Walter E. Schroeder and Elizabeth Lou (Betty) Schroeder (nee Baldwin), both age 77, passed away weeks apart following long illnesses. Walter passed on February 7, 2015 at Pleasant View Nursing Facility in Monroe, WI and Betty passed away on March 2nd, 2015 at the Agrace Center for Hospice & Palliative Care facility in Janesville, WI.
As a child, Walter lived on the Schroeder family farm near Clarno, WI. He suffered the onset of polio at age eight, attended a one-room schoolhouse, but later graduated from Monroe High School in 1955.
Walt earned his Bachelor of Arts in education from Milton College in 1959 and in the same year married Betty Lou Baldwin. He began his music-teaching career as the Band Director for Rock County Schools. Later, after the school districts merged in 1963, Walt taught at the old Janesville High School as an Assistant Band Director where he accompanied 120 students to the Worlds Fair held in New York in 1965. In 1967 he became the first Band Director for Parker High School where he led the pep band at Parker's only WIAA Men's Basketball Championship in 1971. Following Parker, Walt taught beginning band instruments and strings at several Janesville elementary schools until he retired in 1999. During his forty-one years of teaching he had the pleasure of teaching multiple generations of students.
Walt was a member of the Wisconsin Band Masters Association but following retirement he thrived as an active member of the Janesville Optimist Club where he became Lieutenant Governor. He was choir director for First Baptist, First Lutheran, and Asbury United Methodist churches. His greatest summer past time during retirement was mowing lawns on a John Deere lawnmower and thinking about refurbishing his John Deere Model 50 and B two-cylinder tractors. Following his long service to the Janesville community, the last years of his retirement were spent back in Monroe.
As a child, Betty lived on the Baldwin family farm in Beloit, WI that was purchased by her great grandfather in 1878. She attended Powers Elementary School, and later graduated from Beloit Memorial High School in 1955.
Betty attended UW Madison and then Milton College but her education was interrupted by her marriage to Walter E. Schroeder in 1959. She raised three children and went to work at Beloit Memorial Hospital in 1969: first as a nurse's aid, then as an EKG technician, and lastly a certified surgical technician, where she had the pleasure of assisting her father, Dr. Raymond Baldwin, in surgery.
Betty's spare time was spent running, biking, and swimming. She participated and medaled in several area events throughout the 1980's and early 1990's. She was a member of the First Lutheran Church where she enjoyed choir. She was also a member of the Janesville Humane Society and was deeply attached to her Yorkies, Oli and Katie, as well as her cat, Mitsy. Following her long service in Beloit and residence in Janesville, the last years of her retirement were spent with her husband in his home town, Monroe.
Walt and Betty are survived by three children: Dawn (Schroeder) Ziemendorf of Janesville, Greg (Kimberly) Schroeder of Watertown, and Eric (Sabrina) Schroeder of Monroe; as well as grandchildren: Deana (Jayme), Ronni Rae, Sydney, Bryan, Chloe, and Garret; and great-grandchild, Kelby. Walt's father, Clarence E. Schroeder, and his mother, Helen (nee. Meythaler) preceded him in death. Betty was preceded in death by her father, Dr. Raymond Baldwin, and her mother, Elvira "Christi" (nee. Christensen).
Visitation will be held at Milton Lawns Memorial Park Chapel, 2200 Milton Ave, Janesville, WI 53545 on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm with a memorial service to follow at 3:00 pm. In lieu of flowers memorials may be given to the Janesville Optimist Club in Walter's honor and to the Janesville Humane Society for Betty. Condolences and remembrances may be left at www.newcomerfuneralhome.net.
As a child, Walter lived on the Schroeder family farm near Clarno, WI. He suffered the onset of polio at age eight, attended a one-room schoolhouse, but later graduated from Monroe High School in 1955.
Walt earned his Bachelor of Arts in education from Milton College in 1959 and in the same year married Betty Lou Baldwin. He began his music-teaching career as the Band Director for Rock County Schools. Later, after the school districts merged in 1963, Walt taught at the old Janesville High School as an Assistant Band Director where he accompanied 120 students to the Worlds Fair held in New York in 1965. In 1967 he became the first Band Director for Parker High School where he led the pep band at Parker's only WIAA Men's Basketball Championship in 1971. Following Parker, Walt taught beginning band instruments and strings at several Janesville elementary schools until he retired in 1999. During his forty-one years of teaching he had the pleasure of teaching multiple generations of students.
Walt was a member of the Wisconsin Band Masters Association but following retirement he thrived as an active member of the Janesville Optimist Club where he became Lieutenant Governor. He was choir director for First Baptist, First Lutheran, and Asbury United Methodist churches. His greatest summer past time during retirement was mowing lawns on a John Deere lawnmower and thinking about refurbishing his John Deere Model 50 and B two-cylinder tractors. Following his long service to the Janesville community, the last years of his retirement were spent back in Monroe.
As a child, Betty lived on the Baldwin family farm in Beloit, WI that was purchased by her great grandfather in 1878. She attended Powers Elementary School, and later graduated from Beloit Memorial High School in 1955.
Betty attended UW Madison and then Milton College but her education was interrupted by her marriage to Walter E. Schroeder in 1959. She raised three children and went to work at Beloit Memorial Hospital in 1969: first as a nurse's aid, then as an EKG technician, and lastly a certified surgical technician, where she had the pleasure of assisting her father, Dr. Raymond Baldwin, in surgery.
Betty's spare time was spent running, biking, and swimming. She participated and medaled in several area events throughout the 1980's and early 1990's. She was a member of the First Lutheran Church where she enjoyed choir. She was also a member of the Janesville Humane Society and was deeply attached to her Yorkies, Oli and Katie, as well as her cat, Mitsy. Following her long service in Beloit and residence in Janesville, the last years of her retirement were spent with her husband in his home town, Monroe.
Walt and Betty are survived by three children: Dawn (Schroeder) Ziemendorf of Janesville, Greg (Kimberly) Schroeder of Watertown, and Eric (Sabrina) Schroeder of Monroe; as well as grandchildren: Deana (Jayme), Ronni Rae, Sydney, Bryan, Chloe, and Garret; and great-grandchild, Kelby. Walt's father, Clarence E. Schroeder, and his mother, Helen (nee. Meythaler) preceded him in death. Betty was preceded in death by her father, Dr. Raymond Baldwin, and her mother, Elvira "Christi" (nee. Christensen).
Visitation will be held at Milton Lawns Memorial Park Chapel, 2200 Milton Ave, Janesville, WI 53545 on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm with a memorial service to follow at 3:00 pm. In lieu of flowers memorials may be given to the Janesville Optimist Club in Walter's honor and to the Janesville Humane Society for Betty. Condolences and remembrances may be left at www.newcomerfuneralhome.net.