SCHRADER, Stephen Arthur 1955-2017

SCHRADER, FLOYD, PARKER, CRAVENS

Posted By: K.L. Kittleson
Date: 6/11/2017 at 22:38:40

January 20, 1955 - March 29, 2017

Obituary for Stephen Arthur Schrader

Stephen Arthur Schrader, age 62, of Waterloo, Iowa, passed away Wednesday, March 29, 2017, at the Martin Center at Western Home Communities in Cedar Falls, Iowa, after a battle with brain cancer.

Steve was born January 20, 1955 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, son of Arthur and Phyllis (Floyd) Schrader. He was the first of five children. He raised livestock with his father on their family farm. While growing up on the farm he enjoyed trapping and fishing with his friends, Dave Hach and Randy Winkelpleck.

Steve graduated from Dysart-Geneseo High School in 1973. After high school, he met his first wife, Jolene Parker. They were married in 1976 in LaPorte City, Iowa, and shared their lives together for 13 years and had two children. He enjoyed traveling and took many family fishing trips. He briefly attended courses at the University of Northern Iowa and farmed in Dysart, Iowa, until 1995.

In 1995 he was involved in a farm accident which left him paraplegic. After a long rehabilitation and recovery, it was through this experience that he deepened his Catholic faith and was inspired to devote his life to helping those with disabilities. Steve once said that he believed that becoming a paraplegic was a blessing.

During this time, he met Linda Cravens, they were married in 2004 at Sacred Heart in Waterloo, Iowa. Together they shared a love of singing and being active in the church. In 2007 he founded DisABLEd Workers, a company that now assists disabled individuals in finding work and encourages employers to hire disabled workers across the country. His company has helped thousands of disabled people to return to work. He continued this work even after his cancer diagnosis.

He was an avid Iowa Hawkeyes sports fan. The three most important things to Steve were spending time with his family, especially his seven grandchildren, spreading the word of God as a very active member of the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, and his love of helping people in need.

Steve is survived by his wife, Linda Schrader; a son, Daniel (Laura) Schrader of Powell, OH; a daughter Stefanie (Chris) Steies of Hudson, IA; seven grandchildren, Alana, Ariana, Adriana, Laila, Lillian, Quintus, and Ethan; his parents, Arthur and Phyllis Schrader of Dysart, IA; his siblings, Janice (Bryant) Stock of Rio Rancho, NM., Robert (Mary) Schrader of Rochester Hills, MI, Lori (Kevin) Lemon of Ankeny, IA, and Sandy (Brock) Sells of Ames, IA; and extended family Tara McElroy of Iowa City, IA, and Shane Wait of Waterloo, IA.

Public visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. on Monday April 3rd at Hagarty-Waychoff-Grarup Funeral Service, 300 W Ridgeway Ave, Waterloo, IA, where there will be a 4 p.m. rosary. Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 4th at the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 600 Stephan Ave, Waterloo, IA, with additional visitation an hour before the service. A luncheon will be held following services. Family and friends will return to the luncheon after the burial at Mt Oliver Cemetery, 3912 W 4th St Waterloo, IA.

Memorials may be directed to Cedar Valley Hospice or Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church.

Source: Hagarty-Waychoff-Grarup Funeral Home website --http://www.hagartywaychoffgrarup.com/