Sharon Kathryn Schroeder

Sharon Kathryn Ogaard Schroeder of Athens, TN, and Vero Beach, FL, passed peacefully at Dominion Senior Living to her heavenly home the evening of January 19, 2024.  She was 88 years old. 

 A memorial will be held at Dominion Senior Living in Athens, TN on Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 2:30 p.m. and a Celebration of Life at Central Assembly of God in Vero Beach, FL on Friday, February 9, 2024 at 11:00 a.m.  

 Sharon was born on August 31,1935, in Cokato, MN, the fourth of six children born to her parents Chet and Edna.  Chet moved to Manitowoc, WI, to build submarines and the family lived in “Custerdale” government housing.  The family relocated to Appleton, where Sharon graduated from Appleton High School in 1953.

 Sharon had a close circle of friends that lasted well beyond high school.   Sharon’s scrapbooks suggest many hijinks and untold stories before she and her friends settled down and served as bridesmaids in one another’s weddings.  

 While employed as a secretary at Home Mutual Insurance Company, a good-looking sailor fresh out of the Navy, William Schroeder, caught Sharon’s eye.  They married in November, 1958 and remained together until his death in 2015 just shy of their 57th anniversary.  Sharon and Bill transferred to Michigan and back, finding a home on Lake Winnebago while their children Wendy, Stacey, Kim, and Scott - and businesses Insta-Print and Buyer's Guide - were born.  The family would boat, fish and swim, and - in the winter – ice skate, at their home on the lake.  She balanced getting her girls to dance classes, swim lessons, and serving as Girl Scout Troop leader with assisting her husband in nearly every facet of running his businesses – customer relations, bookkeeping, typesetting, proofreading, design and layout (when “cut and paste” was actually cutting and pasting).   In her spare time, Sharon was involved in bridge clubs, bowling leagues, church, and family get-togethers where card games like “Sheepshead” were played.

 She and Bill raised their family and ran the businesses until 1972, when they moved to Florida.  Bill picked the state, but Sharon picked the city - when driving through Vero Beach, she told her husband "I can live here" - and she did for 51 years.  

 In Vero, new businesses were started, and Sharon became involved in bowling leagues, and the Vero Beach Jr. Women’s Club, all while supporting her children’s music lessons, sports, plays, and education.  For a time, Sharon and daughter Wendy, husband Bill and daughter Kim, operated side-by-side businesses on Old Dixie Highway - Action Printers and Pre-Press Express.  Bill would bring coffee to Sharon at her office next door every day.

 Sharon was a woman of faith throughout her life - from high school president of Luther League to soprano in the choir, children's choir director, church secretary, lay pastor and host /leader with her husband of the Saints Alive! group at their home.  After moving to Vero Beach, Sharon and Bill eventually found their church home at Central Assembly of God and were proud to fill an entire pew with family as it grew to include their children's spouses and children.  Sharon was a member of Central for over 40 years.  Sharon believed the impossible was possible.  When troubled that a church member had been dishonorably discharged from the military, she and Bill were able to show how the person had transformed in the many years since, resulting in an honorable discharge.   With Sharon’s belief that people are not bound by their pasts to model, it was no surprise one of her children became a public defender, and one grandchild a social worker. 

 Sharon was creative.  She played the organ, piano and autoharp.  She enjoyed painting, drawing, and crafts. She continued painting watercolors until recent years. She was a gifted seamstress who began sewing her own clothes in high school, and her daughters were lucky to have custom-made prom or bridesmaid dresses and, when they were young, the best dressed Barbies with hand-beaded gowns.  Sharon’s creative spark passed to her children and grandchildren, as she taught them to draw, paint, knit, crochet, needlepoint and how to be crafty in general.  There was never a shortage of ideas or supplies for projects.  Sharon was so artsy that, when her father found a box of colored toothpicks in the cupboard, he was sure Sharon had hand-painted each one.    

 In retirement, Sharon enjoyed dining out with Bill.  If asked her favorite restaurant, she’d tell you, “Many and any.”  She enjoyed her grandchildren, trips to visit family, and board and card games. There were many family game nights filled with Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit, Scattergories, Outburst, Uno or the newest games by “CraigClark.”  She worked crossword puzzles and word searches.  She appreciated a good bowl of ice cream or popcorn with Bill as they watched movies in their matching recliners.  Her home was the go-to gathering place for the big holiday family meals and celebrations. Her giving spirit was reflected in the overflowing gifts under the Christmas tree or the donations she made to many charities or ministries she supported.  Sharon became a dedicated caretaker to her husband as he suffered a series of strokes.  

 After Bill’s death, Sharon moved to independent living and was blessed with Wendy managing her affairs from California, and the companionship of Kim, who remained in Vero and had a standing "Monday with Mom" outing.  Out of town family would visit which, without fail, would include a trip to CJ Cannon’s and a game of Scrabble.  When her health declined in 2020, Sharon moved to assisted living and, in June 2023, to memory care at Dominion Senior Living in Athens, TN, whose mission statement “to honor God through service to seniors” aligned with Sharon’s beliefs.  She was near Scott, wife Carol and daughter Rebecca, who poured their hearts into Sharon’s last seven months.  Although her time at Dominion was short, she received many out-of-town visits from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and California.  She endeared herself to staff and residents.  Her room had a view of the summer hydrangeas, the fall leaves, and the recent winter snowfall. After recovering from a bout with COVID, she was able to dine with her fellow residents and participate in an indoor snowball fight the day before she passed.  

 Sharon was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Lois and Marlys, brother Peter, and her husband Bill.  She is survived by her siblings Paul (Cleo) Ogaard and Karen Williamson, her four children Wendy Ballard, Stacey Schroeder, Kim (Jim) Joines, and Scott (Carol) Schroeder; ten grandchildren Courtney (Jeb) Boudet, Allison (Joey) Cafeo, Michael and Finn Barrett, Jendi (Brian) Solka, Shannon (Justin) Moore, Kayden Miller, Marissa Schroeder Miller, Elizabeth Horn and Rebecca Schroeder; five great-grandchildren Riley Boudet; Coralynn, Brian and Ruby Solka; and Olivia Dolan; nieces and nephews and their children; and neighbors, former employees and coworkers, caregivers, and church family.

Those unable to attend services may leave condolences at https://www.laycock-hobbs.com/obituaries/Sharon-Schroeder

Laycock-Hobbs Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.