Merle, son of Alfred and Alma Nissen Schroeder, was born on a farm south of Aspinwall, Iowa, in Iowa Township, on April 17, 1918. He was baptized September 8, 1918 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Manilla. Merle received his education at the Aspinwall School and Manning High School. He was employed in farming and construction work. On March 28, 1942, he was confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Manilla.

On January 20, 1943, Merle was united in marriage with Violet O. Wenzel at Trinity Lutheran Church. Four children, Connie, Lynn, Carmen and Mark were born to this union. Merle and Violet made their home and farmed one mile northwest of Manning for a year and moved to a farm a mile west of Aspinwall the next year. In 1945 they moved to the Bill Jahn farm four miles north of Manilla in East Boyer Township, which they later purchased. Violet and Merle were still living there when Merle passed away Monday noon, December 22, 1997, at home. He had suffered a stroke in October of 1995 and had been in failing health since that time. He was 79 years, 8 months, and 5 days of age.

Merle was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church, and a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He enjoyed, playing pool and had belonged to several bowling leagues. Raising cattle was his hobby after his retirement.

Merle was preceded in death by his father and mother, and two brothers, George Schroeder and Alfred Schroeder.

Merle is survived by his wife, Violet Schroeder of Manilla; two daughters; Connie and her husband, Reverend Bill Natzke of Austin, MN; and Carmen Schroeder of Omaha, NE; two sons, Lynn Schroeder and Mark Schroeder, both of Manilla; four grandchildren; Todd Natzke and his wife, Amber, of Brownsdale, MN; and Sarah and her husband, Larry Willmott, of Eagan, MN; Ran Natzke of LaCrosse, WI; and Dean Edmunds and his wife, Cindy, of Omaha, NE; three greatgrandchildren: Joshua, Luke and Korban Natzke; one brother, Roy Schroeder of Knoxville; a sister-inlaw, Clara Schroeder of Omaha, NE; two nephews, Darrell and Kenneth Schroeder, both of Omaha, NE; as well as other relatives and many friends.

Funeral services were held Friday, December 26, 1997, at 11:00 A.M. at Trinity Lutheran Church, Manilla, Iowa. Pastor Timothy Geitz officiated. Music was by vocalist Mark Grundmeier and organist Marian Joens with songs "Hark The Herald Angels Sing", "Just As I Am", "My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less". Interment was in the Nishnabotna Cemetery, Manilla, Iowa.

Honorary Casketbearers were Roland Huebner, Gifford. Wenzel, Harry Olson, Mike Kloewer, Warren Wiese, Dick McCollough, Larry Thomssen, Leo Ertz, Harold Schroeder, Alvan Hansen, Karl Mahnke, Roger Heiman, Leroy Lingle, Harry Backhaus and Willie Lohrmann. Casketbearers were Art Joens, Bernard Jorgensen, Carl Segebart, Tom Musfeldt, Harold Olson and Cory Heiman.

Ohde Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.