Merlin was the son of Johannes and Clara (Kruse) Schroeder.
Merlin married Ruth Lage, who was the daughter of Jacob and Emma Lage. Merlin & Ruth had one daughter, Judith.
Hazel Ehlers was Ruth's sister.
Clara was Harry Kruse's sister. Harry was Donna (Ramsey) Maasen's grandfather.
Note: This NOT the Ruth Lage who was first married to Ernest Nissen who was KIA during WWII.
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Manning Monitor article------ 1943
MERLIN SCHROEDER WRITES Manning Monitor article------ 1945
Has First Visit With His Daughter |
Funeral services for Merlin Schroeder were held Wednesday, July 17, 1996, at 10:30 a.m. at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Denison, Iowa. Reverend Patrick Sparling officiated the service with Mary Kuhlmann as organist. Interment was held at Westside Cemetery in Westside, Iowa, with Craig Miller, Timothy Miller, Dale Ehlers, Rod Ehlers, Arlan Jans, and Robert Schroeder as casketbearers. Honorary casketbearers were Mr. and Mrs. Lester Ohde, Mr. and Mrs. Wilmer Ehrichs, Mr. and Mrs. Don Terry, Mr. and Mrs. Gaylord Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Determan, Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Neumann, and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Schmitz. Military honors were provided by the American Legion Post No. 196, Westside, Iowa. The Huebner Funeral Home in Denison was in charge of arrangements.
Merlin Schroeder was born at the family home near Manning, Iowa, on February 8, 1916. He was the son of Johannes and Clara Schroeder. He was baptized on July 7, 1916, and confirmed in the Lutheran faith at Zion Lutheran Church, Manning, on March 29, 1931.
He received his education at Hayes Township rural school. After completing his education, he assisted at the family farm and various farms in the area.
In the fall of 1936, he moved to California and was employed as a chef at various restaurants. He then was employed as a welder at the California shipyards until his induction into the army in December 1942, where he served in the Philippine Islands-South Pacific Theater.
On April 3, 1941, he was united in marriage to Ruth Lage. They were blessed with the birth of a daughter, Judith Ann.
He was discharged from the army and returned home on January 25, 1946. The couple was engaged in farming on the family farm until January 1960, when they moved to Denison, Iowa. There he was employed as a welder at Savory's Welding Shop and then employed by Crawford County Maintenance Department until his retirement in 1978.
He was a member of Our Savior Lutheran Church, Denison, and a member of the Westside American Legion.
Merlin was a devoted husband and father. He enjoyed golfing, fishing, bowling, out-door sports and traveling. He especially enjoyed spending winters in Arizona for the past 10 years.
Merlin passed away July 12, 1996, in Phoenix, Arizona, after a long illness. He is survived by his devoted wife, Ruth, of Denison, Iowa; one daughter, Judith Ann Miller, and her husband, Larry of Phoenix, Arizona; three grandchildren, Craig Miller of Phoenix, Timothy Miller and wife, Shannon, of Phoenix, Dawn Miller of Phoenix; one great-granddaughter, Andrea Miller; one brother, Wilbur Schroeder, of Westside, Iowa; two sisters, Gertrude Christensen of Stanton, California; Phyllis Jans and husband, Wayne, of Westside, Iowa; also many nieces and nephews, plus a host of friends.