifton resident was 97.

        Born in Chillicothe in 1905, Dr. Schneider, who used Mrs. Austin, her married name, in private life, graduated from Wittenberg College in Springfield in 1926, then took a job as cafeteria manager at the College of Medicine at the University of Cincinnati.

        It was while working there that she was inspired to go to medical school. While continuing to work in the cafeteria, she attended classes at UC and received her M.D. in 1939.

        After serving an internship and residency at Jewish Hospital from 1939 to 1941, Dr. Schneider operated a general practice in Cincinnati until 1990.

        An assistant professor of physiology at UC from 1942 to 1947, she was always interested in recruiting women to be doctors.

        Her motto was, “One in four by '74,” meaning she hoped women would make up 25 percent of the profession by that year.

        Dr. Schneider served as director of Clifton Care Center and Harrison House Nursing Home, and on several White House conferences on aging.

        She spent the last 15 years of her practice in geriatrics. After retirement, she was a volunteer at Deaconess Hospital and for literacy programs in the Cincinnati Public Schools.

        Dr. Schneider was a member of the American Medical Women's Association (AMWA), serving as president in 1966, and the Cincinnati Academy of Medicine for more than 50 years each. She was awarded the Elizabeth Blackwell Medal by the AMWA and, in 1995, an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from Wittenberg.

        Dr. Schneider received the Women of Distinction Award from the Girl Scouts in 2001.

        She was a member of Zonta International, an organization that advances the status of women.

        Her husband, Joseph White Austin, died in 1970.

        Survivors include nieces, nephews and cousins.

        Services have been held. Burial was at Grandview Cemetery in Chillicothe.

        Memorials: First Lutheran Church, 1208 Race St., Cincinnati 45210. Schneider

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