LOUIS H. SCHROEDER 1863-1928

WERNHARDT, SCHROEDER, HONN, MEYER, BRAINARD, HARNACK, SCHULTZ

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 3/11/2005 at 19:41:05

L. H. SCHROEDER, PIONEER MERCHANT, GIVEN LAST RITES

Funeral Services Saturday Afternoon Were Largely Attended

(Contributed)

Louis H. Schroeder was born in Levern, Province of Wesphalia, Germany, the son of Ludwig H. Schroeder and his wife Wilhelmina Wernhardt, on the 30th day of March, 1863 and died at his home in this city on Wednesday morning, Nov. 14th, thus attaining the age of well night (sic) 66 years.

In early infancy the parents dedicated him to the Lord in Holy Baptism and after due instruction in the fundamental doctrines of the Christian religion he became a communicant member of the Lutheran church by the Rite of Confirmation. May 1st, 1882, he immigrated from Germany arriving here May 20th, he settled at once in this vicinity.

December 4, A. D. 1890, he was united in matrimony with Anna Honn, also of this vicinity. This union was blessed with two sons and one daughter, both sons preceded their father to the homeland a number of years ago.

Deceased was engaged in the hardware business in this city until June 1st, 1921, at which time he started the firm known as Schroeder, Schultz & Company of which he remained a member up to the time of his death.

Until about a year ago he was in perfect health; from that time on he seemed to be ailing though never so he was totally incapacitated for work. On Tuesday evening he and his wife attended the meeting of the Brotherhood in the parish hall and he appeared to be in far better spirits than he had been for some time. On the homeward way he commenced to falter and before he and his wife reached their home he was seized with paralysis. Help was summoned and he was carried to his bed. The best of medical aid proved to be of [no] avail and at about five-thirty on Wednesday morning the soul left its mortal tenement and returned to its maker.

When Louis H. Schroeder closed his eyes in death a life of great usefulness came to an end.

Ever since he lived in this city he took an active interest in its welfare serving several years on the city council and being a member of the Commercial Club. He was affiliated with St. Paul's church ever since he came to this country and almost without interruption served the congregation in an official capacity. He was a member of the building committee at the time this church was built, a member of the committee when the pipe-organ was installed and a member of the committee several years ago, when the church interior was rebuilt and the parish hall erected.

For a number of years he also served on the church council as secretary and for the past four years as president. He was one of the charter members when about three years ago the Brotherhood was organized. We shall miss him but our loss is his gain.

He had not yet reached the allotted span of three score years and ten, when the grim reaper cut him down. But the value of a man is not gauged by periods of time, but by deeds alone and by the application of this standard we shall approximate the true worth of our departed brother.

Yet it is not because of his deed's done or deed's left undone that we in his death may call him blessed, but because of his faith in Jesus Christ and His atoning blood. "He that believeth in me," says Christ, "though he were dead, yet shall he live."

In his private life he was greatly beloved and a delightful companion. His was a sunny disposition, under whose influence those about him were irresistibly impelled to a like state of mind. He was popular to a marked degree among his fellows, (paper tore here) ____man perfectly at home in every company and who could make men feel at home with him -- of this the great number of beautiful floral offerings and the large assembly of friends present bears eloquent testimony.

He is mourned by his loving wife and only daughter, by his brothers, William Schroeder of this city, Christ Schroeder of Marshfield, Wisconsin, and Fred Schroeder of Wellman, Iowa, and by one sister Mrs. Fred J. Meyer of this city, by three half-brothers, Henry Schroeder of near Postville, Louis F. and William F. Schroeder of Williamsburg, Iowa, and also by two half-sisters, Mrs. Reuben Brainard of Clermont and Mrs. Louis Harnack of near Postville, an only grandchild, Dorothy Schultz, of this city and by numerous other relatives and a host of friends who will long remember him with esteem and affection.

The funeral was held last Saturday afternoon, at one-thirty o'clock from the home and at two o'clock from St. Paul's Lutheran church. Rev. E. Schmidt of Detroit, Mich., a former pastor here of the deceased, preaching in German and Rev. E. T. Finck, the local pastor, conducting the English service, both paying fine tribute to the fine character of deceased as a christian gentlemen and good citizen. Interment was made in the family plot in the Postville cemetery.

Postville Herald clipping, hand dated 1928 - contributed by Mary Durr