Jeanne Schroeder

Jeanne Schroeder (Dorothy) Jeanne Schroeder, 91, of Tucson, AZ peacefully joined her Lord Jesus on March 5, 2011. She is survived by Bill, her loving husband of 68 years; her brother, Dr. Brian (Monica) McLaughlin of Milwaukee, WI; all of her eight children, 16 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren and numerous nephews and nieces. Jeanne was born in August 27, 1919 in Milwaukee, WI to Lillian and Thomas McLaughlin. She grew up in Shorewood, WI before entering the University of Dayton, where she was a class officer twice, wrote a column for the student newspaper, and was active in the drama society, the mixed chorus, and the literary magazine. Jeanne was listed in College Who's Who in 1940 and was the Pershing Rifles Cadet Queen in 1939 and the Homecoming Queen in 1940. She graduated from UD with honors in 1941. After graduation, Jeanne had a radio show in Dayton and then moved to New York City, where she worked as an insurance investigator. It was in New York that her husband-to-be, Bill, whom she had met at UD and who was then an Army captain stationed at Aberdeen Proving Ground, courted her. They were married in Dayton on May 1, 1943. Their first child, Bill (Lee) of Atherton, CA, was born in 1944, followed by Tom (Barbara) of Cedar Rapids, IA; Steve (Becky) of South Boston, VA; Mary Clare of Seattle, WA; Joan of Seattle, WA; Anne (John Chevalier) of Cheneyville, LA; Jeannette (Dan Smith) of Hope, IN; and Patty of Hope, IN, who was born in 1961. After World War II, Jeanne and Bill moved to Illinois, where they made their home and raised their children while Bill pursued a career in the construction machinery business. In addition to nurturing her children, Jeanne remained intellectually curious and committed to serving others. She was active in her community and her parish, took up painting, and was particularly pleased to run her first half-marathon at the age of 60. Jeanne and Bill retired to Tucson in 1982, where she was able to more intentionally pursue her passion for learning and reading, and where she continued to paint, jog and go to the gym until she was almost 90. Jeanne was a committed Christian who loved Jesus as her savior and took His message of love deeply into her own heart. In her long-standing desire to be of service to others, she regularly took meals to home-bound elderly, tutored immigrants in English, and was an involved member of St. Odilia Catholic Community (7570 North Paseo Del Norte, Tucson), where a Mass will be held in her memory at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 19, 2011. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jeanne's memory may be sent to the Medical Mission Sisters, 8400 Pine Road, Philadelphia, PA 19111, a charity particularly close to her heart www.medicalmissionsisters.org. Arrangements by ADAIR FUNERAL HOMES, Avalon Chapel.