Gladys I. Schroeder

Gladys Irene Schroeder, age 91, died Sunday afternoon, August 7, 2022, at home in Eau Claire, Wisconsin with family by her side.

Gladys was born on December 23, 1930, in Colfax, Wisconsin to Elmer and Bessie (Olson) Christianson, the fourth of their eleven children. She graduated from Colfax High School in 1948 and continued her education by taking secretarial classes at the vocational school in Eau Claire. She married Gerhard Richard Schroeder on June 9, 1956. Gerhard preceded her in death on March 25, 1985.

Gladys was an amazing woman and a globetrotter. In April of 1962 Gladys boarded a plane in Minneapolis with 3 small children and flew to Liberia to join her husband. She single-handedly arranged passports, vaccinations and visas for the children and herself. The youngest child, Kent, was 16 months old. Cathy would celebrate her 4th birthday on the day she arrived in Liberia. The oldest, Brian, was only 6. She got this brood onto a plane in Minneapolis, got them all through LaGuardia airport to make the connection to the flight to Roberts Field, Liberia. She did this all by herself because her husband Gerhard was already in Liberia, and she was going to join him.

She knew that the household goods that were shipped would not arrive for some time, and so she packed a footlocker with kitchen essentials so that she could cook when she got there. She also packed two sets of every board game that was taken, so that if a piece was lost or damaged there would be a replacement on hand.

In the summer of 1964 she did it again, this time to Pakistan via New York, Frankfurt and Beirut to Karachi, Pakistan. Again, she had to manage all this by herself because Gerhard was already in Pakistan. Kent was 3, Cathy was 6 and Brian was 8.

Her mother died in 1966 while she was living in Pakistan; she flew back to Wisconsin on her own to see her one last time, and then back to Pakistan. She was unable to return for the funeral that followed shortly after. She always said she knew the exact moment her mother died as she woke up calling for her.

And in 1970 she did it yet again, this time via London to Nairobi, Kenya. Kent was 9, Cathy 12 and Brian 14.

Although Gladys was mostly a stay-at-home mom, she pursued a career once the family returned to Eau Claire in 1974. She retired in 1995, after a lengthy career with the Social Security Administration. She also worked many local elections as an Election Official and was a Step Force volunteer at Luther Hospital for years. Gladys and her sister Lyla also spent many years providing lay communion to shut-ins and volunteering at Ruth House, a homeless shelter for women struggling with addiction.

Gladys loved to go places. She enjoyed a variety of plays and concerts and even the occasional “lecture”.  She was a huge Twins fan and had season tickets for over 20 years. She looked forward to the annual Trek to Chetek to eat, sleep and play games. Wherever in the world she found herself, she always managed to find people to play cards with. But mostly she enjoyed visiting her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, no matter how far away they lived. These travels took her to France and Norway, as well as Massachusetts, Colorado, California and Virginia. She was often referred to as “Triple G” because Great Grandma Gladys was a bit of a tongue twister, especially for a small child.

Gladys is survived by her children, Brian (Audrey) Schroeder, Cathy Schroeder and Kent (Patricia) Schroeder, in addition to her five grandchildren and six great grandchildren, Margaret (Matt) Matasci and their daughters Liv Elizabeth and Lena Gladys, Hans (Erin) Schroeder, Lindsay (Colin) Sinz and their daughters Ella Bae and Charlotte Sunny, Kirsten “Abby” Schroeder and her daughter Nova Faye and Daniel (Madeline) Schroeder and their son Troy Camden. She is further survived by her sisters Juverna Hilson, Carol Blanski and Jane (Robert) Hanson, her brother Robert (Barbara) Christianson and numerous nieces and nephews and their offspring.

Gladys was preceded in death by her husband, Gerhard, her parents, her sisters Nina, Evelyn Ellis and Lyla Marten, and her brothers Marvin, Alvin and Lyle.

A Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday, August 17, 2022 at 11:00 a.m., at Hulke Family Funeral Home, 3209 Rudolph Rd., Eau Claire, WI 54701.  Immediately following the service Inurnment will take place at Rest Haven Cemetery in the Town of Washington.  A visitation will be held on Wednesday, at the funeral home from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service.

To view the service for Gladys online, please click the following link. https://boxcast.tv/view/gladys-schroeder-service-owwtdyvr7khtrdm8d2aw

Friends and family may offer condolences online at www.hulkefamilyfh.com.

Hulke Family Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 3209 Rudolph Road, Eau Claire, WI 54701 is assisting the family with the arrangements.