Marc C. Schroeder

Marc Childs Schroeder, 80, of East Haddam, CT passed away peacefully February 22, 2026, with Nancy, his wife of 53 years, by his side.

Born in Geneva, NY, Marc graduated from Phelps schools before receiving a Civil Engineering degree from Drexel University in 1968. A member of Chi Epsilon national civil engineering honor society, in 1972 Marc was the youngest person at the time to receive Registered Professional Engineer certification from the State of Connecticut. He went on to earn certification in other states, and to achieve various national certifications in engineering specialties.

Marc's early engineering career was building power plants with EBASCO Services and Bechtel Power Corporation, in senior positions from the start. Marc later joined Keeler and Long, Watertown, CT, before branching out on his own to form New England Engineering and Marcus Corporation. Marc merged Marcus Corp. with Liquid Plastics, Ltd, Preston, England, and together they built a coatings manufacturing plant in Middletown, CT.

In 1974, Marc and Nancy converted an 1800's carriage barn into a home - their home for 50 years. They had a second home in Charlestown, RI for 20 years, where Marc enjoyed walking the beach, and rowing his racing shell on the salt ponds. Marc also restored and enhanced their home on the island of Nevis in the Caribbean, where he hiked, gardened, and planted tropical fruit trees. As a volunteer there, he tutored students in math and physics.

Marc was curious-- a reader of everything from scientific journals to mysteries. He liked figuring out how things worked. Marc enjoyed music -- Classical to Lady GaGa and Dire Straits. He auditioned successfully for the Drexel Varsity Singers for five years in a row, sang with the group at the 1963 NY World's Fair, went on their two-month-long European singing tour, and was inducted into the Pi Nu national music honor society.

In his youth Marc loved cycling. At age 19 he recorded the fastest cycle time around Seneca Lake, NY, a feat that is still occasionally noted in the "On This Date" section of The Finger Lakes Times. More than once he rode his bicycle from Geneva, NY to Philadelphia, PA and back, to get to and from Drexel.

In 1972 Marc put power to those wheels, purchasing a BMW motorcycle in Germany and riding it from the factory through Germany, Switzerland, and France for a month, revisiting several of the places where the Varsity Singers had performed.

Marc liked cars, especially Jaguar XKEs - having stripped and restored a 1964 Jaguar XKE piece by piece. During his childhood on the family farm, he developed a fondness for creating "rapid chemical reactions, especially ones that made a fireball or loud noise!" On holidays he enjoyed firing his Lyle rescue cannon - the only cannon made for peaceful purposes - for lakeside friends.

In retirement, Marc enjoyed travel, reading by Bashan Lake, and daily hikes with Nancy and little buddy, Aldo, the terrier. He had a soft spot for rescued animals, even briefly fostering a mule on Nevis.

From the time of his first transatlantic crossing on the TSS Nieuw Amsterdam for the tour, Marc enjoyed traveling –- especially trips that involved hiking, good food, and the company of friends. Venice, Italy was his recent favorite, but he also appreciated Tuscany, Newfoundland, Ireland, England, Norway, the western US National Parks, and Chicago. As a Drexel student engineer on co-op at Mt. Desert Island, he mapped out parking lots and facilities during the week, and in his free time he hiked the mountain, often camping out overnight.

Marc was outgoing, generous, honest, hardworking, a man of his word, and a loyal friend who was always ready to lend a helping hand, whether to assemble a complicated dollhouse or to fell trees. He had an uncanny ability to remember phone numbers, formulas, names and addresses, and he had a great laugh.

Marc is survived by his wife of 53 years, Nancy (Parodi) Schroeder, sisters Lynn Smith of Carbondale, IL, and Karin MacDowell, Longmont CO, and many nieces, nephews, and grand-nieces and nephews. Marc was predeceased by his mother, Charmion Schroeder Gordon and father Wilbur T. Schroeder.

Contributions may be made to PAWS New England who trusted him with Aldo, or International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS), or a charity of your choice. The funeral will be private. A celebration of life will be held at a later date