Thomas Schroeder

June 11, 2018

Service Details

Thomas was born January 13, 1953, in Dewitt, Iowa, to Hobart H. and Joan A. (Gool) Schroeder. He attended Preston High School where he excelled in football and became the 1971 State Champion in the Long Jump. Following school, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Tom was on the USMC football team and also competed in the 1972 Marine vs. Navy Spring Field Meet where he earned a trophy in the Long Jump.

While serving, Tom was stationed in Thailand, Japan, Bosnia, and Norway. When returning home from Japan, Tom had a layover in Anchorage, Alaska where, during landing, he saw two dog sled teams. Once home, he built his own sled, with various Huskies pulling it over the years. In the winter he loved using it to take the neighborhood kids around the block. Tom was always an animal lover and, later in
life, he enjoyed being able to spoil his children’s dogs.

While in the military, Tom was trained as a mechanic, working primarily on large vehicles and aircraft. He continued that profession until his retirement. Tom enjoyed being the crew chief of his sons’ dirt track late model racing. Tom was a motorcycle enthusiast and took pride in his Indian motorcycle. He took great care of his vehicles, personalizing them with Iowa State Cyclones and Marine Corps decals. Tom was also a skilled woodworker, painter, and all-around artist.

Tom was a lifelong fan of the Iowa State Cyclones, attending a great number of football games while his son Curtis was a player, and in the years after. He was very proud that all three of his children became Iowa State University graduates.

Tom will be dearly missed by his three children, Curtis (Sara) Schroeder and granddaughter Maia Davis of Newton, Christopher (Megan) Schroeder and granddaughter Audrey of West Des Moines, and Christa Schroeder (Marshall Stuart) of Ankeny; and four siblings, Stephen (Kathleen) Schroeder of Georgia, Judi (Hans) Henningsen of Preston, Jill (Thomas) Jepsen of Oskaloosa, and Timothy (Cheryl) Schroeder of Texas.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents and two nieces: Nicole Jepsen and Sandra Klein.

There will be a private viewing for immediate family followed by interment at Spragueville
Cemetery at a later date.

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